Planning Committee

Minutes

HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the PLANNING COMMITTEE Meeting held on Monday 10^th February at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks

Attendees: Parish Councillors: Cllr Kristian Berggreen, Cllr Lesley Cruickshank-Robb, Cllr Don McBeth, Cllr Angus Neil.

In Attendance: Deputy Clerk – Helen Valler, Cllr Frances Gaudencio, 21 members of the public.

P24/138 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Cllr Bill Hatton and Cllr Robert Brewer

P24/139 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST.  There were no declarations of interest.

P24/140 MINUTES. It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on
2^nd January 2025 be signed by the Chair as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

P24/141 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.  There were 21 members of the public present, 10 spoke in objection to Item P24/143 South Downs National Park consultation.

P24/142 APPLICATIONS.

 DM/25/0094 2 Stonepound Court London Road Hassocks West Sussex BN6 9NT Ash Tree (T1) – Pollard. RESPONSE: Defer to Tree Officer for assessment and decision.

DM/24/2505 50 Hurst Road Hassocks West Sussex BN6 9NL Proposed tennis court to rear garden. Additional supporting Arboricultural Impact Assessment, Flood Risk Assessment, Ecological Report and a Heritage Statement, received on 17.01.2025. RESPONSE: Recommend Approval.

DM/24/3111 50 Mackie Avenue Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8NN Proposed rear extension. RESPONSE: Recommend Approval. The applicant is advised that Government has committed to adopt a ‘Future Buildings Standard’ during 2021 which will change the Building Regulations requirements for alterations and extensions to homes to bring these alterations closer to that of a ‘zero energy building’.  This is supported by Policy 5 ‘Enabling Zero Carbon’ of the Hassocks Neighbourhood Plan which states that proposals that modify existing buildings (including extensions) should seek to maximise the inclusion of energy-saving measures and renewable energy generation.  Energy saving measures include floor, roof and wall insulation, and low u-value windows (which may need to be triple glazed).  These requirements may require amendments to your design which could affect the drawings submitted for planning permission. The applicant may wish to note that alterations that are built to a Nearly Zero Energy standard, are unlikely to need further retrofitting to minimise the carbon emissions that the nation is required to reduce to zero by 2050.  As retrofitting an existing home to be highly energy efficient is more complex than doing so for a new building, applicants may wish to look at the ‘EnerPHit’ standard that the Government is understood to be considering as the applicable “Nearly Zero Energy’ standard in this context, or at the Architypes published by the London Energy Transformation Initiative for u-values for your extension walls, windows etc. and for ventilation and overheating prevention standards to be achieved.

DM/25/0197 3 The Crescent Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8RB T1 – Western Red Cedar – Fell, T2 – Ash – Fell, T3 – Gleditsia Triacanthos – Crown reduction by 3m. RESPONSE: Defer to Tree Officer for assessment and decision.

 DM/25/0184 22 Ockley Way Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8NE To remove existing garage on side of property and build a single storey extension. RESPONSE: RECOMMEND APPROVAL. The applicant is advised that Government has committed to adopt a ‘Future Buildings Standard’ during 2021 which will change the Building Regulations requirements for alterations and extensions to homes to bring these alterations closer to that of a ‘zero energy building’.  This is supported by Policy 5 ‘Enabling Zero Carbon’ of the Hassocks Neighbourhood Plan which states that proposals that modify existing buildings (including extensions) should seek to maximise the inclusion of energy-saving measures and renewable energy generation.  Energy saving measures include floor, roof and wall insulation, and low u-value windows (which may need to be triple glazed).  These requirements may require amendments to your design which could affect the drawings submitted for planning permission. The applicant may wish to note that alterations that are built to a Nearly Zero Energy standard, are unlikely to need further retrofitting to minimise the carbon emissions that the nation is required to reduce to zero by 2050.  As retrofitting an existing home to be highly energy efficient is more complex than doing so for a new building, applicants may wish to look at the ‘EnerPHit’ standard that the Government is understood to be considering as the applicable “Nearly Zero Energy’ standard in this context, or at the Architypes published by the London Energy Transformation Initiative for u-values for your extension walls, windows etc. and for ventilation and overheating prevention standards to be achieved.

DM/25/0213 3 Ockenden Way Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8HS A single storey, full-width, rear extension, loft conversion with rear facing dormers, change of roof tiles, elevation changes include new render finish and timber cladding to walls, rooflights, and new glazing and doors throughout. RESPONSE:  RECOMMEND APPROVAL The applicant is advised that Government has committed to adopt a ‘Future Buildings Standard’ during 2021 which will change the Building Regulations requirements for alterations and extensions to homes to bring these alterations closer to that of a ‘zero energy building’.  This is supported by Policy 5 ‘Enabling Zero Carbon’ of the Hassocks Neighbourhood Plan which states that proposals that modify existing buildings (including extensions) should seek to maximise the inclusion of energy-saving measures and renewable energy generation.  Energy saving measures include floor, roof and wall insulation, and low u-value windows (which may need to be triple glazed).  These requirements may require amendments to your design which could affect the drawings submitted for planning permission. The applicant may wish to note that alterations that are built to a Nearly Zero Energy standard, are unlikely to need further retrofitting to minimise the carbon emissions that the nation is required to reduce to zero by 2050.  As retrofitting an existing home to be highly energy efficient is more complex than doing so for a new building, applicants may wish to look at the ‘EnerPHit’ standard that the Government is understood to be considering as the applicable “Nearly Zero Energy’ standard in this context, or at the Architypes published by the London Energy Transformation Initiative for u-values for your extension walls, windows etc. and for ventilation and overheating prevention standards to be achieved.

DM/24/0367 Friars Oak Farmhouse London Road Hassocks West Sussex BN6 9NA Demolition of Friars Oak Farmhouse and associated ancillary outbuildings, and proposed erection of 20 dwellings with associated access and landscaping. (Amendments, including amended redline site plan and Biodiversity Net Gain Report received 22/01/2025). RESPONSE: The committee’s previous comments remain unchanged: RECOMMEND REFUSAL. The Committee continues to support the comments as submitted by local residents. This application is considered to be contrary to Policy 14 of the Hassocks Neighbourhood Plan: Residential development within and adjoining the built-up area boundary of Hassocks and Policy 9: Character and Design. In addition to the 165 dwellings already on Hassocks Golf Course, Hassocks also currently has a further 130 dwellings being built on the Land to the rear of the Friars Oak and 500 dwellings at Ockley Park; it seems reasonable therefore, to pose the question as to whether there is a need for an additional 20 properties in such close proximity?

Furthermore, the Council has already previously expressed concerns about the impact of additional access points and increased traffic on the London Road. This stretch of road has seen a notable growth in vehicular movement, which will be intensified with the 130 dwellings being built on the Land to the Rear of Friars Oak. The speed and volume of traffic along London Road, alongside traffic entering and exiting the aforementioned developments pose an ever-increasing safety risk for pedestrians crossing the road, as well as road users. An additional 20 dwellings will exacerbate this risk further.

It is also considered that the proposal to accommodate 20 properties on this site represents overdevelopment of the site and is unneighbourly; with the current residents likely to be negatively impacted by an increase in traffic and parked cars within the development.

In addition, the committee added the following:

• Drainage – There are already existing problems which continue to impact the occupied properties, these issues should be addressed before further development is considered for permission.
• The previous alternative access route for construction traffic has been closed off so the only route is through the existing development.
• There is a lack of safe pavement/walking routes through the development.

DM/25/0255 The Gate House 26B Lodge Lane Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8NA Cypress – Reduce in height by approx. 3m, trim crown removing regrowth. RESPONSE: Defer to Tree Officer for assessment and decision.

SDNP/25/00198/LDE Southdown Farm, Campsite Lodge Lane Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8LX Use of land as camping and caravanning site. RESPONSE: Noted.

P24/143 South Downs National Park Plan (Regulation 18) consultation.

Members were requested to consider the contents of a letter (Appendix 1) from the SDNP inviting the Council to respond to the contents of the consultation document.

The plan has identified one potential site for development within the parish – Land East of Lodge Lane, Keymer, Hassocks which is set out in (Appendix 2).

Members were therefore requested to consider whether they wish to respond on the wider plan proposals, and/or more specifically the proposed site in Hassocks and if so, determine how they wish to do so. There were 21 members of the public present, 10 spoke in opposition.

RESPONSE: Members agreed there were many issues to consider when drafting a response.

It was RESOLVED that members would formulate a response to the consultation within the timeframe given, through the Neighbourhood Plan Committee.

P24/144 APPLICATIONS FOR DISCHARGE OF PLANNING CONDITIONS

No applications received

P24/145 RESOLVED that the observations on the planning issues as agreed above be submitted to the relevant Planning Authority for consideration.

P24/146 PLANNING AUTHORITY DECISION NOTICES

The following decisions were noted:

P24/147 URGENT MATTERS at the discretion of the Chairman for noting and/or inclusion on a future agenda. There were no urgent matters.

P24/148 DATE OF NEXT MEETING. Monday 3^rd March at 7.30pm.

There being no other business the Chair closed the meeting at 8.31pm.