Hassocks care home off Brighton Road approved after similar plans previously refused

The application from Frontier Estates (Hass) Limited, which will see a 1950s bungalow in Brighton Road demolished, was given the nod during a meeting of the planning committee on Thursday (July 13).

A similar application was refused by the committee in October 2022, against the advice of planning officers, on the grounds that it was too big.

Frontier Estates launched an appeal to the planning inspectorate – which a spokesman said they were confident they would win – but it will be withdrawn now that permission to build has been received.

The council received 30 objections to the plans, with concerns again raised that the three-storey care home was too large and out of keeping with the area.

Others were unhappy that the latest application was so similar to the last, with only a small 35sqm section being removed

Those concerns were shared by some of the committee.

Anne Eves (Green, Burgess Hill Leylands) described the reduction as ‘not sufficient’, calling it ‘a bit of a cynical attempt [by the applicant] to get an acceptance from this committee’.

Others, though, focussed on the ‘critical need for care homes in the district’.

Officers said in their report: “Whilst the loss of habitat should be afforded weight, on balance, the public benefits arising from the scheme (a new care home facility for which there is an identified critical need and employment opportunities) should be afforded significant weight and these are considered to outweigh the ecological harm identified

The care home will be managed by Barchester Healthcare.