Houses could replace a parking area in a town centre.

In an application to Wealden District Council, which was formally validated this week, developer Venture Real Estates Limited is seeking permission to build three houses on land to the rear of Beacon Travel Services, a travel agents based in Croft Road, Crowborough.

Currently, the site is occupied by an informal parking area and workshop used by local taxi company Crowborough Cabs, which would be removed as part of the proposals. A public right of way also runs through the site.

In a statement submitted as part of the application, a spokesman for the developer said: “There is a positive opportunity to deliver three new houses at a time of undersupply. These houses would be entirely delivered on brownfield land and within a highly sustainable, town centre location.

“This would be achieved, whilst maintaining a shop frontage within the town centre and delivering enhancements to the public right of way through the site, with the aim of making this a more appealing and safer route into the town centre. 

“The works would be undertaken at the developers own expense and would offer planning gain as part of the proposal. The scheme would also reduce the amount vehicular movement along the right of way.”

The proposed development itself would be made up of three two-bedroom houses arranged in a terrace. Each would have a private garden and off-street parking bay. 

The developer goes on to say the scheme would also result in improvements to the public right of way and should also benefit from the presumption in favour of sustainable development set out in national planning rules.

According to the application, the developer had initially sought the council’s opinion on building five houses on the site, but reduced the scale of these plans for the final proposals.

For further information see application reference WD/2023/1712/F on the Wealden District Council website.