Have your say on the Wealden Local Plan

By Jess Price

Conservation Officer

Act now to have your say on the Wealden Local Plan – deadline 5pm Friday 10 May 2024.

Wealden District Council is preparing a new Local Plan. This will be the key planning document for the district, guiding where and how development happens. The adoption of a new Local Plan is a very long process with limited opportunities for local people to get involved. The current consultation is one of the best times to have your say, because you can comment on any and all aspects of the plan and you are not restricted in the types of things you can ask for.

Sussex Wildlife Trust is still finalising a response, but overall we are fairly positive about the draft Wealden local plan. It includes ambitious policies around climate change and nature’s recovery, which we will be supporting. For example:

• Promotion of nature-based solutions to climate change, in policy CC4
• Strong protection for Ancient Woodland in policy NE4, including a requirement for a 25m buffer zone;
• Ambition for development to deliver 20% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in policy NE2, which is above the statutory minimum of 10% BNG.

Housing numbers

The draft Local Plan still plans for a large number of new homes, but it’s positive to see that housing numbers are below the astronomical “objectively assessed need” calculated through the standard method set out in national policy. Wealden District Council acknowledged the proposed housing number is ‘capacity driven’ i.e. is based on what they believe is actually deliverable in the plan period. We certainly support a more capacity-driven approach, but are concerned about how it is being informed:

• A number of important evidence bases are still outstanding, such as the Green Infrastructure Framework.
• Site allocations for development are being proposed with little or no up-to-date ecological information presented. Unfortunately we see this a lot with Local Plan development, but more recently we have seen some Local Planning Authorities require an ecological assessment of potential site allocations.

Our biggest objection

Our biggest objection to the draft Local Plan is the inclusion of two housing allocations located entirely on protected Local Wildlife Sites. These are FR1 - Land at Benhall Mill Road, Tunbridge Wells and NIN1 - Land adjacent to Ninfield Reservoir, High Street, Ninfield. National planning policy is clear that Local Plans should ‘identify, map and safeguard components of local wildlife rich habitats and wider ecological networks, including… locally designated sites’ (NPPF Paragraph 185).

Further to this, Planning Practice Guidance (Ref ID: 8-013-20190721) makes clear that ‘National planning policy expects plans to identify and map these sites, and to include policies that not only secure their protection from harm or loss but also help to enhance them and their connection to wider ecological networks.’ Draft policy NE1 appears to give strong protection to Local Wildlife Sites, so it is frustrating that two are allocated for development in policy SA1. We will be pushing for the removal of these two site allocations.

A number of other site allocations do lie adjacent to ancient woodland or Local Wildlife Sites, however we would hope that the strong Natural Environment policies in the plan would ensure there are no adverse impacts and that development will lead to enhancements.

Get involved

We understand that the planning system is flawed and that in Sussex, development pressure is having a negative impact on our environment. However, local councils have no option but to produce a Local Plan in line with national policy and guidance. We believe it is worth the time engaging in the process to try to get the best outcomes for wildlife and people, and we would encourage you to do the same.

Head to the Wealden Local Plan website to find out how to comment – deadline 5pm Friday 10 May 2024

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