Traffic restrictions tied to a Horam housing development are due to go in front of county councillors next week.
On Wednesday, December 10, East Sussex County Council’s planning committee is due to make a decision on a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) tied to the 123-home Rosemead Place development in Horebeech Lane.
The development, from Bovis Homes, was first approved by Wealden District Council in December 2016. As part of that planning permission, the housing developer agreed to fund reduced speed limits, alongside a number of other changes to the area’s roads.
The TRO due to be considered by the committee would allow for these lower speed limits to come into force.
This would involve extending Horebeech Lane’s existing 30mph speed limit, so it stretches to the road’s junction with Laundry Lane. This part of the road is currently covered by the national speed limit.
The TRO would introduce a new area covered by a 40mph speed limit. This would cover part of Laundry Lane and extended stretch of Marle Green. A report to the committee notes how this is intended to act as a ‘buffer zone’, which would aid the transition from 60mph to 30mph.
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During a formal consultation period, seven items of correspondence were received in connection with the proposed TRO.
Council highways officers say all seven respondents — including a district councillor — were supportive of the overall proposal, but that three had also asked for a larger area to be covered by a 30mph speed limit.
Officers go on to say these requests need to be considered as objections to the TRO.
They also note how the requests could not be implemented as they would go beyond the restrictions advertised within the proposed TRO.
To do so, the council would need to advertise a new TRO and undertake further consultation.
But officers also argue a larger 30mph speed limit would not be appropriate in any case, as the road does not meet the criteria set by national policy.
In a report to the committee, a council highways officer said: “The latest Department for Transport (DfT) guidance … states that the lowest speed limit on a rural road, that is not within a ‘village setting’, is 40mph.
“It is considered that the completed development on Horebeech Lane at Rosemead Place, together with other development approved on the south side of the road, meets the DfT guidance for a ‘village setting’ and therefore the proposed extension of the 30mph speed limit along Horebeech Lane is valid.
“However, due to insufficient frontage development on both Laundry Lane and Marle Green it is considered they fall outside of the criteria for them to be considered as part of the ‘village setting’ and therefore the appropriate speed limit for these roads will be 40mph. This view is shared by Sussex Police.”
Officers are recommending the committee to approve the TRO as advertised by not upholding the objections.
