Comment

Development and Site Allocations (DaSA) Local Plan - Options and Preferred Options

Representation ID: 23056

Received: 09/02/2017

Respondent: Mr Richard Caie

Representation Summary:

Further development in Little Common is unsuitable for the following reasons:

1.Local infrastructure is already struggling to cope.

2.The new development planned at Barnhorn Green and other potential developments will exacerbate this.

3.A further 160 home development at BX116 would lead to an unmanageable increase in traffic.

4.Meads Road is already congested.

I urge RDC to look more closely at more suitable sites. The most appropriate would be BX124 on the NBAR, advantages include:

1.Far better access to services.
2.Easy access via NBAR.
3.It would not impact on any existing residents in Little Common nor detract from overstretched infrastructure.

Full text:

Although I appreciate the need for additional homes in Bexhill and government pressure on RDC, any further development in Little Common would be entirely unsuitable for the following reasons:

1. The local infrastructure is already struggling to cope. The GP surgery is nearly full, the primary school is fully subscribed, there is limited room for car parking and traffic on the A259 is already running at close to capacity with frequent serious congestion.
2. The new development planned at Barnhorn Green and other potential developments will exacerbate this situation and make matters even more difficult for Little Common residents.
3. A further 160 home development at Spindlewood Drive BX116 would lead to an unmanageable increase in traffic along the A259 and through Little Common as a further 300 or so cars emerge at peak periods carrying people from this new development to work or school.
4. Access to BX116 would be down Meads Road and Spindlewood Drive. These are minor residential roads incapable of coping with a huge increase in traffic. Meads Road is already congested with parked cars which require drivers to negotiate their way up and down the road which is invariably just a single lane.

Given that more residential development has to take place, I urge RDC to look more closely at more suitable sites. The most appropriate would be BX124 on the NBAR. The advantages would include:

1. Far better access to schools, GP surgeries, Conquest Hospital, the A21, shopping facilities and more accessible railway services at Bexhill and St Leonards on Sea.
2. Easy access to and from BX124 via NBAR which would result in less traffic using the A259 to access the Coombe Valley Way from the west.
3. The site of BX124 would not impact on any existing residents in Little Common nor detract from its overstretched infrastructure.

Conclusion
The proposed development at Spindlewood Drive BX116 would place an intolerable overload on all local services and amenities to the lasting detriment of current residents as well as new residents living in yet another development there. It would be far better to place this proposed development of 160 houses in BX124 where there is ample space, no strain on existing services and far better access via NBAR.