Developer wants to add more homes to East Sussex housing scheme by removing convenience store

In an application submitted to Wealden District Council, developer Bellway Homes is seeking planning permission to erect a seven-unit apartment building at the entrance to its 220-home development in Mill Road.

The application seeks to build the apartments in place of a previously proposed convenience store, which was first approved as part of the scheme’s outline planning permission in October 2020. It was also part of the reserved matters approval granted last year.

The removal of the store has come in for criticism from Hailsham Town Council. In a statement submitted in response to the application, a spokesman for the authority said: “The town council strongly objects to the removal of the convenience store.

“The convenience store was an integral part to creating a sustainable plan for the development and the viability of the site is integrally impacted by the presence of the convenience store.”

But Bellway Homes argues the store would be ‘undeliverable’, as its location is not viewed as desirable by retailers.

In a statement submitted as part of the application, a spokesman for the developer said: “Market testing has concluded that the land use designation for retail and the approved convenience store floorspace provided in the Reserved Matters consent does not align with … retail operator requirements and is not located within a location where retail floorspace is sought.

“No offers have therefore been forthcoming for the development of the convenience store.

“Given the implications of viability for the applicant, and the importance of the placemaking nature of the unit, an alternative land use is sought so that the key placemaking feature can be realised. This in turn will promote sales of the housing units in the wider site and would better meet the needs of Hailsham than an undeliverable retail use.”

For further information on the proposals WD/2024/0793/F on the Wealden District Council website.