The Land West of Turners Hill Road and North of Huntsland is part of a wider allocation for development in the Submission Draft Mid Sussex Local Plan 2023 known as Policy DPA9.
The Land at Hurst Farm is also identified as a proposed allocation in the Submission Draft Mid Sussex Local Plan known as Policy DPA10.
The proposed policy wording of both encourages connectivity between the two sites.
The Land West of Turners Hill Road and North of Huntsland also benefits from planning permission for 150 homes and a 70 bed care home which was recommended for approval by the Council’s Planning Officer and approved unanimously at the District Planning Committee in July 2025. This development was to be accessed via Wychwood Place .
The inclusion of Hurst Farm is a minor extension to the consented scheme and looks to address comments received from many local stakeholders about the effects of the consented access through Wychwood Place.
In acquiring Hurst Farrn and progressing this updated scheme, Wates are able to deliver a revised access strategy that removes the need to gain vehicular access to the site from Wychwood Place. This removes the burden of construction traffic on the Wychwood residents, which is a significant benefit to the proposals.
The Local Plan is currently at examination with hearing sessions scheduled for late Feb/ early March 2026, with a view to the Local Plan being found ‘sound’ and adopted in the latter part of 2026.
In the meantime, MSDC has adopted a Position Statement ‘Delivering Sustainable Development‘ to provide guidance on the appropriate approach to determining applications for sites included in the Draft Local Plan that are being brought forward for development in advance of the plan’s adoption.