Land at Downlands Farm, Uckfield, TN22 3PU

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• The effects of the proposal on Ancient Woodland
• The effects of the proposal on protected species and whether the proposal provides adequate mitigation in relation to the potential effects of the proposal on Ashdown Forest Special Protection Area (SPA) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
• The effects of the proposal on the highways network including whether the scheme provides safe and suitable access for all users
• Whether the proposal would be in an appropriate location, having regard to local and national policies which advocate development in locations which are accessible to local services and restraint to development in a countryside location
• The effects of the proposal on heritage assets, including non-designated heritage assets and historic landscape character

What decided it

The combined and individually weighty harms of deterioration to Ancient Woodland, inadequate mitigation for the Ashdown Forest SPA/SAC, and unsafe vehicular and pedestrian access outweighed the substantial housing benefits.

The substantial benefits of housing delivery (424 dwellings including affordable and custom/self-build housing) and other benefits did not outweigh the very substantial harm from deterioration of Ancient Woodland, failure to mitigate effects on the Ashdown Forest SPA/SAC, and unsafe highway/pedestrian access, together with more limited heritage and landscape harm, so the balance tipped against the proposal.