Firstly, my congratulations on the clarity and thoroughness of the planning process and the presentation at the exhibition(s).

While I appreciate that you are still at the general planning stages, I believe it is important to include consideration of the following:

1) Infrastructure: (Completion of the link between Queensway and the A21 in St Leonards is essential to support the attraction of potential businesses to the proposed industrial units). The utilities seem to struggle to support the with existing demand e.g. water storage and supply, mobile signal coverage, EV charging etc. Can these be fixed before adding to the burden?

2) Roads: Experience from when the link road was under construction shows that alternative routes receive a punishing load from diverted traffic for which, judging by the damage caused, they were not constructed. No attempt has been made to repair the damage which ought to be part of the overall planning (e.g. Woodsgate Park while the Sidley bridge was rebuilt). Such damage mitigates against the plans for greater use of bicycle transport for instance.

3) Housing density: I understand that the underprovision of parking spaces is deliberate to try to force people to use public transport instead. This does, however, lead to increased use/need to park cars on the roads and pavements hindering pedestrians and those with disabilities, and adding to the sense of claustrophobia caused by the higher density housing - hardly contributing to well-being.

4) Types of accommodation: It is to be hoped that the eventual granting of planning permissions will include the need to include climate friendly elements such as photo-electric roofing on all new builds, subterranean tanks for brown water storage to alleviate rainwater runoff and pressure on the pumped mains water.

5) Need for affordable housing: What is the cause of the pressure? Can we ensure that any such dwellings are used for local people and not swallowed up by private landlords, 2nd home owners or more distant local authorities to fulfil their own housing shortfalls?

6) Location of proposed schools and medical units: Again, this probably belongs further down the line of the planning permissions but, for the former, the safe delivery and collection of students needs to be built into the infrastructure. For the latter, the demographics need to be taken into account. With a significantly high proportion of elderly residents, access to any medical units needs to be on the level, i.e. without steep ramps or steps to negotiate. The Cooden Sea Road surgery fails on both these aspects and parking for the disabled or mobility impaired is also notable by its absence - most parking spaces are taken up by long stay blockers (staff? local shop workers? residents?).

Affordable is no longer affordable for many in the area. We need a radical rethink on those options or we will have homes that people still cannot afford to live in.
Has the Council looked at how it can encourage community grass roots options? Community led efforts might enjoy local support and meet local need.
Community Land Trusts should be standard in all developments and cooperative housing including plots bought to build by the owner occupiers should also be explored.

Please see attached comments from Burwash Parish Council.

See attachments for the submission to the Local Plan (Regulation 18) consultation from DHA Planning on behalf of Catesby Strategic Land Ltd and Rurban Estates Limited.

See attached.

Please see attached document for the full submission from Westfield Parish Council.

I am writing in relation to a potential plot for the development of houses set within the historic village of Guestling Green, East Sussex TN35 4LS. The current owners of Wild Meadows on Chapel Lane had previously applied for the building of 14 no. houses which was refused by Rother Council and again on appeal then by D R McCreery MA BA (HONS ) MRTPI PLANNING INSPECTORATE on 10th January 2022.

Having looked into the Rother Local Plan Draft Regulation18 which is to replace Core Strategy 2014 and Development of Site Allocations 2019. I can see that Rother Councils proposal which is required by the NPPF at least every 15 years for the long term benefit of the Districts Communities in the towns and local villages includes this as a potential site again.

Guestling Green itself which forks from the A259 into Chapel Lane has five listed period properties all set within a close radius with a further two set within the lane itself and two more on the road of Friars Hill which reconnects with the A259.

Dating over 900 years Guestling Green is a historical village with picture postcard Georgian and Victorian cottages which are an intrinsic part of both the villages past history and present. It is viewed that the potential plot would deeply misalign the character and appearance and would neither conserve or enhance the landscape and beauty of the AONB High Weald and its historical assets.

As mentioned in the Plan the NPPF sets out the overarching planning policy which the Local Plan must meet, including a justification for the level of development proposed. Which seeks to balance local housing and economic development needs against heritage, landscape and environmental protections.

It is also understood that the plan sets two key priorities the first one being Green to the Core and lastly “Live Well Locally”

This potential plot set within Wild Meadow in Chapel Lane, Guestling has the capability to remove this balance as stated by Rother Council & D R McCreery three and half times fold and in turn would not serve our community to “Live Well Locally” nor be “Green to the Core”.

The effect on the character and appearance within this historic area, with a more urbanised setting would neither conserve and enhance the landscape and scenic beauty of the AONB and the setting of nearby heritage assets.

Increases in traffic and speeding, recent localised flooding within the lane is gradually worsening & safety is of the utmost importance for residents both old and young. Heavy construction works, and additional heavy traffic both during and after completion would severely damage the safety, ecology, hardscape & historical assets of the lane including the two exit and entry points, which are already showing signs of congestion and noise pollution which would then lead to the potential of being unrecoverable.

It is noted that within the plan Rother Council identifies its crucial position in responding to the Council’s declared Climate Emergency and for the local communities to positively engage in a dialogue via Neighbourhood Planning Groups in finding logical solutions that will increase and aid our communities and surrounding environmental support and growth needs.

I do fully support this idea of a dialogue as in the past the communities who look after, maintain and help in preserving our homes and neighbourhoods can be left powerless and without voice. My family an I live directly on the green, and in the last four years increases in general traffic through, noise pollution and accidents within our small village has increased. Parking has become a challenge for the residents here, which in time will contribute to stressed situations resulting in an unneeded layer of unhappiness and uncomfortability within the home setting for residents.

The rural country lane should retain its historical original purpose, which is to support local residents who have families living here for over 90 years plus and their families families should also benefit from a breathable landscape with a balanced ecology to enjoy instead of the potential onset of an urbanised cluster of housing which will negatively impact the life quality of its current residents, and should align with the AONB nature and leafy setting it was built for originally.

Lastly I would like to divert attention away from Guestling Green and raise the point about affordable housing. I’m sure most of us would agree that this genre of housing is much needed and long over due, and with the restructured guidelines currently being worked on by our new government, we must not take it for granted that green belt consent AONB or otherwise will be open to all who wish to capitalise on the revised framework, for external purposes other than for the housing for families. Brownfield sites and existing properties set within towns should have a primary focus of attention than green belt areas as they hold greater possibilities including inbuilt communities, services, amenities & opportunities for more jobs and economic growth.

A focused attention will be needed by all of us to make sure that our quality of life is enhanced, lending a more progressed outwardly perspective for all.

With this, I do raise objection to the potential building of 14 houses at Wild Meadows in Chapel Lane as inappropriate as clearly proven by two Rubber stamped previous rejections. With over 700 empty properties currently within the Town of Hastings as an example. This should play a pivotal role in the new housing schemes. Instead of slowly urbanising our village of Guestling Green which is of intrinsic value to our identities our families and should be preserved & valued.