Fly contamination concerns over housing plans

Flies are swarming in the area, says a councillor

Councillors have supported the next stage of a major housing development in East Sussex, despite concerns of "fly contamination".

On Thursday, Wealden District Council's planning committee agreed on the next steps for the Ridgewood Farm project, which is a major mixed-used development on the west edge of Uckfield.

The two applications had sought planning permission to build both 750 new homes and an industrial unit providing 1,884 sqm of floor space, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Southern Water told the BBC it was investigating into reports of fly contamination, which has been linked to a treatment work near the development.

The proposals followed on from an outline scheme approved in 2016, which secured planning permission to build up to 1,000 new homes on the overall site, and a new primary school and retail, community and leisure space.

While both applications were eventually approved by the committee, Uckfield ward councillors Donna French and Ben Reed said there were some "unresolved issues".

"Uckfield Town Council and myself are not trying to stop this application, we are just seeking to help deliver the best possible development for this site," Ms French said.

The LDRS reported her concerns included the potential impact on an area of ancient woodland and a protected oak tree, parking and existing issues of swarming flies linked to Southern Water treatment works on the northern edge of the development.

Ms French concluded by calling the committee to defer the application.

'Swarming with flies'

Conservative councillor Neil Cleaver said: "We have a fly population in Uckfield which is swarming.

"People are going to buy these houses. They are going to be sitting in their gardens or sitting in their houses with their windows shut, because they can't open them swarming with flies.

He added he "could not support" the application and the council should take steps to address the "unresolved issues" raised by ward councillors.

He said the council's deputy leader, Rachel Millward, should meet Southern Water to discuss ways of mitigating the "fly contamination".

Proposing approval for the housing application, Labour councillor Daniel Manvell said: "There are numerous things in [the outline permission] I wouldn't be happy with.

"Only 15% affordable housing is atrocious, given we deliver 35% on most sites these days - and all of that really speaks to previous iterations of this council not getting a local plan sorted.

"Residents have been waiting for homes on these sites for years and I don't think it would be responsible to defer this yet again."

The housing element of the proposal is expected to comprise 50 one-bed, 136 two-bed, 321 three-bed, 211 four-bed and 32 five-bed units.

Of these, 15% would be allocated to affordable housing.

It is set to be delivered by the developers Redrow Homes and Places for People.