New 500 home development allocated for Hassocks

Mid Sussex District Council has to put together a planning framework, which sets out how many and where houses will be built up to 2031 over a 17 year period.

Originally the council proposed 800 homes a year, but after a public examination conducted by a planning inspector, this was increased to 1,026 a year.

However the council has instead proposed 876 homes a year up to 2023/24, and then 1,090 dwellings per annum up to 2031 subject to environmental assessments.

In modifications proposed to the plan, a new 500-home development has been allocated north of the Clayton Mills development off Ockley Lane.

These were discussed by the council’s scrutiny committee for community, housing and planning last Tuesday. If agreed by Full Council, a six-week consultation on the changes would start in October.

Lib Dem district councillor for Hassocks Sue Hatton said: “As both a parish and district councillor for Hassocks, I am fully aware of the proposal.

“However, I am waiting for MSDC to provide some detail on what are currently only outline proposals before commenting further.”

Hassocks Parish Council met last week together with representatives of MSDC at the neighbourhood plan working group.

According to the draft minutes developer Gleeson contacted MSDC to suggest their land north of Clayton Mills could be identified as a strategic site in the emerging local plan, with a planning application due to be submitted at the end of 2017/early 2018.

According to district council officers ‘other sites were ruled out on deliverability grounds as they could not be delivered within the first five years’.

A special parish council meeting to discuss a consultation response has been called for Tuesday October 31.