Huw Oxburgh

The cancellation of Wealden District Council’s majors planning committee meeting has delayed decisions on two housing proposals in Heathfield and Maresfield. The Heathfield scheme, submitted by Beech Homes Ltd, proposes 22 homes, including eight affordable units. The Maresfield application seeks outline permission for up to 29 homes on grazing land, sharing access with an adjoining development that already has permission for up to 25 houses. Planning officers had recommended approval of both applications, which will now be considered at a later date.

Hastings Borough Council’s planning committee deferred an application to demolish a garage and build a detached house at 1 Ridgewood Gardens after evidence suggested a badger sett might be nearby. Although planning officers had initially recommended approval, the council’s ecology officer said more information and a site visit were needed because badgers and their setts are legally protected. The committee voted to defer the entire application until the ecological assessment is complete.

Hastings Borough Council’s licensing panel refused Hetalben Thakkar and V&K Private Limited permission to sell alcohol from Forever Food Mart in Harold Place. The shop lies within the town’s cumulative impact zone, where new alcohol-sale authorisations are generally rejected unless applicants demonstrate they will not worsen existing problems. Sussex Police, East Sussex County Council’s Public Health Department and the council’s licensing team objected, citing previous antisocial behaviour and street drinking linked to the site. Although the applicant proposed enhanced controls including CCTV and staff training, the panel found no sufficiently material change in circumstances and concluded the measures could not address the risks. The decision can be appealed through the magistrates’ court.

Lewes District Council’s planning committee is due to decide on a proposal by Hurstwood Sports Group Ltd for an enclosed five-court padel centre at Plumpton Racecourse. Planning officers recommend approval, citing sporting, recreational, community and economic benefits, as well as mitigation for identified impacts. Opponents object to noise, lighting, traffic, loss of race-day parking, ecological and visual effects, impacts on horses and livestock, and the loss of the existing driver-training use. The council received 25 objections and 35 messages of support; the facility is expected to create 12 jobs.

Rother District Council has decided to pursue an option to repair and market the vacant former refreshment room at Bexhill’s Grade II-listed West Station. The works will address immediate safety risks, water ingress and urgent defects while avoiding a full refurbishment without a viable business case. Although selling the property could reduce the council’s control over an important heritage asset, officers will seek a suitable owner. The council’s planning committee is also due to consider listed-building consent for replacing the defective flat roof.

East Sussex County Council has elected Reform UK councillor Mickey Caira as its new vice-chairman, replacing Victoria Carson. Carson is moving into the cabinet role for children and families after Daniel Bradley resigned from the position because of a potential perceived conflict of interest linked to his leadership role at the Marine Training Corps. Council leader Andy Woolley said the changes were intended to ensure councillors held appropriate responsibilities and maintained public confidence.

V&K Private Limited is seeking permission to sell alcohol at Forever Food and Wine in Hastings after the premises’ previous licence was suspended and surrendered. The application proposes sales from 10am to 9pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 8pm on Sundays and bank holidays, alongside CCTV and policies to refuse sales to underage or intoxicated customers. Sussex Police and the council’s licensing department oppose the bid, citing past street drinking, disorder and anti-social behaviour at the site, which lies within Hastings’ Cumulative Impact Zone. A Hastings Borough Council licensing panel is due to hear the application and representations from all parties before deciding whether to grant the licence.

Wealden District Council has approved plans by East Sussex County Council for a new waste vehicle depot at Knights Farm Employment Park in Lower Dicker. The facility will replace the council's outdated Amberstone depot, provide space for an expanded fleet including food-waste collection vehicles, and include workshops, offices, crew facilities, vehicle areas and a solar-panel array with battery storage. Arlington Parish Council objected over potential traffic on Coldharbour Road, flood risk, landscape effects and the site's location, while Hellingly Parish Council raised no objection. Planning officers recommended approval after technical assessments, subject to conditions and a Section 106 agreement, with access planned through a new roundabout on the A267.

Rother District Council’s planning committee is due to reconsider the legal agreement for Gladman Developments Limited’s proposed scheme of up to 340 homes north of the Rosewood Park Estate in Bexhill. The development was approved in principle subject to conditions, including £690,000 in flexibus funding, but that requirement is being reduced because a nearby Fryatts Way development is now providing the service. The revised agreement would instead require a one-off standard bus contribution of £1,430 per dwelling, potentially totaling £486,200. Earlier objections focused on site access and pressure on local roads, particularly the Brooklands Road and Barnhorn Road junction, although East Sussex Highways and National Highways considered the proposal acceptable subject to conditions.

East Sussex County Council unanimously agreed to examine implementing free bus travel for veterans after adopting amendments to broaden the review to wider veteran support and ensure financial viability. Councillors from the Green Party, Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats contributed amendments, with the final motion requiring a financial assessment and scrutiny before cabinet consideration. Officials estimated that up to 5,798 additional veterans could become eligible, at a potential annual cost of £530,000.

Eastbourne Borough Council approved plans to convert the Grade II listed former Eastbourne Heritage Centre into a bar and restaurant, including a new extension. Supporters said the project would secure the building’s future and boost the local economy, while objectors raised concerns about heritage impacts, overdevelopment and increased pressure on the area. The council’s conservation officer and The Eastbourne Society supported the proposal, and approval was granted in line with officer recommendations.

A developer has submitted new plans to convert the long‑vacant Hare and Hounds pub in Hastings into six two‑bedroom homes. A similar five‑apartment scheme approved in 2023 had met most pre‑commencement requirements, with the remaining drainage condition discharged in March. It remains unclear whether that earlier permission is still valid as a fallback option. The property has stood empty for more than a decade and was sold at auction in April 2025. The latest proposals are available under application reference HS/FA/26/00352 on the Hastings Borough Council website.

Rother District Council approved new leases for the refurbished Grade II listed Colonnade in Bexhill-on-Sea after receiving 22 expressions of interest for 11 commercial units. A preferred restaurant tenant plans significant investment and will need listed building consent, while only one former tenant is returning despite public calls for their reinstatement. The new lease arrangements are expected to increase annual rental income by about £34,000 and broaden food and beverage options to boost visitor footfall.

Lewes District Council approved an outline application to build up to 140 homes near Ringmer despite significant public objections. Councillors had previously deferred the decision to seek changes, but the developer declined to reduce the number of homes and instead offered incentives including increased cycle vouchers and electric car club access. Legal advice warned that refusal on sustainability or landscape grounds would likely fail at appeal. The committee strengthened conditions related to water and sewerage infrastructure before approving the plan by a narrow vote.