Rother Local Plan 2025-2042 – Development Strategy and Site Allocations

Wadhurst Parish Council Submission to the Rother Local Plan Consultation

Wadhurst Parish Council welcomes the inclusion of a Bewl Water policy within the Draft Rother Local Plan 2025–2042. Bewl Water is a landscape of exceptional environmental sensitivity, recreational value and importance to our community. As seven eighths of the reservoir lies within Rother District, we consider its protection a matter of strategic significance across district boundaries.

We urge Rother District Council to work constructively with Wealden District Council so that a joint, consistent, and protective policy approach is adopted for this unique cross boundary site, as recommended by the Friends of Bewl Water (FoBW) submission and consistent with the duty to cooperate.

1. Protection of Nature, Tranquillity and Dark Skies

We strongly support FoBW’s request that no overnight tourist accommodation be permitted at Bewl Water. Disturbance at night risks significant harm to wildlife, including the internationally important winter gull roost, which expert evidence suggests may not relocate if displaced.

Wadhurst Parish Council therefore requests that the Local Plan include:

• A Dark Skies Policy for Bewl Water and its setting, recognising its importance as one of the darkest environments in the High Weald National Landscape.
• A Tranquillity Policy, limiting development that would disturb the tranquillity – particularly night time noise and activity, and explicitly resisting development that would introduce 24 hour use.

These protections would align with the clear preference expressed in the 2025 Bewl Water consultation (attached) conducted by Wadhurst and Ticehurst Parish Councils, where overwhelming majorities supported protecting Bewl Water’s dark skies and tranquillity.

2. Safeguarding and Revitalising Watersports

We echo FoBW in urging the Council to adopt a Watersports Strategy within the Local Plan. Bewl Water is the largest inland waterbody in the South East and uniquely suited to quiet, non motorised, daytime watersports such as sailing, rowing, canoeing, windsurfing and fishing.

To secure these important community assets, we request that the policy:

• Protect the long established daytime recreational uses that are compatible with conservation.
• Support the protection of community watersports facilities and club buildings.
• Limit motorised craft strictly to safety and coaching uses only.

3. Cross Boundary Planning and Evidence Base

We support FoBW’s request that Rother District Council carefully consider:

• The Northern Parishes 35 page representation (10 June 2026), and
• The 2025 Wadhurst & Ticehurst community survey results, both of which underline strong public preference for conservation led management and resistance to overnight development.

These represent substantial and robust community evidence that Bewl Water should remain a quiet daytime destination centred on biodiversity, wellbeing and low impact recreation.

Conclusion

Wadhurst Parish Council respectfully asks that Rother District Council strengthen the Bewl Water policy so that it:

1. Prohibits overnight tourist accommodation.
2. Embeds Dark Skies and Tranquillity protections.
3. Safeguards watersports, community facilities and access.
4. Ensures cross boundary consistency with Wealden.
5. Places ecological safeguarding and community benefit at the centre of all decision making.

We would welcome continued dialogue with Rother District Council as this policy develops.

Please see attached:
- Report on the public consultation conducted during autumn 2025 supported by Wadhurst and Ticehurst Parish Councils