Councillors agree 'not to support' plans for Uckfield travellers' site

Uckfield Town Council planning committee has agreed “not to support” a plan to develop land at Mockbeggar Farm, London Road, as a travellers’ caravan site.

Residents spoke against the proposal when they attended a meeting of the committee.

Their concerns included a history of road accidents in the area, an increase in traffic resulting from the development, the significant change in use from a green field site and lack of infrastructure.

See more detail in the minutes of the town council planning committee.

The plan is before Wealden District Council, which will determine the application (number WD/2010/2053/F).

We reported details of the planning application on November 17, 2010. This was our report:

Plans have been submitted for a travellers’ caravan site to be built on land in London Road, Uckfield.

A planning application has been submitted for five-pitches at Mockbeggar Farm, along with landscaping and access.

The site is about 300m to the north of the crossroads at Ringles Cross, according to documents forming part of the application.

It is currently laid to grass and is bounded to the west by a mature hedgerow along the London Road “which effectively shields the site from the road”.

Caravans will be white, with flattish roofs, according to a design and access statement.

A new car access is proposed with turning on the site.

The southern boundary with The Old Orchard is a hedgerow about 2m high. The eastern boundary with Warren Cottage and Appletree Cottage is a chain link fence and the remainder of the eastern boundary is a belt of woodland.

“The northern boundary will be a new cleft timber post and rail fence which will be erected to demarcate the application site from the remainder of the field," says the statement.

“There are outstanding long range views to the north west looking towards Ashdown Forest.”

The statement concludes: “The site is conveniently located for schools and other facilities, there is no adverse impact on the countryside, the local environment and residential amenities are not affected and there is adequate vehicular access. The proposal should therefore be allowed.”