East Grinstead: Housing plans approved despite road safety fears

Plans to build 30 homes next to a hospital in East Grinstead have been approved despite road safety fears.

Mid Sussex District Council approved the application from the Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Brookworth Homes Limited on Thursday.

The main concern is Blackwell Farm Road, the only route from town to Oakfield Way, would be the access point for the new homes.

The applicants said the development would bring a "huge financial benefit".

Margaret Belsey, councillor and former mayor, raised concerns about the safety of children going to and from the nearby primary school.

She said cars were parked on both sides of Blackwell Farm Road, with cars "ducking and diving" into spaces so that they could pass each other.

Councillor Dick Sweatman described the road as being "absolutely horrendous", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

He added he felt West Sussex Highways, which raised no objections to the plans, had "got it wrong".

Planning officers said the highways team was aware of the the issues but did not think the new development would "result in an unacceptable impact on highway safety or result in severe cumulative impacts on the operation of the highway network".

A spokesman for both applicants said: "The development brings with it a huge financial benefit to the Queen Victoria Hospital itself.

"The site is owned entirely by the Trust and therefore, with planning permission being granted, they will benefit from the funds when the site is sold."

They added the income generated for the hospital would "run to several million pounds."

The development will be made up of two blocks of six flats alongside detached and semi-detached houses and 12 of the new homes will be classed as affordable.

The application was approved by six votes to four with two abstentions.

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