EASEBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF PUBLIC PLANNING MEETING HELD ON 26TH SEPTEMBER 2006 TO DISCUSS THE APPLICATION FOR KING EDWARD VII HOSPITAL RE-DEVELOPMENT

Present: Mr I Heustice (chairman), Mr D Warner (vice-chair), Mr J Stringer, Mrs E Hamilton, Mr B Gowar, Mr J Dabson, Mrs J Deacon-Ford, Mr D Pack, Mr F Martin, Mr M Fay (CDC), Lt Col T Pemberton (WSCC) the Clerk and 23 member of the public

Apologies: were received from Mrs A Marchand and Mr P Rhodes

 06/07

47             Mr Heustice opened the meeting by welcoming all the members of the public in attendance and introducing Mr Stephen Friel and Ms Amanda Hewitt from Lincoln Holdings, the developer.  He then invited Mr Friel to give a brief background to the present planning application.

Mr Friel spoke of the earlier plans for the site when a new hospital was proposed, followed by the withdrawal of Capio from the scheme last March. Since then Lincoln Holdings have had discussions with the District Council before producing the application presented for discussion today.  In addition to the conversion of the Listed Buildings on the site there is an element of “new build”, to include some Social Housing, making a total of 337 dwellings. It is also proposed to make a commuted payment for the building of additional Social Housing elsewhere.

Mr Heustice then asked for questions from the floor:

Q       
Why would the Social Housing only consist of 1 and 2 bedroomed flats when there was a need for family houses?.
A      
Mr Friel said that as there were only 3 houses planned for the whole site flats would be more in keeping with the overall development.  Mr Friel also added that the developer will be guided by the District Council on the provision of Social Housing and that there is no profit to the developer - only the recovery of their costs.

Q       
If Social Housing is provided for poor people how will they get to work from the isolated location?.
A       
Social Housing is not just for poor people but also for key workers who would use cars and buses.

Q       
According to CDC figures there is a shortfall in provision of Social Housing, especially in the Midhurst area.  If CDC asked for a larger percentage of Social Housing to be built on the site would the developer agree?.
A       
The issues were financial.  The maintenance charges at King Edward VII would be fairly high because of the upkeep of the gardens, leisure facilities etc..  Social Registered landlords need to keep the maintenance charges low.  Lincoln Holdings have spoken to several Social Registered landlords about the site.

Q       
Would the leisure facilities be available for use by the Parish?.
A       
CDC says that is not possible because of sustainability ie. increased traffic etc..

Q       
The Linear Accelerator building is not sympathetic to the Listed Building. Will this be demolished?
A       
This building will be re-clad to match as it is too good a building to demolish.

Q       
Has Lincoln Holdings actually completed the purchase of the hospital?.
A       
The actual owner is Bridebridge Ltd, an offshore company owned by a private trust and registered in Gibraltar.  Lincoln Holdings plc acts as their manager in the UK.

Q       
Is there any relationship between the directors of Bridebridge Ltd and Lincoln Holdings plc?
A       
No.

Q      
Concerned about the increased traffic on Kings Drive and the junction with the A286 and also the provision of water, sewerage etc. to such a large number of new dwellings.
A       
The traffic issue is the responsibility of the Highways Agency and the County Council.  The developer does however, consider that there will be less traffic movements as a residential site than there were when King Edward VII was operating fully as a hospital.  Any alterations to the Kings Drive/A286 junction would not be possible because the land was owned by the Cowdray Estate. Statistics showed that there had been very few accidents at the junction over the past 10 years.

With regard to the water situation – this is provided from a reservoir at Scotland Lane, Fernurst and at the moment the water is pumped at night and drawn down during the day. The developer will pay for changes that will enable the water to be pumped for 24 hours a day. The sewerage capacity is sufficient but the quality of the piping will need to be checked.  There has been no decision yet on how the properties will be heated although several options are under consideration.

Q       
The water pressure for houses on Kings Drive is very low at times.  How will this be affected by the additional homes?,
A        
With the new pumping arrangements the pressure will have to be satisfactory or the new homes would not sell.

Q       
Why were more than 219 homes needed on the site?
A       
More than 219 were needed to secure the future of the Listed Buildings.

Q       
Will the new wing become listed?
A       
Yes

Q       
What price will the properties sell for?
A       
Between £185,000 and £1.45 million.

Q       
What is the relationship between the price paid for the site and its development for residential only?
A       
The price paid 3 years ago, in conjunction with the hospital operator, was right at that time. Lincoln Holdings tried their very hardest to ensure that a hospital facility remained on the site with their earlier planning application and were very disappointed when King Edward VII closed. Bridebridge Ltd paid £11.5 million to the liquidator.     

Q       
Can you build less homes and be as profitable as with the hospital scheme?
A       
Slightly less.

Q       
A community facility is being lost.
A       
This is not so as the site was not a community facility previously.

Q       
Could there not be fewer homes built on the site but of a larger and more expensive type?
A      
Some of the proposed apartments are already very large and overall they are of a varied nature thus ensuring a good, mixed community.  Commercially they also have to be saleable.

As there were no more questions Mr Heustice brought the meeting to a close and thanked everybody for attending.

The public meeting closed at 8.40pm.

Following the departure of the public and the representatives from Lincoln Holdings the Parish Council considered its response to the planning application.

Lt Col Pemberton said that the plans had been received by the County Council who would now consider them in the light of the current Structure Plan and the fact that the previous  exceptional circumstances ie. the provision of a hospital, no longer existed.

It was proposed by Mr Stringer and seconded by Mrs Deacon-Ford that the Parish Council should respond to the District Council by agreeing that the existing Listed Building should be re-developed but that there should be no new-build housing on the site, in an area of AONB.  All in favour.

The Parish Council would make a representation at the Area Committee (North) Planning Meeting, and would also welcome the opportunity to hear the professional opinions of other consultees including English Heritage, Sussex Downs Joint Committee, WSCC and CDC Planning Officers. 

The planning meeting closed at 9.30pm.