Fresh plans for redundant funeral parlour following ownership hitch

Fresh plans have been submitted to demolish a redundant funeral parlour at New Town, Uckfield, and build a pair of semi-detached houses on the site.

The proposal says Clearwater Land and New Homes, who have an agreement to buy the land and develop the site, have discovered a problem relating to ownership of land to the rear of the site.

Documents with the new planning application say: “ ...it has become apparent that a section of land to the rear of the site lies outside of the ownership of the land to be transferred in the sale.

“The result of this is that the amenity space defined for rear gardens is reduced and as such the planning consent cannot be implemented in accordance with the approved drawings.”

The new application shows the correct ownership boundary positions with the proposed houses moved forward to maintain rear gardens with a depth of about eight metres.

The documents say better accommodation will be provided, there will be better use of topography and provision of usable rear gardens with good access, a stronger ‘build line’ more in keeping with the surrounding context and ‘sensitive architecture’ drawing on typical Sussex design features and materials.

The site is on the western side of the High Street as you travel south from Uckfield Town Centre towards Ridgewood. It is about half way between Bell Farm Road and the Highlands roundabout.