Issue - meetings

Steven King, Planning Applications Team Leader, introduced the application which sought planning permission for a change of use of an agricultural field to a sports field and the erection of a yurt at East Grinstead Sports Club, Saint Hill Road, East Grinstead.

Cllr Rex Whittaker, East Grinstead Town Council, spoke in favour of the application.

Martin Donaghy, local resident, spoke in objection to the application.

Clemency Scarfe Beckett, local resident, spoke in objection to the application.

Simon Curtis, local resident, spoke in objection to the application.

Bob Shelley, East Grinstead Sports Club, spoke in favour of the application.

Richard Leman, Trustee of East Grinstead Sports Club, spoke in favour of the application.

Steve Phillips, Chairman of East Grinstead Meads Football Club, spoke in favour of the application.

Cllr Adam Peacock, Ward Member, spoke in objection to the application. He expressed his support for the District Council’s aspirations for improving sports pitches in the District however he raised concerns on the harm caused to the neighbouring amenity and the formalisation of the irreversible change from agricultural land, of which sits within the High Wield Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, to a sports field.

The Planning Applications Team Leader provided an explanation of the historical and current use of the site. He noted the proposal would not make significant physical changes to the site but highlighted that the main concern of officers is the formalisation of the change of use of the site. He outlined what was proposed in the application and highlighted the main issues to consider and summarised how they had been assessed in the committee report. He outlined that the Committee would have to assess the application against the relevant  development plan policies and material considerations, some of which weighed in favour of the scheme and some which weighed against the scheme, to come to a view on the application.

In response to a query from the Chairman the Planning Applications Team Leader highlighted how the site is used currently under permitted development rights. He went through the photographs that showed what was on and around the site at present time.

The Chairman and Vice-Chairman stated that they sat on the Planning Committee which refused the previous application in 2011 however they came to the meeting with an open mind to hear the consideration of the committee, officers and public speakers.

The Chairman drew attention to the Prime Minister’s promotion of young people engaging more with sporting activities.

A Member also drew attention to the Prime Minister’s comments and noted that there is an increasing amount of young people in the town. He mentioned that the field is already being used by the Sports club and Treehoppers so he believed that, with the right mitigations, the change of use would not cause substantial harm. He supported the aim of providing young people with better facilities for outdoor sport. He did not consider it would cause significant harm to neighbouring properties. He believed that the application should instead be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7