Disclosure by Members of personal interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the member regarded the interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct.

None disclosed.

RR/2010/664/P 4 Compass Cottages, Compasses Lane, Cripps Corner. First floor extension containing bedroom and en-suite bathroom. Cllr Wheatley reported on her inspection.

RESOLVED: That the Parish Council supports the proposal in accordance with Policy HG8 - it appears to be in keeping with the character of the existing dwelling and its surroundings in terms of its size, style, design and materials and protects the amenities of adjoining properties.

RR/2010/627/P Brede Barn Farmhouse, Brede Lane, Sedlescombe. Permission to replace extant planning permission RR/2004/2589/P. Change of use and conversion of a farm building to form a holiday cottage/annexe. Cllr Martin reported on his inspection. RESOLVED: That the Parish Council supports the proposal which will retain an interesting building in accordance with: Policy EM7 providing accommodation for tourists. Policy GD1(ii) does not harm the amenities of nearby properties. Policy GD(iv)respects and does not detract from the character and appearance of the locality. Policy DS1(vi) avoids prejudicing the character and qualities of the environment.

RR/2010/895/P The Presbytery, The Street, Sedlescombe. Single Storey rear extension to enlarge kitchen.

RR/2010/980/L The Presbytery, The Street, Sedlescombe. Single Storey rear extension to enlarge kitchen.

Cllr Wright reported. RESOLVED: That the Parish Council supports the proposal as it appears to be in accordance with Policy HG8 regarding appropriate extensions of existing dwellings

Budget Car Company. With the agreement of the Chairman of the Committee, agenda item P09/10.150 was brought forward to allow PCSO Demetrius Georghiou to speak to the Council. PCSO Deme reported to the Council that he is regularly being approached by Sedlescombe residents about the activities of The Budget Car Company, including the problems caused by vehicles parked on the opposite side of the road to the car sales site. The Parish Council had been informed by The Head of the Environmental Health Division of Rother District Council that it is an offence if two cars are displayed for sale on the road within 500 metres of each other. Sometimes there are two vehicles, usually large ones, parked on the road and it is not always possible for members of the public to tell whether they are for sale if they do not have for sale signs posted on them. However, if this offence can be ascertained, the matter will be referred to Rother's Environmental Health Division. Parish Councillors also said that they would like to see the owner prosecuted for parking wheels on footways. The Police suggested that the Parish Council takes up residents' problems with the owner of Budget Car Company and/or the owner of the land Mr Maurice Durling.

The activities of the Budget Car Company have caused objections from local residents. A local businessman has also objected because he has had to pay ESCC for permission to cross a grass verge in Gammons Way in order for vehicles to leave Pumphouse Yard whereas the fence has been removed by the Budget Car Company and cars have easy access to the B2244 from that land without payment.

The original planning permission for "Use of land for display of cars for sale and parking" dates back thirty years to 1980. The application has been studied and, it would appear, that the land is not being used in accordance with the original planning permission. A condition was imposed at that time "in the interests of and for the safety of persons and vehicles using the premises and/or the adjoining road" that "adequate turning facilities shall be provided for all vehicles using the site". In addition, the application plan shows a 5ft grass verge and 18" high white painted ranch type fencing. The application description on the form was "Use of land with frontage on A229 for display of cars for sale. Use of land at rear for customer and MOT parking. No change of use for building".

Members also discussed the appearance of a yellow (sometimes red) waving balloon and noted that the Outdoor advertisements and signs rules published by The Department for Communities and Local Government ban captive balloons from an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It was also suggested that the Company has, in effect, extended their service area onto the highway.

RESOLVED: That the Parish Council writes to Rother District Council strongly objecting to the unsightly use of land within the Sedlescombe Conservation Area and requesting that Budget Car Company is required to alter the use of the car sales land to bring it into line with the Plans and Planning Approval for Application RR.80.2363 as follows:

1. Reinstatement of the 5ft wide grass verge between the land and the B2244.
2. Replacement of the 18" white painted ranch type fence bordering the B2244.
3. Restriction of car sales to land delineated on the RR.80.2363 plan - NB This excludes the pumping station entrance and the land to the south of it.
4. Restriction of car sales to one line bordering the B2244 leaving the land at the rear of the site for customer parking and turning within the site.

and that

1. No captive balloons should be allowed on the site.
2. Enforcement action is taken to have the extension to the building removed which has been refused planning permission on two occasions.
3. The amount of signage on the land to be checked to ensure that it is within the approved total size.

The Clerk was asked to send a copy of this letter to The Budget Car Company and to Mr Maurice Durling (owner).

Results

RR/2010/420/P Mulberry Cottage, Blackbrooks. APPROVED.

RR/2010/137/L The Pumphouse, Village Green, Sedlescombe. APPROVED. The Clerk reported to the Committee the conditions imposed on the Council regarding the proposed works to The Pump.

Rother Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA). The Clerk had received a hard copy of the SHLAA which had been available at last week's Annual Parish Assembly. Rother planners had considered several sites in Sedlescombe for suitability for housing development and these had been included in "Sites Appendix iii: Sites Excluded following On-site Appraisal" as follows including the reasons for refusal:

SE1 Land to rear of The Green, Sedlescombe - Difficult site. Access issues with little prospect of being overcome. Impact upon conservation area issues. Loss of allotments. However it is still one of the less environmentally constrained sites in the village.

SE10 Land south of East view Terrace, Brede Lane, Sedlescombe - No. Unlikely potential for development given environmental and physical constraints.

SE2 Land north of Gorselands, Sedlescombe - No. Landscape constraints are significant in this AONB location.

SE3 Land r/o Harriet House, Sedlescombe - No. Reasonable site in terms of village location, but several constraints including access, change in levels, multiple ownerships. Moreover the land comprises historic burgage plots in a conservation area location, so the site is not suitable on heritage grounds.

SE4 Land at Balcombe Green, Sedlescombe. No. Not considered suitable by reason of loss of trees (woodland habitat) and subsequent prominence of development.

SE7 Rear of Village Hall, Sedlescombe. No. Should be retained as a public and nature park.

SE9 Land east of The Street, Sedlescombe. No. Should not be developed but left as a public open space.

BA35 Land at eastern end of Marley Lane Business Park, Sedlescombe. Proposed for employment use. Multiple environmental constraints: AONB, Ancient Woodland, TPO, Groundwater Source Protection Zones 1, 2 & 3.

Three sites are shown in "Settlement Maps of Suitable Sites" in Sedlescombe. Two (Pestalozzi housing) and SE8 (Cartref housing) already have planning permission for housing development. The new area shown as a possible site for housing development is SE5 between Blacklands and Street Farm. Councillors objected to the comments on the SE5 form that "Layout of any scheme must address the social issue of severance by tenure in Sedlescombe. Layout and siting of tenures must work so as to improve rather than exacerbate the situation at present." Also "Development of north area may have the advantage of bridging the divide between East View Terrace and the main core of Sedlescombe village." Councillors do not recognise that there is a "divide" between EVT and the main core of the Village.

The Planning Officer had stated that the development opportunities of this site is for a maximum of 20 properties, 40%+ of which will be "affordable", at the usual density of 30 properties/ha. Although the proposed area is currently outside the development boundary, it is suggested that the land could be available within five years.

The Clerk reported quite a bit of interest with this plan at the Annual Assembly. The Headteacher had been concerned about the probable close proximity of the properties to the School and had said that the School needs additional play space now that so much of the playground has been built on.

Unauthorised dwellings and caravans at Spilstead Farm. Several complaints had been received by the Parish Council from people living near the Farm that a silo appeared to be occupied and caravans had recently arrived on the land. Planning Enforcement Officer, Nick May, had visited the site on both 14th and 16th April and had noted the caravans but on both visits they were unoccupied. The converted silo was also noted. Rother has contacted the owner and it is expected that the caravans will be removed and the alteration/use of the silo dealt with by a retrospective planning application in due course.