image of public footpath sign in woods

Survey suggests residents open to Hurst Green as a tourism gateway

Local tourism survey suggests Hurst Green is not currently geared up for tourism, but could become so in the future

The Neighbourhood Plan group have conducted a survey of local residents around their attitudes towards tourism in our area.  

The design and the subsequent analysis was freely undertaken by volunteers from the Neighbourhood Plan. 

Summary of results from residents completing the survey:

  • Do you think people consider coming to or staying in the Hurst Green area for tourism?
  • Visiting friends, and the local attractions and landmarks were the main reasons people thought attracted visitors to Hurst Green
  • Not enough local attractions or landmarks, as well the area not having enough shops were among the top reasons residents thought were putting visitors off visiting the Hurst Green area.
  • Nearly 90% of respondents thought the visual appearance of the village was important is to residents and visitors. 
  • Over a third of respondents were in favour of sensitive tourism development in and around Hurst Green, and thought that Hurst Green could serve as a gateway to the surrounding area and local attractions.
  • Interestingly, over 80% of respondents weren’t aware that the largest Napoleonic barracks in Sussex (around 4,000 people) was located just south of Hurst Green at Silver Hill.

Read the full survey results:
Evidence #37 – Hurst Green Neighbourhood Plan local tourism survey

concept proposal for HG11

Early concept for new family homes on Burgh Hill received​

Early concept designs for 6 new family homes on Burgh Hill

As with all of the possible Housing Sites in the Hurst Green Neighbourhood Plan process, following the professional site assessment by AECOM in 2019 landowners and developers were  invited to put forward their concepts and ideas for consideration by the public and the Neighbourhood Plan Housing Group.

On the 2nd of January 2020, the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group received a concept proposal for consideration from the landowners of the HG 11 site.  The site on Burgh Hill lies to the west of the A21, between Hurst Green and Etchingham and is currently grass pasture land. 

The HG 11 site was first identified as a possibility for new housing in 2003 and is adjacent to the Hurst Green Development Boundary. The area is considered by some to form a natural infill between existing residential developments to the north, west and east of the site, and like the entire parish, falls within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). 

Currently the site is boundaried by mature planting to the west, north and east aspects and by an area of wetland forming the southern boundary between the site and open farmland beyond. The northern boundary (onto the road) is currently screened by a 2 metre  hedgerow which incorporates two trees and an access gate. 

The landowner/developers are proposing that each of the 6 possible new dwellings could feature a site area of approximately a quarter of a hectare,  each being a home of between 4-6 bedrooms. They are also proposing providing a pedestrian public footpath along the front of the development. 

Residents should note that while the HG 11 site was identified as part of the call for sites process, that this or the receipt of this concept proposal from the landowner does not mean the site will be allocated for development. It is a technical exercise aimed at identifying potential sites and options for development. With public consultation, the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group will then consider how best to take the plan forward.

Therefore at this stage, as these materials do not form part of a planning application, or the formal Neighbourhood Plan consultation, anyone with comments or thoughts to pass on to the landowner and their agents is warmly invited to contact a member of the neighbourhood plan Steering Group or any Hurst Green Parish Councillor.

You can review the concept materials here as part of the Housing Documents section of this site.

 

photograph of houses and cars on station road

Parking survey proves Hurst Green has a parking problem

Local parking survey proves that Hurst Green does not have enough safe parking for residents

Following the Neighbourhood Plan Local Housing Demand Survey, the Neighbourhood Plan conducted a survey of local residents around their attitudes to car parking.  The respondents from around the Parish represented around a fifth of local households.

The design and the subsequent analysis was freely undertaken by volunteers from the Neighbourhood Plan and by Parish Councillors. 

Summary of results from residents completing the survey:

  • Nearly 70% of residents said they were unhappy with the parking situation in their road, rising to over 80% of residents who lived on Station Road and London Road.
  • 100% of residents who lived in Coronation Gardens, Foundry Close, Great Oak and Dairy Close were unhappy with the parking situation in their road.
  • 90% agreed that Hurst Green does not have enough available and safe car parking for residents.
  • Nearly a quarter of residents reported that their car or vehicle had been damaged whilst parked on the road or pavement around Hurst Green.  While less than 3% of residents thought it was safe to park or leave their vehicle parked on the A21.
  • 91% of respondents were concerned about people parking on the pavements and grass verges around Hurst Green.
  • 85% of respondents were concerned about parking on Station Road (the road the Village Hall is on) near to the junction of the A21.
  • 71% of respondents would be supportive of the Parish Council providing nearby allocated car parking spaces to rent at low cost.
  • 82% of respondents were supportive of double yellow lines near to road junctions in and around Hurst Green.

Read the full survey results:
Evidence #36 – Hurst Green Neighbourhood Plan local car parking survey

 

Image of proposed HG35 site

New Foundry Close planning application​

New Foundry Close planning application


In the works since the previous unsuccessful planning application by Millwood Designer Homes, the developers behind the revised Foundry Close development proposal have submitted an application to Rother District Council for planning permission for 20 new homes. The revised scheme is smaller than the original that proposed some 60 homes.

Selected items relating to the application:

  • The developers vision for the site is of a meandering village street, fronting the northsouth tree belt. We understand, this concept arose from discussions with the Rother District Council during the developer’s pre-application stage.
  • The Neighbourhood Plan professional site assessment carried out by consultancy AECOM proposed that the whole site was suitable for development,  however at maximum density / accommodation of 19 homes.
  • The application is for 20 homes, however not all of the site is being used for housing due to the presence of dormice, a protected species.
  • Of the 20 houses proposed, 6 (30%) are 2 bedroomed cottages in accordance with planning policy. 
  • There are no flats proposed.
  • Access to the development is proposed via the existing private road (Foundry Close) which is already in the ownership of the developers.
  • Despite the problems with parking in and around Hurst Green,  the application’s parking provision is in accordance with the East Sussex Residential Parking Demand Calculator, this includes the addition of 6 on-street spaces that replace those lost from Foundry Close which is currently used by residents / nearby houses as overspill / primary parking. 
  • Allocated and some visitor parking (2 spaces) is provided in rear parking courts and unallocated Foundry Close replacement spaces are provided on-street along with 2 further visitor spaces. 
  • The submitted application proposes pavements throughout the development.
  • At the request of the Neighbourhood Plan group an area of public open space, possibly a peace garden is included as a focus for the development and the wider area.
  • The developer has stated as part of their application that “the high costs of developing this site and the sites reduced potential and economies of scale make it impossible for the scheme to meet [Rother] District Council’s 40% affordable housing target.” They are proposing making a financial contribution towards affordable housing elsewhere in the parish. 

View the application and read the supporting documents here:

http://planweb01.rother.gov.uk/OcellaWeb/planningDetails?reference=RR/2019/2194/P&from=planningSearch

View the Parish Council’s response here: https://hurstgreen2030.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Foundry-Close-Planning-Application-RR20192194P-on-site-HG-35-Parish-Council.pdf

31 local households looking for new homes​

31 local households are looking for new homes says Neighbourhood Plan housing survey

Following the Neighbourhood Plan Local Housing Demand Survey, which was conducted across Hurst Green from March to May 2019, we’re pleased to share the results. We are grateful to the many residents (over 40% of households) who returned the survey, and to the community cafe and the local businesses who served as collection points for the responses.

The design, the hand-delivery of each survey and the subsequent analysis was freely undertaken by volunteers from the Neighbourhood Plan and by Parish Councillors. This meant that whilst this survey delivers high value, it was produced at a very low cost to the taxpayer, around £130 to print and staple the surveys.

The last local housing survey of this type was conducted ten years ago. Indeed the data driving Rother District Council’s Housing Plan (published in January 2019) is based on the ‘Rother Housing Needs Survey’ which was conducted 14 years ago in 2005, and was updated in 2012.  So as well as being many years out of date, the previous District Council studies only looked at Hurst Green in the context of an area described as ‘rural Rother’. This area also included Burwash, Etchingham and Ticehurst and used only a limited postal sampling methodology – so an updated survey was somewhat needed to help understand the housing needs of local people in Hurst Green, and we think it has delivered.

Summary of results, as of May 2019:

  • 72% of households say that the Hurst Green area is their preferred place to live.
  • 22% of households are living in accommodation that is not suitable for their needs.
  • 28% of households say that the Hurst Green area is not their preferred place to live. Top reasons being: a) limited facilities, b) road noise and traffic and c) it being difficult to meet people and make friends. 
  • 23 local households are looking for homes within Hurst Green village.
  • 3 local households are looking for homes in the Silver Hill area.
  • 4 local households are looking for homes elsewhere within the Hurst Green parish boundaries (rural Hurst Green).
  • Taking into account homes currently on the market and the likely migration of new residents into Hurst Green village (based on analysis between 2014-2019) there is an oversupply of flat/ maisonette/ apartment/ bedsit homes and an oversupply of non-detached homes.
  • Taking into account homes currently on the market and the likely migration of new residents into Hurst Green village (based on analysis between 2014-2019) there is a specific local demand now for 16 new dwellings, including 6 new detached dwellings, 3 new bungalows, 2 new sheltered / retirement dwellings and some 5 new additional dwellings.

Read the full survey results:
Evidence #35 – Hurst Green local housing demand survey

 

picture of Steve presenting at a public meeting

Neighbourhood Plan Aims & Vision

Our Neighbourhood Plan Vision and Aims

Using the feedback from resident surveys and from public events held throughout 2018 and 2019, our community has decided that our vision for our Neighbourhood Plan is:

Health and Happiness

Hurst Green will become a thriving, safe and friendly village within the High Weald, along with the hamlets of Swiftsden and Silver Hill, which foster a healthy lifestyle and encourage residents to live active, social and meaningful lives.

Business, Economy and Tourism

We will strongly support local prosperity and will create a thriving village community, that supports existing and new local businesses, and seeks to boast a prosperous, well-presented village, where people want to live, work and visit.

Housing

We will support sustainable and sensitive housing development that enables us to deliver on our vision and objectives, developing the facilities that are needed to address the current and future needs of our community.

Travel and Transport

We will seek to remove all non-local traffic from the Parish’s existing roads, creating an environment that reduces the speed of motor traffic and encourages walking, cycling and low carbon transport over car-use for shorter journeys.

Land and Nature

We will go to great lengths to protect and promote our outstanding natural environment and will seek to improve access to the countryside and our nearby green spaces, restoring land for the benefit of people and wildlife.

Aims

To help us deliver our vision, the following 9 aims have been developed by the community for the Neighbourhood Plan, these are:

1) Protect against inappropriate and speculative development and to provide guidance and greater influence over how Hurst Green should be developed in the future.

2) Improve public safety and reduce the harmful impact of road traffic, while providing sufficient parking for the community.

3) Develop local planning policies for Hurst Green which development proposals should adhere to.

4) Create an environment that encourages residents to live active, social, meaningful lives that promote good health and well-being.

5) Bring forward action on facilities and improvements, which are needed by the village of Hurst Green; and the hamlets of Silver Hill and Swiftsden.

6) Improve the visual appearance and overall perception of Hurst Green as a place where people want to live, work and visit.

7) Enhance our existing, and create new open green spaces and improve access to the countryside.

8) Increase business, retail and tourism opportunities to encourage local employment, and grow the local economy.

9) Conserve and enhance the built and historic environment and improve the general street scene around the parish.

Together we can succeed where other communities have failed. To volunteer, or if you are interested in finding out more, please contact  Steve or Andrew by completing our expression of interest form.

Call for volunteers for action groups

Call for volunteers for action groups... Be the change...

Now it’s time to turn the Hurst Green 2030 vision into reality, we’d like to get started by creating volunteer groups to bring together interested individuals who could take forward specific areas of the vision.

If you’d be interested in volunteering to join one of the community action groups to help:

– Give the children’s park at Lodge field a significant upgrade…

– Develop a new nature reserve at Stage field, Silver Hill…

– Create a new public family park (at a location to be determined)…

– Devise and deliver an upgrade to the sporting facilities at Drewitt’s field…

– Donate your skills to deliver any area of the vision you’re passionate about…

We’d love to hear from you. There’s no minimum time commitment and absolutely no pressure – it’s about bringing like minded people together who are passionate about making things better in our community.

Together we can succeed where other communities have failed. To volunteer, or if you are interested in finding out more, please contact Elaine, Steve or Andrew by completing our expression of interest form.

map of proposed block plan for HG 23 site

New London Road planning application​

New London Road planning application

* Update April 2020 – refused by Rother District Council 14th October 2019 and subsequently refused at Appeal on the 1st of April 2020. *

Rother District Council have informed the Hurst Green Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group that the developers behind the HG 23 site, (which is adjacent to Pentwood Place on London Road), have applied for outline planning permission ahead of the Neighbourhood Plan being completed.  

Selected items relating to the application:

  • The outline application is for one, 4/5-bedroom detached home.
  • The proposal doesn’t include provision for affordable housing.
  • The site is situated at the north end of Hurst Green village, and is outside of the development boundary of Hurst Green village.

View the application and read the supporting documents here:

http://planweb01.rother.gov.uk/OcellaWeb/planningDetails?reference=RR/2019/1784/P