Developers East Sussex minutes: 11 November 2025
Meeting details
Date: 11 November 2025
Time: 2pm
Location: Microsoft Teams
See the list of attendees and apologies for this meeting.
1. Welcome and introductions
1.1 JB welcomed the attendees to the meeting.
2. Review of previous minutes, 17 September 2025
2.1 There were no actions from the previous meeting. The minutes were approved as an accurate record of the meeting.
3. Market conditions / open forum
3.1 The group held its usual discussion on the current state of the market.
3.2 In terms of affordable housing, the prospectus for the government’s new £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP), announced during the Spending Review in the summer, has now been published. The guidance is largely as expected, and the Programme has been welcomed by the sector overall, but BHr noted that one of our previous asks of government – a targeted intervention to permit Homes England grant on S106 affordable housing – remains outstanding. The recent ‘policy note’ drafted by partners of the regular Affordable Housing Roundtable sessions, which contained a series of asks and recommendations (most of which will now be delivered) has again been revised and will be resubmitted to MHCLG, urging the government to work with Roundtable partners to co-design and test this policy intervention. BHr added that we’d hope/expect the government to be pragmatic if they continue to receive similar feedback from across the sector and find that things aren’t changing. We’ll pick this up again at the next DES meeting, hopefully with Homes England colleagues in attendance to discuss.
3.3 The commercial market seems to be holding steady, with the cost of materials and supply chain remaining stable. However, there is a discrepancy between the large and small ends of the market, as while smaller firms are reporting good levels of demand and high occupancy rates, the larger companies are finding it much more challenging, particularly in terms of access to finance.
3.4 SR noted that a speculative application for a large commercial site north of Polegate has recently had its objections lifted, so is expected to now move forward, potentially providing a lot of new commercial space in the area.
3.5 In terms of residential sales, NF advised that the main issue is the lack of Registered Providers (RPs) coming into the market, meaning overall sales rates are slower, and that in turn affects confidence to invest in sites.
4. Water Neutrality
4.1 BHk advised that Natural England has rescinded its water neutrality restrictions, meaning local authorities in affected areas (within the Sussex North Water Supply Zone) no longer need to consider these measures when determining relevant plans or projects. Natural England issued a statement on 31 October 2025, available to view on the Crawley BC website, confirming that its previous Water Neutrality Position Statement from September 2021 has been withdrawn.
4.2 The group agreed that this is very good news, and authorities can now consider live applications that have been held up by water neutrality, but BHk asked colleagues to please be patient as it may take a number of months to clear the backlog of outstanding applications. He added that Crawley BC is looking to hold an event early next year to help reanimate interest for future development.
5. Leaders Dinner: debrief
5.1 JB advised that feedback received from attendees of this year’s Dinner with the Leader, which took place on 17 September 2025 in Eastbourne, has been universally positive – including from Councillor Keith Glazier (Leader of the County Council) who has been a steadfast supporter of DES since its inception. The group agreed that both the dinner and the face-to-face meeting earlier that afternoon were an excellent opportunity for good discussions and for wider networking.
5.2 BHr noted that next year’s event may need to be ‘reframed’ in the context of DES’s widening pan-Sussex remit and the commencement of a new Mayoral authority, but he also asserted that the purpose of the dinner – to bring the public and private sector together to discuss housing and commercial development across our region – will remain unchanged.
5.3 JB added that any additional feedback from colleagues, or suggestions for changes/improvements for the next event, would be very welcome.
6. East Sussex Housing Strategy
6.1 MCt delivered a short presentation on the draft East Sussex Housing Partnership Strategy, recapping the strategy’s priorities and providing an update on its development and delivery. He also looked at mobilisation planning, running through some of the key aims and actions of the upcoming implementation plan.
6.2 NF commented that the care sector is an area of the market that is picking up, so we need to ensure it’s included in the implementation plan. He also referenced possible changes to Supported Housing Regulations, with guidance expected in new year, so again any gaps/opportunities will need to be identified and included.
6.3 The strategy will be finalised for adoption in December 2025, after which the focus will move to developing and finalising the ‘Year 1’ implementation plan. DES colleagues are encouraged to continue engaging with the process and to feed in any further thoughts on what should be included.
7. Developers Sussex (DeS): pan-Sussex expansion
7.1 JB recapped DES’s aim to broaden its influence and sphere of interest over the year ahead to cover the whole of Sussex, to eventually reposition itself as Developers Sussex (DeS), noting that conversations are taking place with (mostly local authority) partners across West Sussex and Brighton and Hove, all of whom are expressing a real interest in the forum.
7.2 BHr asked all DES colleagues to help make those connections/ introductions by reaching out to associates – particularly to other developers, registered providers etc – across West Sussex and Brighton and Hove, to encourage them to get in touch. Alternatively, as the best way to engage with and learn about DES is simply to join in, please pass any contacts directly to JB, BHr or NF who will invite them to an upcoming meeting.
Action: All DES colleagues to help promote DES by engaging with partners across West Sussex and Brighton and Hove.
8. Other national and local policy changes
8.1 JB provided a very brief update on Devolution – creating a Sussex-wide Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) – noting that the overall position is largely unchanged since the last DES meeting, and we’re still on track to establish the Sussex and Brighton MCCA and elect a Mayor in May 2026. Once in place, the new Mayor will have authority over seven key strategic areas, including Housing and Strategic Planning.
8.2 JP suggested that the group’s earlier discussion on affordable housing, and specifically the ‘policy asks’ of MHCLG, may need to be reframed again in the context of a new Mayor. A role for DES will be to pull together our priorities in East Sussex for housing, infrastructure etc – work that is already underway within local authorities, but we need to ensure DES’s ongoing collaboration and that DES continues to be engaged post-May 2026 as the forum for housing and development across all of Sussex.
8.3 On the longer-term process of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) – replacing all two-tier authorities in England with unitary authorities – BHk advised that the government is currently assessing all proposals submitted by the 26 September 2025 deadline (including the One East Sussex proposal) and will open a consultation on all “compliant” bids this month, before announcing their decision in Spring 2026. We’ll then have around a year to make transition arrangements so that a new ‘shadow’ unitarity authority can run from May 2027, until being fully established in April 2028.
Post-meeting update: The consultation opened on 20 November 2025 and closes on 11 January 2026: MHCLG consultation on LGR proposals in East Sussex, Brighton and Hove and West Sussex. All DES colleagues are encouraged to respond.
9. Local Planning Authority (LPA) updates
9.1 SR advised that Wealden DC now has a tried-and-tested Foul Drainage Framework on its website, with a full methodology and a real-life working example.
9.2 JP reminded the group thar Rother DC is hosting a Housing Development Event on 28 November 2025 in Robertsbridge. Details have already been shared with DES colleagues – please respond accordingly, or contact housing.enabling@rother.gov.uk if you would like to attend, and please do also share the invitation with colleagues.
9.3 BHk highlighted that in Crawley – and relevant to the whole region – the Development Consent Order (DCO) submitted to the government by Gatwick Airport for use of its second runway was approved in September 2025.
10. Any other business (AOB)
10.1 None.
Summary of actions
7.2 All DES colleagues to help promote DES by engaging with partners across West Sussex and Brighton and Hove.
Attendees and apologies
Attendees
- AJ, Alex Jones, Stantec
- BB, Beverley Bayliss, East Sussex CC
- BHk, Ben Hook, Crawley BC
- BHr, Brian Horton, South East Housing & Development Group
- CH, Chris Hancock, Hastings BC
- DE, Dave Evans, East Sussex CC
- DG, Derek Godfrey, Westcotte Leach
- GD, Guy Dixon, Savills
- GF, Gemma Forshaw, Wealden DC
- GQ, Graeme Quinnell, Rother DC
- HF, Hayley Frankham, Wealden DC
- JB, Jonathan Buckwell, DHA Planning (CHAIR)
- JC, Janan Clatworthy, B.Yond Homes
- JP, Joe Powell, Rother DC
- JS, John Stebbings, n/a - independent
- JT, James Taylor, Greymoor
- KBn, Kerri Bland, Persimmon Homes
- KBx, Kim Bloxham, East Sussex CC
- LB, Lucinda Batcheler, Cavendish Consulting
- MB, Mark Bewsey, DHA Planning
- MCp, Martin Cooper, Taylor Wimpey
- MCt, Michael Courts, East Sussex CC
- NF, Nick Fenton, Nick Fenton Associates
- NU, Naureen Ullah, South East Consortium
- OK, Oliver Kleinman, South East Consortium
- OM, Owen Mcleod, Marrons
- RB, Rick Bhatia, Southern Housing
- RT, Ryan Trodden, MHCLG
- SR, Stacey Robins, Wealden DC
- TH, Tim Hardwicke, Stiles Harold Williams Partnership
Apologies
- AW, Alistair Wickens, Team East Sussex (TES)
- CM, Chris Moore, Bellway Homes
- ES, Edward Sheath, East Sussex CC
- HD, Huw Davies, Sea Change Sussex
- MH, Mike Hughes, Rother DC
- RJa, Robert Jakusconek, Taylor Wimpey
- RJo, Richard Jones, East Sussex CC
- RM, Rob Moore, Homes England
- RO, Robin Oliver, Homes England
- TS, Tom Sherriff, Barratt David Wilson Homes