Residents in Fairlight have been telling Rye News about disruption to their daily lives from inconsiderate builders on a new housing development in the village. Blaring PA systems, unannounced road closures, blocked driveways and mud spillages have all been reported since work began in 2022.
A year overdue, the 16 houses at the former Market Garden site on Lower Waites Lane are finally nearing completion. Now questions are being asked about how far the properties "as built" have strayed from the original planning permission granted by the planning inspector on appeal. Residents are hoping the issue will be raised next week at Rother District Council's planning committee meeting.
A lobby group calling themselves Village People have carried out three resident surveys, describing the construction management plan and planning conditions as "works of fiction." They say RDC has yet to measure the sloped ground levels, but the council states the new homes are "within acceptable tolerances".
Residents claim some of the new homes are two feet higher in their finished floor levels than approved, with rear gardens several feet shorter than approved. Amenities approved by the planning inspector, including a pedestrian footpath, have been erased from the construction site drawings in use.
Having refused to accept there were any breaches of planning permission, RDC conceded there are "discrepancies" in November 2024 following formal complaints and supporting photos and videos. A drainage report on the planning portal noted an additional 120 square metres of unauthorised hard landscaping. Queries about missing retaining walls are ongoing.
One resident alleges the tree preservation order on their ancient oak tree has been ignored, its limbs cut and the roots damaged. Residents also allege guttering on the new homes has not had any down pipes for a year, causing brickwork to be permanently damp.
Portable cabins, HGVs and inappropriately stored building materials on recently laid earth caused a 50ft landslip says Village People.
East Sussex County Council have repeatedly taken action against the developer to remove an unauthorised culvert in the stream and an unauthorised French drain running the length of the eastern boundary. Their flood management team have objected to recent planning applications to fix the stream bank erosion problem, insisting on an engineer's report and a schedule of works.
Natural hedges that played a key role as part of flood defences and ran along the stream and the lane have been cut down. The soft green boundaries have been replaced with a high close boarded fence.
MP Helena Dollimore has visited the site and joined residents in their call for an independent survey by a reputable professional. In a strongly worded letter to Lorna Ford, the chief executive of RDC, she says she is disappointed and saddened by apparent planning contraventions. "Contractors are clearly ignoring residents and local authorities, leading to serious and contentious issues."
A spokesperson for Rother District Council said they were aware of neighbours' concerns in Fairlight. "The development was given planning permission by the planning inspectorate and we have made regular site visits to check that the dwellings are being built in accordance with the approved plans. We will continue to monitor the site until the development is finished.”
Developer GemSelect has been approached for comment. The Battle-based firm gives details about the housing plans on its website. "This development will provide 16 dwellings and offers a variety of housing types from two to four bedroom homes which makes an efficient use of a difficult and constrained site. The design recognises and takes account of the particular characteristics of the site and area and all the properties will have parking and well planned landscaped gardens."
