Redevelopment to Deliver 10 Flats Approved by Rother
Planning permission from Rother District Council for the full redevelopment of a car sales and repairs site in Bexhill-on-Sea to ten residential flats, overcoming a restrictive existing consent for a much smaller scheme.
PLANNING APPROVALSROTHEREAST SUSSEX
Andrew Ransome
6/26/20262 min read
In 2019, Rother District Council approved planning permission for the demolition of a commercial car sales and repairs site in Bexhill-on-Sea and its redevelopment as ten residential flats — a significant uplift from an existing consent that had restricted the site to a small mixed-use scheme of two offices and a single dwelling.
The case was resolved by demonstrating that the Council's restrictive position failed to reflect national planning policy and the full development potential of the site.
Redevelopment in Bexhill-on-Sea
Planning permission was secured from Rother District Council for the demolition of an existing car sales, repairs and MOT site in Bexhill-on-Sea and its comprehensive redevelopment to provide ten residential flats.
The site had a constrained planning history: the Council had previously accepted the principle of redevelopment but had insisted on a modest mixed-use scheme comprising two offices and a single two-storey residential unit. Previous attempts to expand on that consent had been unsuccessful.
The Council's restrictive position was carefully analysed.
It was identified that the approach taken failed to reflect the NPPF's requirements to make the most efficient use of land, particularly on previously developed urban sites within sustainable locations.
Rother's justification for resisting a more ambitious residential scheme was also assessed against current planning policy and found to be inconsistent with the weight that should be given to housing delivery as a material consideration.
A fresh, strategic planning case was prepared and submitted, built around a thorough site appraisal and a robust assessment of development viability and housing need.
The application demonstrated clearly that a ten-dwelling residential scheme was the most appropriate and sustainable use of the site.
Rother District Council accepted the case and approved the application, delivering a significant uplift in the site's development potential and value.
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Andrew Ransome MRTPI - Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
About me
Andrew Ransome is a Planning Director and a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), with more than two decades of experience in town planning.
He specialises in delivering strategic planning solutions for complex developments across both rural and urban environments, helping clients navigate planning challenges and unlock development opportunities. Connect with Andrew on Linkedin.
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