Rother Local Plan 2025-2042 – Development Strategy and Site Allocations
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Rother Local Plan 2025-2042 – Development Strategy and Site Allocations
Respondent: Ewhurst Parish Council
Agent: Ewhurst Parish Council
Representation Summary:
Oppose the proposed allocation sites in Ewhurst / Staplecross. Key concerns include inadequate infrastructure (electricity, water, GP capacity, school places and transport), poor sustainability scores, landscape harm to the High Weald National Landscape, and location outside the village boundary. No recent evidence demonstrates demand for additional housing, and past market‑rate homes were slow to sell. Increased car use would affect sustainability and road safety for vulnerable users. Development should only proceed where need is proven, design is appropriate and infrastructure improvements are guaranteed.
Full text:
Ewhurst Parish Council opposes development on these proposed allocation sites on the grounds following:
• Key infrastructure is inadequate for the current housing stock and no information has been provided to reassure us that it would be improved sufficiently to accommodate the new development proposed.
• The sites proposed are in the High Weald National Landscape and are outside the village development boundary.
• Staplecross scores poorly within the Interim Sustainability Appraisal Report accompanying this Regulation 18 consultation.
• No evidence has been provided that there is a demand for additional housing in Staplecross – be it market rate or affordable/social.
• There are insufficient employment opportunities in the area to support a population increase.
Ewhurst Parish suffers currently from an inadequate and unreliable supply of electricity. Outages also impact the supply of (pumped) mains water. Schools/Colleges in the catchment area (including Staplecross MCP) are at capacity and public transport options are few.
The local GP surgery (Sedlescombe) is not accepting further patients.
The limited public transport options would, inevitably, result in an increase in the number of parishioners having to use private transport – which would bring with it both sustainability concerns and road safety considerations for pedestrians and other vulnerably highway users – especially children, older people, those with mobility issues and wheelers.
Paragraph 5.168 of your Interim Sustainability Appraisal Report recognises that Staplecross does not score well when measured against sustainability criteria:
There are also some issues in relation to access to services for sites outside Staplecross, whilst sites within Staplecross lack positive scores for overall settlement sustainability.
The last known Housing Need Survey was undertaken in 2010 and identified the need for 5 or 6 affordable houses within the next 20 years. This resulted in the Hop Gardens rural exception site development.
No evidence has been provided to demonstrate demand for further housing in Staplecross.
Of the 26 homes provided on agricultural land at Stockwood Meadow, 16 were market rate and took a long time to sell.
Ewhurst Parsh Council is not opposed to the principle of additional housing being provided within the Parish - provided that there is evidence of need, it is of the right type, is in the right place, is of an appropriate design and adequate infrastructure is in place to support it.
Approving development where infrastructure is known to be inadequate – with no certainty that sufficient improvements will follow – is contrary to sound strategic planning practice and, therefore, should be resisted.
Rother Local Plan 2025-2042 – Development Strategy and Site Allocations
Respondent: Ewhurst Parish Council
Agent: Ewhurst Parish Council
Representation Summary:
Object to development in Staplecross as it conflicts with sustainability principles. The area has inadequate and unreliable infrastructure, including electricity, water supply, GP capacity, school places and public transport. Staplecross scores poorly in the Interim Sustainability Appraisal, and the sites lie within the High Weald National Landscape and outside the development boundary. With limited services and employment, the location does not align with the strategy for sustainable, well‑connected communities. Without clear evidence of local housing need or infrastructure upgrades, the strategy for this sub‑area is unsound.
Full text:
Ewhurst Parish Council opposes development on these proposed allocation sites on the grounds following:
• Key infrastructure is inadequate for the current housing stock and no information has been provided to reassure us that it would be improved sufficiently to accommodate the new development proposed.
• The sites proposed are in the High Weald National Landscape and are outside the village development boundary.
• Staplecross scores poorly within the Interim Sustainability Appraisal Report accompanying this Regulation 18 consultation.
• No evidence has been provided that there is a demand for additional housing in Staplecross – be it market rate or affordable/social.
• There are insufficient employment opportunities in the area to support a population increase.
Ewhurst Parish suffers currently from an inadequate and unreliable supply of electricity. Outages also impact the supply of (pumped) mains water. Schools/Colleges in the catchment area (including Staplecross MCP) are at capacity and public transport options are few.
The local GP surgery (Sedlescombe) is not accepting further patients.
The limited public transport options would, inevitably, result in an increase in the number of parishioners having to use private transport – which would bring with it both sustainability concerns and road safety considerations for pedestrians and other vulnerably highway users – especially children, older people, those with mobility issues and wheelers.
Paragraph 5.168 of your Interim Sustainability Appraisal Report recognises that Staplecross does not score well when measured against sustainability criteria:
There are also some issues in relation to access to services for sites outside Staplecross, whilst sites within Staplecross lack positive scores for overall settlement sustainability.
The last known Housing Need Survey was undertaken in 2010 and identified the need for 5 or 6 affordable houses within the next 20 years. This resulted in the Hop Gardens rural exception site development.
No evidence has been provided to demonstrate demand for further housing in Staplecross.
Of the 26 homes provided on agricultural land at Stockwood Meadow, 16 were market rate and took a long time to sell.
Ewhurst Parsh Council is not opposed to the principle of additional housing being provided within the Parish - provided that there is evidence of need, it is of the right type, is in the right place, is of an appropriate design and adequate infrastructure is in place to support it.
Approving development where infrastructure is known to be inadequate – with no certainty that sufficient improvements will follow – is contrary to sound strategic planning practice and, therefore, should be resisted.
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