Wealden District Council’s Draft Local Plan has been approved and will go out for public consultation in March and sets out development for the district for the next 15-20 years. The document was discussed at an Extraordinary Meeting of Full Council on Thursday 8^th February, at which councillors approved it and agreed for the formal Regulation 18 consultation to begin in March. The consultation will run for eight weeks and people will be able to view the Draft Local Plan at a virtual exhibition and in-person drop-in sessions. The plan will have an impact predominantly for those who live in and around Five Ash Down, with some further development proposed in Buxted.

Here is the link to Local plan - (Public Pack)Agenda Supplement: Appendix 1 Draft Local Plan and maps Agenda Supplement for Local Plan Sub-Committee, 29/01/2024 10:00 (wealden.gov.uk) document. It is a very long document, but you can do a search for ‘Buxted’ and ‘Ringles Cross’ to find out how we could be affected. 

However, in brief the parish has been allocated the following housing numbers:

Land East of Coopers Green Road – 20

Land behind The Croft, Coopers Green Road – 15

Land Opposite Roundwood, Coopers Green Road – 20

Lower Totease Farm, Framfield Road, Buxted – 10

Land at The Walled Garden, Five Ash Down – 20

Land East of Great Totease Farm, Church Road, Buxted – 20

Land at Holly Farm, Station Road, Buxted – 20

Land at Mockbeggars Farm – 60

It does not necessarily mean all the above will be brought forward, but these are the sites that WDC consider suitable for development. We may not be able to stop development, but we would be very grateful for thoughts on any of these sites, specific issues relating to them, any gain we could try and obtain if we have to accept them e.g. we will be pushing very hard to have all four traffic crossings at Coopers Green pedestrianised.

The Parish Council will, of course, be responding to the consultation on behalf of residents. If you have any comments you would wish for us to consider and take forward, please do send them to clerk@buxted-pc.gov.uk as well as responding directly to WDC if you wish.