Decisions delayed on two Bexhill housing developments

On Thursday (February 16), Rother District Council’s planning committee had been due to consider the conversion of the Cemetery Lodge building in Turkey Road into six flats, all expected to be provided as affordable rentals.

The committee had also been due to consider an alternative version of plans to build three houses in place of a bungalow in Seabourne Road — a controversial site which already has planning permission for a similar development.

At the start of the meeting, however, councillors were informed that both schemes were being withdrawn from the agenda, with the intention of bringing the applications back at a later date.

According to planning officers, the Seabourne Road scheme was delayed as a result of a “late in the day” requirement for information from the lead local flood authority. The precise details of this requirement were not discussed and (at time of publication) no further information has been uploaded to the council’s website.

Meanwhile, officers said the Cemetery Lodge scheme was to be deferred because of a need to clarify how exactly the affordable homes would be delivered as part of the scheme.

The delay is somewhat unusual as details of the affordable housing delivery were expected to be worked out through a legal agreement set to take place after the committee decision. Again, no further information has been posted online at time of publication.

The building, which has been renamed Parker House, is currently owned by RDC, but was expected to be transferred to the applicants — Bexhill Community Land Trust —as part of the development.