There are two significant housing developments planned for Scaynes Hill that appear either in the revised District Plan (2021-39) currently going through the approval process at Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) or the Site Allocations Development Plan Document, already approved by MSDC in June this year. Inclusion of any potential development site in either of these two important Planning documents implies that development of the site has effectively been agreed in principle so when a planning application is submitted it is unlikely to be refused provided that the details given are in accordance with current planning regulations.
The one you may already know about is the proposal for 20 new houses behind the houses in Downsview Close at the end of Church Road and opposite the Common (see map).
This site, known as SA31 – Land to the rear of Firlands, was included in the Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) which has already been approved by MSDC in June 2022. It is therefore possible that a Planning Application may be submitted in the near future by Denton Homes the landowner.
Understandably the residents of Downsview Close are concerned about this development as when they bought their homes only a few years ago they understood that they had entered into a legally binding covenant that there would be no further development in the field below their houses and so have formed a group opposing the development.
The other potential development that has been kept rather more low profile is at Ham Lane Farm House (see map). This is contained in the revised MSDC District Plan (2021-39) for which the consultation ended in December. There are rumours that the land has already been sold to a developer by the owner of Ham Lane Farm, but these have not been confirmed.
However, it is anticipated that final approval of the revised District Plan may not be achieved until next year (2024) and so would not be fully valid until then although it is likely it would carry some weight should a planning application be made before then.
Any further news about the progress of these two developments, or submission of planning applications, will be published in a subsequent post on this website as soon as it is available. If anyone hears anything relevant about either of these two sites do get in touch with the website administrator so the information can be shared.