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Dismissed12 January 20263368895

Merlins, Uckfield Road, Ringmer, East Sussex, BN8 5RU

Planning appeal 3368895 at Merlins, Uckfield Road, Ringmer, East Sussex, BN8 5RU (Lewes District Council) was dismissed on 12 January 2026 by Inspector Davies G, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The location of the development in relation to the spatial strategy of the development plan.

Demolition of existing buildings, erection of new employment/commercial units and up to 43 residential dwellings and other associated works with all matters reserved apart from access to the site

Authority
Lewes District Council
Appeal type
major · Planning Appeal
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
residential · Major dwellings
Inspector
Davies G
Postcode
BN8 5RU

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • The location of the development in relation to the spatial strategy of the development plan
  • Accessibility to services and facilities
  • The effect on the landscape
  • The consequences of an acknowledged shortfall in housing land supply

What decided it

The site's location outside planning boundaries in an unsustainable location with poor accessibility to services and facilities, where the majority of trips would be by private motor car, combined with moderate landscape harm from development on undeveloped land, significantly and demonstrably outweighs the benefits of housing and employment provision.

The significant benefits of housing provision (including 40% affordable housing) and employment floorspace, together with moderate benefits from economic stimulus, biodiversity net gain and highway improvements, were outweighed by the significant harm from the unsustainable location and poor accessibility to services and facilities by sustainable transport, combined with moderate harm to the landscape from development on undeveloped countryside.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy DM1Policy CP4Policy DM11Policy 5.1Policy CP10Policy CP13Policy CP11Policy DM25Policy CP1Policy DM26
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11

How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.

See how each was applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in Lewes District Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026

  1. Allowed6 October 20266005671
    Land South of Green Road, Wivelsfield Green, RH17 7QL
  2. Dismissed5 October 20266009599
    Land to the East of The Orchards, Uckfield Road, Clayhill, BN8 5FR
  3. Allowed30 September 20266009869
    33 Sherwood Road, Seaford, BN25 3EH
  4. Dismissed2 September 20263355814
    Land South West of Hazel Wood, Jackies Lane, Newick, East Sussex, BN8 4FB
  5. Dismissed17 August 20266008050
    99 Allington Road, Newick, BN8 4NH

The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.