Our Planning Team have continued their success from last year and have hit the new year running securing 3 planning permissions in February 2022.

New dwellings in Broad Oak

Batcheller Monkhouse were instructed to submit two planning applications for residential development at a former farm site in Broad Oak.  The first application was for the conversion of a former dairy into a 3-bed dwelling with ancillary garage. The second application was for the replacement of an existing residential mobile home with a permanent bungalow.

The Project

The two applications were brought forward on a highly constrained site, located deep within the countryside and High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

We were able to liaise with Wealden District Council and East Sussex Country Council to overcome concerns about a narrow access through the introduction of passing bays along the lane. Through negotiation the bays were secured through planning condition, as opposed to legal agreement, saving further delay and expense to the project.

Batcheller Monkhouse successfully established the acceptability of the proposals at Planning Committee against member and local opposition. The committee agreed that both proposals would make a significant improvement to the AONB and would not generate harm to the local highway network.

This was achieved against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and staffing issues at the local authority which added significant constraint to the progress of the applications.

Residential Conversion of a Rural B8 Storage Building

Batcheller Monkhouse provided planning advice and support to secure planning consent for the conversion of a Class B8 building in Sandhurst.  Batcheller Monkhouse were called upon after two previous applications for residential development on the site had been rejected by the local authority and at appeal.

The Project

We successfully liaised with the local authority throughout the life of the application to create a scheme that was sensitive to its rural character and setting in close proximity to a number of heritage assets. This was principally achieved through the conversion rather than replacement of the existing agricultural barn which will provide a unique and contemporary styled dwelling.

The project will also see the removal of a significant amount of hardstanding associated with the former agricultural and latter B8 use. Significant improvement to the character of the countryside and High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) has been secured through the scheme.

Positive dialogue with officers assisted in securing planning consent within the standard 8 week timeframe for minor applications.

Nicholas Webb Graduate Planner
01892 577437

For further advice, please contact our Planning Consultants.

Offices in Battle, Haywards Heath, Pulborough and Tunbridge Wells.

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