MINUTES of the Meeting of the STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKING GROUP  held on Tuesday 6 October 

2015 held in the Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint.  

Working Group Members Present 

Stephen Hand (Chairman) Rodney Jackson 

David Evans  Tony Lank  

Judith Marsh 

Also Present:   

  John Wilkinson  (Council Member) 

                             Stephen Hoyles – CLERK TO THE COUNCIL 

SP15/017.   Apologies for absence and declarations of interest:  The Working Group received and accepted the following apologies for absence from members of the Working Group:  John Lowman, Rosemary Burns,  Allan Brown, ,  Matthew Stokes.  There were no declarations of interest in accordance with the Code of Conduct:   

SP15/018.  Minutes of the Meeting of the Strategic Planning Working Group 1 September 2015:   The Minutes of the meeting were received and accepted and signed by the Chairman.   

SP15/019.  Review of information:  The Group noted the following items since the last meeting of the Working 

Group:   

SP15/019.1 Meetings held:   There have been no meetings held since the last meeting.   

SP15/019.2  Other information:   

1. (1) Mid Sussex District Council – District Plan – Sustainability appraisal – Addendum:  MSDC is consulting on an addendum to the Sustainability Appraisal.  This concerns the approach to the Ashdown Forest restricted zone and does not therefore directly impact on the Parish area.   (Ref:  MSDC  District Plan – Sustainability appraisal – Addendum  – 23 September 2015 )   
2. (2) Heaselands Park,  Burgess Hill Northern Arc development:  The developer Wates held a public exhibition 

2.00pm  Friday 2 October 2015 at Martletts Hall, Burgess Hill,  of their proposals for 1050 houses in the central section of the Northern Arc plan.  The affected area is outside the Parish area.  (Ref:  Savills email – Heaselands Park, Burgess Hill 

– 22 September 2015.)  

1. (3) Kingsland Laines, Sayers Common (MSDC  ref:  12/03972):  There was no news on the Secretary of State 

(DCLG) decision on the judicial review of the appeal decision.  A decision date of 29 September 2015 had been advised, but DCLG now advised that the decision is still awaited.  It was reported that the applicant had incorrectly advised the Secretary of State that the Parish Council had not made progress on their site appraisal process.  The meeting was advised that the Council’s consultant had advised DCLG of the appraisal process and that Sayers Common Society had also corrected the matter. (Ref:  Planning Inspectorate ref:  APP/D3830/A/12/2189451/NWF) 

1. (4) Burgess Hill Northern Arc  – Parish Advisory Group:  An inaugural meeting of this group was due to take place 7 October 2015, attended by the Chairman of Council and the Clerk.  The proposed Terms of Reference for the Group were noted, and suggestions made that more frequent meetings than 6-monthly might prove necessary.  Some discussion took place on the potential impacts of the District Council aspiration of a Science Park  adjacent to the A2300.  (Ref:  MSDC Strategic Planning Parish Advisory Group – terms of reference 6 October 2015)   

SP15/020.  Sayers Common – Housing Sites Appraisal:  A public consultation ran from 21 July to 28 September 

2015 on the long-list of 9 possible development sites, and the process had completed satisfactorily.  Information had been posted on the Council website and had been sent to around 40 organisations or individuals who had previously shown an interest.   39 responses had been received and were being collated into a summary schedule.  Cllr Judith Marsh reported on the initial responses which had been collated do far.  It was agreed that the collation would be completed and the appraisal criteria confirmed at the next meeting of the Working Group, following which the sites could be selected to meet the requirements of the Neighbourhood Plan policies.   

There being no other business the Chairman closed the Meeting at  8.48 pm.   Chairman