Planning Committee

Agenda

HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL

To:   All Members of the Planning Committee (Cllrs Maria Angelaki-King, Kristian Berggreen, Robert Brewer, Lesley Cruickshank-Robb, Bill Hatton, Don McBeth and Peter Reime) with copies to all other Councillors for information.

A meeting of the PLANNING COMMITTEE will be held on 8 June 2026 at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks.

Parish Clerk 2 June 2026

AGENDA

1. TO ACCEPT APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2. TO ACCEPT DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST. Disclosure by Councillors of personal and/or pecuniary interests in matters on the agenda and whether the Councillors regard their interest as prejudicial/pecuniary under the terms of the Code of Conduct.

3. MINUTES. To accept the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 May 2026 (previously circulated).

4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.

5. APPLICATIONS (copies of each application can be viewed online via the Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) Website – https://pa.midsussex.gov.uk/online-applications/ or the
South Downs National Park Authority (SDNP) Website –https://planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk/online-applications/

5.1 DM/26/1161 39 Mackie Avenue Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8NH Demolition of existing conservatory and outbuildings and erection of a ground floor rear extension.

5.2 DM/26/1132 Land Parcel To The North Of Nos. 42-54 Hurst Road Hassocks West Sussex Proposed tractor parking area, donkey enclosure, donkey stable, 3 shepherd huts and a wildlife pond.

5.3 LI/26/0706 Thatched Inn Grand Avenue Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8DH To vary the plan to locate a bar in the outside area.

5.4 DM/26/1256 2 Ewart Close Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8FJ Group of Tree’s (G1) – Ash, Chestnuts and yews – Crown lift to 5m.

5.5 DM/26/1263 3 Wilmington Close Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8QB Single storey side extension connecting an existing garage. (LDC).

5.6 DM/26/1270 36 Kings Drive Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8DZ Change of use – conversion of detached garage into a 1 bed dwelling.

5.7 DM/26/1332 15 The Crescent Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8RB G1 – Conifer hedge – cut down northern end by 1.5 meters and remainder to the same height. T1 Willow – Central top down by 1m and reshape the rest of the tree to match. T2 Yew tree – 1 meter off the top and reshape.

5.8 WSCC/016/26 The Windmills Junior School, Dale Avenue, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 8LS Installation of guardrails to roof perimeters and associated access ladders.

6. PLANNING AUTHORITY DECISION NOTICES

7. INFORMATION ITEM: In accordance with legislation MSDC have reviewed their Local List for Validation of Planning Applications. The government requires local planning authorities to review local information requirements every two years. Mid Sussex Local List was previously reviewed in September 2024, and it is now considered timely to review MSDC’s current local validation requirements. The consultation period ran until 29 May. A 1st draft is available to view.
(Appendix 1). To view Appendix 1 please click here.To view Appendix 1 please click here.

8. SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK CONSULTATION: Local Plan Consultation. The Regulation 19 consultation runs until 23^rd June. There are two proposed sites for development within Hassocks. Members are asked to consider comments for submission.

Appendix 2 – Background information and draft submission
To view Appendix 2 Background Information please click here.
To view Appendix 2 draft submission please click here.

Appendix 3 – Hassocks Parish Site allocations
To view Appendix 3 please click here.

9. ROAD CLOSURE APPLICATION:

The Committee is asked to consider the following application:

9.1 Farnham Avenue, Hassocks (junction of Mackie Avenue to Manor Avenue), Saturday 18 July 2026. 1000hrs – 2200hrs. Street Party. (Appendix 4). To view Appendix 4 please click here.

10. URGENT MATTERS at the discretion of the Chairman for noting and/or inclusion on a future agenda.

11. Date of Next Meeting. Monday 29 June 2026.

Please Note: All members of the public are welcome to attend meetings of the Parish Council and its Committees.  Item 4 – a period of 15 minutes will be set aside for the public statements and questions relating to the published non-confidential business of the Meeting. It may be necessary to consider particular items in confidential session and where this arises, these items will be considered at the end of the agenda.

FILMING, RECORDING OF COUNCIL MEETINGS AND USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA- During this meeting members of the public may film or record the Committee and officers from the public area only providing it does not disrupt the meeting. The Confidential section of the meeting may not be filmed or recorded. If a member of the public objects to being recorded, the person(s) filming must stop doing so until that member of the public has finished speaking. The use of social media is permitted but members of the public are requested to switch their mobile devices to silent for the duration of the meeting.

Minutes

HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL

Draft Minutes of the PLANNING COMMITTEE Meeting held on Monday 8 June 2026 at 7.30pm

in the Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks

Attendees: Parish Councillors: Cllr Kristian Berggreen, Cllr Bob Brewer, Cllr Lesley Cruikshank-Robb. Cllr Bill Hatton, Cllr Maria Angelaki-King.

In Attendance: Deputy Clerk – Helen Valler, Cllr Clare Black, Cllr Ian Weir. 40 members of the public.

P26/12 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. There were no apologies for absence. Cllr Don McBeth & Cllr Peter Reime were absent without apologies.

P26/13 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST. Cllr Berggreen declared an interest in LI//26/0706

P26/14 MINUTES. It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 18^th May 2026 be signed by the Chair as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

P26/15 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. There were around 40 members of the public present.

P26/16 APPLICATIONS:

P26/16.1 DM/26/1161 39 Mackie Avenue Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8NH Demolition of existing conservatory and outbuildings and erection of a ground floor rear extension.

RECOMMENDATION: The committee recommend that permission is granted

P26/16.2 DM/26/1132 Land Parcel To The North Of Nos. 42-54 Hurst Road Hassocks West Sussex Proposed tractor parking area, donkey enclosure, donkey stable, 3 shepherd huts and a wildlife pond.

One member of the public spoke in support. One member of the public spoke in objection.

RECOMMENDATION: The committee recommend that permission is granted

P26/16.3 LI/26/0706 Thatched Inn Grand Avenue Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8DH To vary the plan to locate a bar in the outside area. Cllr Kristian Berggreen declared a personal interest.

RECOMMENDATION: No objection

P26/16.4 DM/26/1256 2 Ewart Close Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8FJ Group of Tree’s (G1) – Ash, Chestnuts and yews – Crown lift to 5m.

RECOMMENDATION: Refer to Tree Officer.

P26/16.5 DM/26/1263 3 Wilmington Close Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8QB Single storey side extension connecting an existing garage. (LDC).

RECOMMENDATION: No comment

P26/16.6 DM/26/1270 36 Kings Drive Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8DZ Change of use – conversion of detached garage into a 1 bed dwelling.

RECOMMENDATION: Application withdrawn

P26/16.7 DM/26/1332 15 The Crescent Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8RB G1 – Conifer hedge – cut down northern end by 1.5 meters and remainder to the same height. T1 Willow – Central top down by 1m and reshape the rest of the tree to match. T2 Yew tree – 1 meter off the top and reshape.

RECOMMENDATION: Refer to the tree officer.

P26/16.8 WSCC/016/26 The Windmills Junior School, Dale Avenue, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 8LS Installation of guardrails to roof perimeters and associated access ladders.

RECOMMENDATION: No objection

P26/17 PLANNING AUTHORITY DECISION NOTICES

The following decisions were noted:

P26/18 INFORMATION ITEM: In accordance with legislation MSDC have reviewed their Local List for Validation of Planning Applications. The government requires local planning authorities to review local information requirements every two years. Mid Sussex Local List was previously reviewed in September 2024, and it is now considered timely to review MSDC’s current local validation requirements. The consultation period ran until 29 May.

RESOLVED: The committee noted the revised Local List.

P26/19 SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK CONSULTATION: Local Plan Consultation. The Regulation 19 consultation runs until 23^rd June. There are two proposed sites for development within Hassocks. Members were asked to consider the draft comments for submission. There were around 40 members of the public present, 10 spoke in objection.

There were strong objections to the Parish Council being in support of either of the proposed site allocations in Hassocks/Keymer. The public felt that the current infrastructure needs, such as providing a new allotment site and improvements to Lodge Lane, already stated in our draft submission were not strong enough to justify our support of SDA55 or SDA054. Points raised were:

• Historical flooding and blockages to the culvert on Lodge Lane. Lower risk sites should be considered for development first. Some of the work required to alleviate any flood risk would need to be on land that is outside the control of the developer.
• The development of site SDA55 risks restricting access to footpath HAS12K which leads to the Southdowns.
• The boundary of the national park is sacred and should be respected
• Increased traffic on an already busy and fast road which is used as a ‘rat run’ through the village to Brighton. The proposed traffic management measures deemed to be necessary show that both sites are unsuitable for development.
• There are already unsafe sections of Lodge Lane where pedestrians must cross the road multiple times to access a path.

It was RESOLVED that the draft comments would be amended to include a stronger opposition to both sites considering the extensive development already taken place over the previous 3-5 years.

To view the Hassocks Parish Council – Submission to SDNP Regulation 19 Consultation please click here.

Cllrs Ian Weir & Lesley Cruikshank-Robb left the meeting at 8.26pm.

P26/20 ROAD CLOSURE APPLICATION.

The Committee was asked to consider the following application:

Farnham Avenue, Hassocks (junction of Mackie Avenue to Manor Avenue), Saturday 18 July 2026. 1000hrs – 2200hrs. Street Party.

RECOMMENDATION: No objection

P26/21 URGENT MATTERS. There were no urgent matters.

P26/22 DATE OF NEXT MEETING. Monday 29^th June 2026

There being no other business the Chair closed the meeting at 8.39pm