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The Local Plan, site HS18

HS18: Land at Tilekiln Farm

Ore ward, Fairlight Avenue. From Appendix 1 Draft Local Plan - Pre Submission (Regulation 19) September 2026 ↗, Full Council, Wed 23 Sep 2026.

For
Residential
Minimum Indicative Capacity (net additional dwellings)
75
Site area
6.29 hectares
SHELAA reference
HL148
Fairlight AvenueLand at Tilekiln Farm (at least 75 homes)
Placed at the middle of Fairlight Avenue, which the council's description says the site is reached from. The site's exact boundary is on the council's Policies Map ↗.

What the plan says about it

Land at Tilekiln Farm is a site in the east of the Borough close to Ore Village Local Centre. The site slopes steeply to the south-east towards the Bourne Stream which runs along the south-east boundary.

The site is currently occupied in part by a former agricultural building towards the north-eastern corner with the remainder being open grassland which has previously been farmed but now lies fallow. The site is enclosed on three sides by residences which front onto Fairlight Road, Fairlight Avenue, Tilekiln Lane, Edith Road and Harold Road and the Bourne Stream itself. The site is currently accessed from Fairlight Avenue.

The rest of the plan's explanation (13 more paragraphs)

The site is the northern valley slope within a larger landform and sits within the High Weald National Landscape. Therefore, the design of any scheme must be landscape-led to fit sensitively into the High Weald National Landscape taking into account any recommendations arising from site specific Landscape Studies and take into account the High Weald AONB Housing Design Guide. It is recommended that due to the scale of development proposed within this landscape sensitivity context, a period of public consultation takes place prior to the submission of a detailed planning application.

Landscape Studies should show how natural boundary screening will be incorporated in a manner that is sensitive to its setting within the High Weald National Landscape, including retained trees and hedgerow and new strong buffers to define boundaries and soften visibility of existing rooflines.

A lighting plan must be provided, and lighting schemes should be designed with regard to the High Weald National Landscape Dark Skies Technical Advice Note (TAN). Proposals also should seek to minimise light spill from internal sources in line with the Dark Skies TAN through design mitigations.

To address localised deficiencies in access to open space and play within the Ore area and eastern Borough fringes, residential development and essential site infrastructure should cover no more than 2/3 of the site. The remainder of the site should be secured as public open space by legal agreement and include natural, unfenced and multifunctional play space that takes into account the recommendations of the High Weald AONB Housing Design Guide. A maintenance and management plan will be required for open space and play facilities provided onsite.

The site experiences localised flooding along the course of the Bourne Stream and has a small area of Flood Zone 3b directly adjacent to the stream and an area of ponding in the centre of the site. There is also the potential for groundwater flooding or drainage constraints due to an elevated groundwater table, and an agreed programme of hydrological and hydrogeological monitoring should be undertaken to inform relevant assessments and the site drainage strategy.

A Flood Risk Assessment taking into account all potential sources of flooding will be required and mitigation as advised by the report should be incorporated into any potential scheme and maintained for its lifetime. The measures recommended by the report should ensure that a sequential approach to the location of development is taken in line with its level of vulnerability and that development will not contribute further to flooding associated with the Bourne Stream at lower elevations, and should include recommendations that have the potential to reduce flood risk to residential properties in nearby Clive Vale by reducing the flow rate of water entering the watercourse during heavy rainfall events.

Adequate riparian buffer zones should be incorporated into any proposal that takes into account riparian zones and the impacts of climate change on flood risk. The Bourne Stream is a sensitive receptor and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) for the site should ensure that any potential for contamination of sensitive receptors both within and surrounding the site arising from recreational, residential and highway use arising from development is mitigated appropriately and existing surface water drains that discharge into the stream within the site are incorporated within any scheme, or an alternative solution is sought where this will reduce flow rates and reduce the introduction of potential pollutants to the stream. Easements should be provided to allow the monitoring of water quality.

The site is within the ACIB with mapped measures for rivers and nature networks and this, the National Landscape and the Bourne Stream and the SSSI impact risk zone must be specifically referenced in any Ecological Constraints and Opportunities Plan (ECOP). The site itself should be thoroughly surveyed to identify constraints, taking into account the ecological and recreational impact of all stages of development. Assessments of BNG will require a River Condition Assessment. Any development proposal must seek to avoid, minimise or where this is not possible, mitigate impact on these areas during both the construction and occupation phases of the development.

The site is also within an Archaeological Notification Area and will require both an assessment of potential interests and agreement of an appropriate programme of archaeological investigation.

A transport study or assessment will be required to identify and ensure suitable access can be gained to the site. Opportunities to promote active travel should be included.

Proposals for the development of the site should seek to retain and enhance the Public Right of Way (PROW) within the site that connects Fairlight Avenue to Barley Lane, identifying opportunities to connect the footpath to any new areas of public open space delivered through the scheme. Boundary screening around the footpath should be retained and enhanced where no new connections are required.

Due to the sloping nature of the site, its position within a river valley and the overall ground conditions detailed land stability reports will be required that take into account both the temporary and permanent condition of the site and propose mitigations to safeguard the stability of the site. Assessments of land stability and ground behaviour and their recommendations must be in line with the guidance provided within policy SC15.

Due to the site sitting within the Impact Risk Zone (IRZ) for the Hastings Cliffs to Pett Beach SSSI, Natural England should be consulted at the earliest possible stage where development proposals are of a quantum and type (currently 100 dwellings) that would require consultation with Natural England. Proposals for fewer than 100 dwellings are advised to seek the advice of Natural England as a matter of best practice.

What a planning application here would have to do

The policy's conditions, in its own words:

  1. Demonstrate a landscape-led approach to design and layout, which should follow the advice in the High Weald AONB Housing Design Guide.
  2. Retain, enhance and provide appropriate boundary treatments and landscaping with proposed built development enclosed within new strong buffers to define boundaries and soften visibility of existing rooflines from the valleyside. A suitable buffer to the woodland belt along the Bourne Stream and other vegetated belts within the site should be incorporated.
  3. Provide an Arboriculture Plan that demonstrates how existing trees on site will be integrated into the development, or their loss will be compensated for including the existing tree belts alongside the Bourne Stream.
  4. Provide a lighting plan for both the construction and occupation phases of the proposed development, with regard to the High Weald National Landscape Dark Skies TAN. The plan should include measures to prevent overspill from internal lighting. The lighting plan must be agreed before permission is granted.
  5. Provide affordable housing in line with Policy SP2.
  6. Secure a minimum of 1/3 of the site as public open space in perpetuity in a form which is characteristic of the National Landscape setting. This will be secured by legal agreement.
  7. Incorporate natural, unfenced multifunctional play space within the site.
  8. Include a maintenance and management plan for areas of publicly accessible open space and play.
  9. Include a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) and drainage strategy taking into account all sources of flooding, local ground conditions, the presence of surface water drains and be informed by appropriate hydrological monitoring. The FRA and its recommendations must demonstrate that the proposal will be safe from flooding for its intended lifetime taking into account climate change, residual risk and the functional role of the floodplain. It should take into account the results of an agreed programme of hydrological and groundwater monitoring, seek to improve the flow rate of the Bourne Stream during heavy rainfall and reduce the overall risk of flooding in residential areas downstream, including through Natural Flood Management Measures.
  10. Apply a sequential approach to proposed development within the site following the recommendations of the FRA, directing more vulnerable development away from areas with highest risk.
  11. Provide a drainage strategy that is supported by a maintenance and management plan to ensure SuDS will be managed for the lifetime of the development. This plan must be presented as a standalone document. Where any new, retained or improved flood mitigation or adaptation measures are included within the development an additional standalone maintenance and management plan for these elements must be produced.
  12. Incorporate measures to preserve and enhance water quality by preventing pollutants from entering the Bourne Stream, such as the use of interceptors.
  13. Incorporate riparian buffer zones around the Bourne Stream (10m), including any necessary allowances for climate change. Provide easements to allow monitoring of the Bourne Stream.
  14. Be supported by an Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) and include an Ecological Constraints and Opportunities Plan (ECOP) and incorporate appropriate conservation and mitigation measures as recommended by the EcIA. The ECOP must make specific reference to the Bourne Stream, Hastings Cliffs to Pett Beach SSSI and High Weald National Landscape, the results of site surveys of HS18 itself, and to other nearby areas of wildlife sensitivity. The assessment must take into account any additional recreational impacts that may result from the proposal during all phases of development.
  15. Assessments of BNG must be informed by a River Condition Assessment of the Bourne Stream.
  16. Include a Historic Environment Record (HER) informed desk-based assessment of potential interests within an Archaeological Notification Area and agree to an appropriate programme of archaeological investigation secured by condition/s prior to any development works (as advised by ESCC).
  17. Be informed by a Transport Assessment and Travel Plan, following a vision led approach, and including a provision for ‘monitor and manage’ for transport interventions, particularly in relation to any requirements for mitigation in relation to Fairlight Road and the A259. The active travel element should include walking and cycling links to ensure local connectivity including to local community infrastructure, green spaces and public transport provision.
  18. Retain and enhance the PROW within the site, and support active travel connections to the wider walking and cycling network and key transport hubs including Ore Village Local Centre.
  19. Ensure vehicular access to the site meets appropriate highways standards.
  20. Be informed by agreed land stability and geotechnical reports covering the temporary and permanent condition of the site taking into account all dead and imposed loads.
  21. Include a maintenance and management plan for any new, retained or improved land stability mitigation measures to ensure they will be safe for their intended lifetime.

What people said in the spring

In the spring 2026 consultation on the draft plan (called Regulation 18), 231 comments were made on this site: 209 objections, 1 in support and 21 other comments.

The issues people raised, as the council's report sums them up:

What the council did in response: Policy HS18 amended.

How to comment

The council hasn't opened the six weeks for comments yet, as far as we can see. When it does, the dates and how to respond will be on our Local Plan page and on the council's own ↗.

At this stage a comment is about whether the plan is legally compliant and sound. What that means.

Other council papers that mention it

Read from the plan ↗ and the spring consultation report ↗ with fixed rules; no language model is involved. The plan's own text is what counts.