Developers East Sussex minutes: 13 May 2025
Meeting details
Date: 13 May 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. JB requested that any ‘AI notetaking’ apps be disabled during the meeting, as formal minutes are always provided post-meeting.
2. Review of previous minutes, 11 March 2025
2.1 JB ran through the actions of the last meeting, noting that the action to share the latest draft East Sussex Housing Strategy is ongoing so will be followed up.
2.2 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. Over the previous quarter, the private sales market had seen a much-needed improvement, with a sales rate around 0.75 per week. But the last one-to-two months has seen a significant downturn, both in sales and enquiries, with developers taking sizable price reductions. The first-time buyer end of the market is especially low.
3.2 In terms of materials, the cost of timber in particularly is high, but the availability of materials is good. The most notable cost increase is in water infrastructure charges for new homes.
3.3 The commercial market continues to demonstrate reasonable levels of demand, while the affordable market seems to be in a ‘suspended’ state with no visible changes, and is still considered the biggest inhibitor to the entire industry. The most recent affordable homes roundtable forum on 3 April 2025 had an attendance of 80+ people, including senior colleagues from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and Homes England, and discussed a series of policy recommendations being put forward by the forum: introducing a ten-year rent settlement; launching a new ten-year Affordable Homes Programme; and permitting Homes England grant on S106.
3.4 CBe highlighted the point on water infrastructure and stressed that any developer with water issues, especially sewerage, is paying Southern Water for a service that they are not delivering. Local planning authorities do not have sway – it’s up to developers to force the matter – but Wealden DC colleagues want to help and are currently coordinating 20+ local councils on this issue. DES colleagues with any such issues are encouraged to get in touch to discuss a more strategic, coordinated approach.
Action: DES colleagues with water issues are encouraged to liaise with CBe to coordinate a more strategic approach.
4. Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)
4.1 NG introduced the topic of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), an approach to development that seeks to ensure wildlife habitats are left in a measurably better state than they were before the development began. BNG became mandatory in England in February 2024, and developers are now required to deliver a BNG of 10%. BNG is grounded in ‘place’, i.e. ecology and sustainability, and realising the socio-economic benefits of creating, enhancing and maintaining habitats. But it’s also a long-term commitment, as the landowner is legally responsible for managing that habitat for at least 30 years to achieve the target condition.
4.2 NG delivered a short presentation on the new Longbridge BNG scheme in Wilmington near Polegate, for which a launch event took place on 1 May 2025. The Longbridge BNG units are now live. The aim is to create a commercial model that works for everyone – developers, landowners, planners and nature – but to achieve this, establishing strong long-term relationships will be essential. NG asked DES colleagues to help initially by contributing to a short survey, which seeks feedback to help further develop the BNG commercial model.
Action: DES colleagues to feed into the Longbridge online survey on Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).
5. DES pan-Sussex expansion: Task and Finish Group
5.1 JB provided an update on the proposal, approved at the last DES meeting, to expand DES’s remit to cover the whole of Sussex, and therefore represent a geography synonymous with the new pan-Sussex strategic authority (see item 6 below). The proposal has been discussed with senior County Council colleagues who agree it’s a pragmatic step aligned to Devolution. It will also be put before Team East Sussex (TES), the business-led economic growth board for the county, for their endorsement.
5.2 Discussions with other authorities across Sussex have already begun, and as there is currently no similar/equivalent forum operating in West Sussex or Brighton and Hove, those spoken to so far are keen to get involved. The next step is to assemble a Task and Finish Group to take this forward – DES colleagues who wish to be involved are asked to contact BHr.
Action: DES colleagues wanting to be involved in the DES pan-Sussex expansion Task and Finish Group to contact BHr.
5.3 The widening of DES to include membership and contributions from across Sussex will be implemented gradually over the coming months, so not an overnight change, but the expectation is that DES will eventually be repositioned as “Developers Sussex” (DeS).
6. Other national policy changes
6.1 CBe provided an update on Devolution, the government programme pressing for every area of England to have a combined authority with an elected mayor. East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove Councils jointly submitted an expression of interest to the government in January 2025 for a Sussex-wide “Mayoral Combined County Authority” (MCCA). Ministers approved this initial EOI, after which MHCLG opened a public consultation on the Sussex Devolution plan, which ran until 13 April 2025 (and to which DES colleagues were encouraged to respond). Parliament will now make a final decision on the proposed MCCA, which is expected imminently. Assuming the proposals are agreed, the election of a mayor for Sussex will take place on 6 May 2026.
6.2 CBe also provided an update on the separate process of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), where the government is proposing that all two-tier authorities in England (i.e. with county, borough and district councils, as in East Sussex) are replaced with unitary authorities. All six councils in East Sussex have come together to work through this, and each submitted an “interim plan” to MHCLG by 21 March 2025 outlining their preferred options for forming a unitary authority. The predominant proposal is to form a single council based on the existing boundaries of East Sussex, i.e. retaining the current geography of the county, as this suggestion best fits the government’s guidelines (including that new councils should have a population of more than 500,000 – East Sussex has a population of 550,000). Final detailed LGR proposals will need to be submitted to the government by 26 September 2025. If approved, elections to the new unitary authority would take place in 2027, with the new body to start work in April 2028. CBe reassured colleagues that despite all of the above changes, planning services continue as normal across all authorities.
7. East Sussex Housing Strategy
7.1 MC advised that the East Sussex Housing Partnership Board is continuing work to finalise the draft strategy and is now identifying any key actions associated with the above-mentioned Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation. The Partnership Board is still keen to engage with DES, so the latest draft will be shared with DES colleagues ahead of the next DES meeting. The final draft strategy is expected to be published in September 2025.
Action: MC to share the latest draft East Sussex Housing Strategy with DES colleagues ahead of the next DES meeting.
8. Local Planning Authority (LPA) updates
8.1 Officers noted there are no changes to the projected timelines for the development of Local Plans. All relevant information can be found on each council’s website.
8.2 MH advised that Rother DC has recently had understaffing issues which may have impacted some areas or work and caused slight delays (processing planning applications, validation etc) but that issue is now resolved.
8.3 CBe advised that Wealden DC will soon be making changes to its Planning Committee (reviewing cases on a ‘major/minor’ basis rather than its existing north/south regional model).
9. Any other business (AOB)
9.1 JB flagged a change of date for the September DES meeting, which has been pushed on a week to coincide with this year’s Leaders Dinner and will now be held in person. Both meeting and dinner will take place on 17 September 2025 at the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne.
Summary of actions
3.4 DES colleagues with water issues are encouraged to liaise with CBe to coordinate a more strategic approach.
4.2 DES colleagues to feed into the Longbridge online survey on Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).
5.2 DES colleagues wanting to be involved in the DES pan-Sussex expansion Task and Finish Group to contact BHr.
7.1 MC to share the latest draft East Sussex Housing Strategy with DES colleagues ahead of the next DES meeting.
Attendees and apologies
Attendees
- AF, Amy Fearn, Rother DC
- AJ, Alex Jones, Stantec
- BB, Beverley Bayliss, East Sussex CC
- BHr, Brian Horton, South East Housing & Development Group
- CBe, Chris Bending, Wealden DC
- CBu, Craige Burden, Barratt David Wilson Homes
- CM, Chris Moore, Bellway Homes
- DEl, Duncan Ellis, Longbridge
- DEv, Dave Evans, East Sussex CC
- GF, Gemma Forshaw, Wealden DC
- GQ, Graeme Quinnell, Rother DC
- HF, Hayley Frankham, Wealden DC
- JB, Jonathan Buckwell, DHA Planning (DES Chair)
- JM, Josh Mellor, Marrons
- JS, Jo Simmons, East Sussex CC
- JT, James Taylor, Greymoor
- JW, James Webster, Wealden DC
- KB, Kim Bloxham, East Sussex CC
- MB, Mark Bewsey, DHA Planning
- MC, Michael Courts, East Sussex CC
- MH, Mike Hughes, Rother DC
- NF, Nick Fenton, Nick Fenton Associates
- NG, Nigel Greenhill, Insta Associates
- OK, Os Kamil, Baily Garner
- RB, Rick Bhatia, Southern Housing
- RJ, Richard Jones, East Sussex CC
- RM, Rob Moore, Homes England
- SS, Stephanie Shea, Sea Change Sussex
- VM, Vici Mitchell, DHA Planning
Apologies
- BHk, Ben Hook, Crawley BC
- ES, Edward Sheath, East Sussex CC
- LME, Lourdes Madigasekera-Elliott, East Sussex CC
- RT, Ryan Trodden, MHCLG
- TS, Tanya Szendeffy, Eastbourne BC / Lewes DC
- VC, Victoria Conheady, Hastings BC