Droxford House, 40 Charles Road, St Leonards-on-sea, TN38 0JU
New homes This uses the prior-approval route: national rules allow the work, and the council can check only set things, such as its size or its effect on neighbours.
What is proposed
In the council’s words, from its weekly list:
Notification for prior approval for change the use of the identified ground-floor office accommodation to Class C3 residential use.
The application describes the new use as Class C3 (homes). That is how the application describes it, not a finding of the lawful use.
The decision notice on the council’s file sets out any conditions attached to a permission, or the reasons for a refusal. Read it on the file, under Documents.
Measured along the street’s line against the council’s boundaries. Whether a particular building is inside depends on where the boundary runs: each area’s page on the council’s site has its map. All 18 conservation areas
The council’s Article 4 direction on houses in multiple occupation covers the whole town (in force since 2 July 2012): turning a house into a shared house for three to six people needs planning permission. The council’s page ↗
Tree preservation orders within about 40 m of Charles Road’s line, from the council’s map data:
TPO 8: made 16 May 1949, confirmed 3 March 1950; 2 trees, 15 groups of trees, 1 area of trees, 2 woodlands in the order. The order (PDF) ↗
TPO 156: made 22 November 1993, confirmed 28 January 1994; 1 tree in the order. The order (PDF) ↗
TPO 309: made 15 July 2020, confirmed 2 September 2020; 3 trees in the order. The order (PDF) ↗
Indicative only — the council’s order is what counts. The council says of its tree order map data: “This dataset is under review and subject to change. Always refer to the Original Tree Preservation Order and associated plan for confirmation.” The council’s tree preservation orders page ↗
Flood zones, the coast and protected nature on this street
We place an application by the street in its address, so these say where Charles Road runs, not where the site’s boundary is. The application’s own documents on the council’s file show the site.
Flood zones
None of Charles Road’s line is in Flood Zone 2 or 3 on the Environment Agency’s flood map for planning. In the Agency’s words: “This means a site in flood zone 1 could still flood now or in the future.”
No Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Area of Conservation, Local Nature Reserve, ancient woodland or country park is within about 100 m of Charles Road’s line, and it is outside the High Weald National Landscape. Protected nature in Hastings
The council’s file counts no comments from the public (as it stood on Wed 14 Oct 2026).
Who the council consulted
The bodies and officers the file lists as consulted, with the day each was asked.
Highways, asked Fri 26 Jun 2026
ESCC Flood Risk Management, asked Fri 26 Jun 2026
Environmental Health Pollution, asked Fri 26 Jun 2026
Conservation, asked Fri 31 Jul 2026
Consultee responses on the file
Responses filed as consultee comments, named as the file names them, with the day each was published. What they say is in each document on the council’s file.
ESCC FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT, Mon 29 Jun 2026
HIGHWAYS, Thu 2 Jul 2026
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, Fri 17 Jul 2026
CONSERVATION OFFICER COMMENTS (CONS OFFICER), Mon 3 Aug 2026
Is a comment public?
The council’s page on commenting says: “All comments will be made available to view online and will be treated in accordance with our privacy policy. Comments will be redacted where they contain personal information or are inappropriate in their content.” It also says: “Please note that we do not accept anonymous comments.” Commenting on an application, on the council’s site ↗ (read 13 October 2026).
We count the comments on the council’s file. We never copy a commenter’s name, address or words, and we don’t list who objected: that is on the file.
Similar applications nearby
Other applications of the same kind (new homes) on Charles Road or in Gensing ward, decided ones first, since our record starts on 21 April 2026. A refusal is marked; its reasons are in the decision notice on the council’s file. Each application is decided on its own facts.
Conversion of existing dwelling house into lower ground floor 3 bed 5 person flat (C3) and the ground, first and second floor to a 10 room Sui generis HMO.
HS/FA/26/00306, validated Wed 22 Jul 2026, decided in the week of Mon 14 Sep 2026
Partial conversion of existing shop storage areas (class E) at ground and lower ground floor level into two bedroom flat together with rear/side single storey extensions at lower ground floor level, alterations to openings and retaining wall with stepped access to new patio in rear garden.
HS/FA/26/00354, validated Tue 30 Jun 2026, decided in the week of Mon 19 Oct 2026
Application to determine if prior approval is required for a proposed change of use from offices (Use Class E) to flats (Use Class C3) under Schedule 2, Part 3, Class MA of the Town and Country Planning General Permitted Development Order 2015 (as amended). (amended description).
HS/PA/26/00518, validated Fri 4 Sep 2026
Registered
If you think work doesn’t match what was approved
The council’s planning enforcement team looks into building work or a use that may not have permission, or may not follow the approved plans or conditions. Its page explains how to report it and which cases it deals with first: planning enforcement on the council’s site ↗
Our planning record starts on 21 April 2026, from the council’s weekly lists of new and decided applications. We list the site, the proposal, the dates, the decision, the comment counts and a permission’s conditions. We never copy a commenter’s or an individual applicant’s details; an applicant is named only when it is an organisation we can match exactly to a council, a registered charity or a company on Companies House. Planning is decided by the council, not by us.