GTA sites in rural areas

PPTS Paragraph 25 Policy H ‘Determining planning applications for traveller sites’ states that local planning authorities should ‘very strictly limit new traveller site development in open countryside that is away from existing settlements or outside areas allocated in the development plan. Local planning authorities should ensure that sites in rural areas respect the scale of, and do not dominate, the nearest settled community, and avoid placing an undue pressure on the local infrastructure.’

The proposal is within a rural area located close to an existing settlement. The proposal, at 16 pitches, with a likely occupancy varying from four to six persons per pitch, would respect the scale of the nearest settled community at Copthorne, representing around two per cent of a population of around 5000 people. Consequently, it would not dominate the existing settlement or put undue pressure on infrastructure.

Adopted Local Plan Policy H14 also includes spatial criteria which need to be met:

• minimal impact on the character and appearance of the countryside and no conflict with sites in countryside with special characteristics protection policies; and

• site is capable of being serviced, and is within a reasonable distance of local services and facilities i.e. shops, school.

The site is in a semi-rural area close enough to access services and facilities in Copthorne.

The site, unlike 60 per cent of the district, is not in the designated High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or South Downs National Park or the Ashdown Forest SPA or zone of influence. Neither is it an area of known identified archaeological significance or site of special scientific interest or site of nature conservation importance.

So it meets Government policy criteria for suitable site selection.

The proposed GTA site does however fall within the Countryside Area of Development Restraint (adopted plan policy C1) and also within the Strategic Gap (adopted policy C2 a local designation which seeks to prevent the coalescence of Crawley and East Grinstead).

The draft Copthorne Neighbourhood Plan includes the site within an area to be designated as part of a ‘Green Ring’ around Copthorne – regarded as important local green space to the community.

The Copthorne Neighbourhood Plan is at Regulation 14 stage and will move forward to referendum and adoption in later stages of its process.

The value of the site as a local green space is questionable since its condition as a result of former unauthorised uses is poor with notifiable invasive species and made ground containing building rubble and some contamination. Development would allow its condition to be improved.

The following matters are considered to outweigh the constraint on development in the countryside:

• unmet need for GTA in the district;• no identified five year supply of GTA sites;• sixty per cent of coverage of the proposed

district as AONB or National Park;• the minor nature of the proposed permanent

buildings;• site clean-up / improvement;

• the site is visually self contained;• compliance with Adopted Local Plan policy

H14; and• the site is available.

New housing scheme

Planning permission has recently been granted for a housing development of up to 500 homes, with mixed use community facilities including primary school and doctor’s surgery, on land within walking distance of the site, to the north of the A264, also within the locally designated Strategic Gap and ‘Green Ring.’ The development is expected to begin in the short-term.

These facilities will be within easy walking distance of the current proposal site. The West Sussex School Organisation Plan 2016 refers to the potential provision of a primary school within the new development west of Copthorne, or to the reorganisation of existing Copthorne schools when and where required by increased need from the implementation of housing development with planning consent.

4

Lower Hollow CopseCopthorneGypsy and Traveller Accommodation (GTA)

Site and Surrounding AreaContinued

Adopted Local Plan Extract

Mid Sussex Local Development FrameworkProposals Map - February 2008

KEYDistrict Boundary

Countryside Area of Development Restraint

Built up Area Boundary

Area of Townscape Character

Landscape Area

Burial Ground

Business Development

Civic, Cultural and Other Recreational Uses

Ardingly Reservoir

SNCI - Site of Nature Conservation Importance

Shopping Policy Area

Car Parking

Residential Gypsy Site

Ancient Monuments

Sports Facilities

XXXXXX Local Nature Reserve

Informal Open Space

Specific Policy Area

Park or Garden of Historic Interest

New School Site

Arts, Leisure and Entertainment

Conservation Area

Recreation Area

"

" "

"

""" Town Centre Shopping Policy Boundary

Cycleway

Haywards Heath Relief Road

! ! ! ! Footpath

! ! Linear Open Space (Worth Way)

kj Kickabout Area

_̂ Childrens Play Area

E Access Restriction

Countryside Gap

Strategic Gap

SSSI - Site of Special Scientific Interest

Residential Allocation (Local Plan 2004)

") Community Facilities

Haywards Heath Relief Road - Internal Collector Road

!!!! Primary Shopping Frontage

!!!! Secondary Shopping Frontage

!!!!! New Link Road

Floodplains

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - High Weald

Bluebell Railway (New Station Site)

Bluebell Railway Extension

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - Sussex Downs

Small Scale Housing DPD 2008 Allocations (SSH)Informal Recreation Area andNature Conservation Area(forms part of 'SSH11 - Land at GravelyeLane / Lyoth Lane' allocation)

Mid Sussex Local Development FrameworkProposals Map - February 2008

KEYDistrict Boundary

Countryside Area of Development Restraint

Built up Area Boundary

Area of Townscape Character

Landscape Area

Burial Ground

Business Development

Civic, Cultural and Other Recreational Uses

Ardingly Reservoir

SNCI - Site of Nature Conservation Importance

Shopping Policy Area

Car Parking

Residential Gypsy Site

Ancient Monuments

Sports Facilities

XXXXXX Local Nature Reserve

Informal Open Space

Specific Policy Area

Park or Garden of Historic Interest

New School Site

Arts, Leisure and Entertainment

Conservation Area

Recreation Area

"

" "

"

""" Town Centre Shopping Policy Boundary

Cycleway

Haywards Heath Relief Road

! ! ! ! Footpath

! ! Linear Open Space (Worth Way)

kj Kickabout Area

_̂ Childrens Play Area

E Access Restriction

Countryside Gap

Strategic Gap

SSSI - Site of Special Scientific Interest

Residential Allocation (Local Plan 2004)

") Community Facilities

Haywards Heath Relief Road - Internal Collector Road

!!!! Primary Shopping Frontage

!!!! Secondary Shopping Frontage

!!!!! New Link Road

Floodplains

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - High Weald

Bluebell Railway (New Station Site)

Bluebell Railway Extension

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - Sussex Downs

Small Scale Housing DPD 2008 Allocations (SSH)Informal Recreation Area andNature Conservation Area(forms part of 'SSH11 - Land at GravelyeLane / Lyoth Lane' allocation)

Mid Sussex Local Development FrameworkProposals Map - February 2008

KEYDistrict Boundary

Countryside Area of Development Restraint

Built up Area Boundary

Area of Townscape Character

Landscape Area

Burial Ground

Business Development

Civic, Cultural and Other Recreational Uses

Ardingly Reservoir

SNCI - Site of Nature Conservation Importance

Shopping Policy Area

Car Parking

Residential Gypsy Site

Ancient Monuments

Sports Facilities

XXXXXX Local Nature Reserve

Informal Open Space

Specific Policy Area

Park or Garden of Historic Interest

New School Site

Arts, Leisure and Entertainment

Conservation Area

Recreation Area

"

" "

"

""" Town Centre Shopping Policy Boundary

Cycleway

Haywards Heath Relief Road

! ! ! ! Footpath

! ! Linear Open Space (Worth Way)

kj Kickabout Area

_̂ Childrens Play Area

E Access Restriction

Countryside Gap

Strategic Gap

SSSI - Site of Special Scientific Interest

Residential Allocation (Local Plan 2004)

") Community Facilities

Haywards Heath Relief Road - Internal Collector Road

!!!! Primary Shopping Frontage

!!!! Secondary Shopping Frontage

!!!!! New Link Road

Floodplains

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - High Weald

Bluebell Railway (New Station Site)

Bluebell Railway Extension

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - Sussex Downs

Small Scale Housing DPD 2008 Allocations (SSH)Informal Recreation Area andNature Conservation Area(forms part of 'SSH11 - Land at GravelyeLane / Lyoth Lane' allocation)

Mid Sussex Local Development FrameworkProposals Map - February 2008

KEYDistrict Boundary

Countryside Area of Development Restraint

Built up Area Boundary

Area of Townscape Character

Landscape Area

Burial Ground

Business Development

Civic, Cultural and Other Recreational Uses

Ardingly Reservoir

SNCI - Site of Nature Conservation Importance

Shopping Policy Area

Car Parking

Residential Gypsy Site

Ancient Monuments

Sports Facilities

XXXXXX Local Nature Reserve

Informal Open Space

Specific Policy Area

Park or Garden of Historic Interest

New School Site

Arts, Leisure and Entertainment

Conservation Area

Recreation Area

"

" "

"

""" Town Centre Shopping Policy Boundary

Cycleway

Haywards Heath Relief Road

! ! ! ! Footpath

! ! Linear Open Space (Worth Way)

kj Kickabout Area

_̂ Childrens Play Area

E Access Restriction

Countryside Gap

Strategic Gap

SSSI - Site of Special Scientific Interest

Residential Allocation (Local Plan 2004)

") Community Facilities

Haywards Heath Relief Road - Internal Collector Road

!!!! Primary Shopping Frontage

!!!! Secondary Shopping Frontage

!!!!! New Link Road

Floodplains

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - High Weald

Bluebell Railway (New Station Site)

Bluebell Railway Extension

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - Sussex Downs

Small Scale Housing DPD 2008 Allocations (SSH)Informal Recreation Area andNature Conservation Area(forms part of 'SSH11 - Land at GravelyeLane / Lyoth Lane' allocation)

Proposed GTA development site