Consultation event for Blackfriars road

Rother District Council will host a consultation event on Wednesday (February 6) to display designs for the road at Blackfriars, which will run from Harrier Lane to The Spinney.

The Blackfriars site was allocated for housing in the Rother District Council local plan in 2006, and has been earmarked for housing development since 1975.

Money from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund has been allocated that will help to deliver the new road, making it possible to develop the site for desperately needed housing in the district.

Cllr Joy Hughes, the district council’s portfolio holder for housing, welfare and equalities, said: “There is a real need for housing in Battle and while this site has been considered for development for many years, attempts to do so have stalled due to a number of issues.

“We welcome the money from Government which will enable us to develop proposals for a road needed to open up the land for a new housing development which will go a long way towards meeting housing need in the town.”

She added: “I would encourage as many people as possible to give their views, which will be carefully considered as the project progresses.”

Rother District Council is one of four landowners at Blackfriars and is co-ordinating and leading efforts with these landowners to progress development of the site.

The authority is working with a team of consultants to develop plans for a road layout which minimises the impact on surrounding properties, and takes account of the sensitive ecology at the site.

Rother District Council says the team will consider feedback from the public before submitting a planning application for the road.

While an illustrative masterplan will accompany the application to include up to 240 new homes, this consultation event relates only to the road and how it may relate to future development.

A Rother District Council spokesperson said further consultation events will be arranged as detailed designs for housing progress.

The consultation event will take place at Battle Memorial Hall in the High Street between 2pm and 8pm on Wednesday, February 6.

All are welcome to come along on the day.