Developers East Sussex minutes: 8 July 2025
Meeting details
Date: 8 July 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 and reminded the group that AI notetaking apps should be disabled during the virtual meeting. JB advised that agenda items 3 and 4 would be rearranged in order to prioritise the Spending Review item. (These minutes are presented as per the original running order.)
2. Review of previous minutes, 13 May 2025
2.1 JB ran through the actions of the last meeting, noting that all had been completed or are ongoing.
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, noting that the private sales market has been quite erratic so far this year, with a fluctuating sales rate. Most recently over the last two months, enquiries and sales have generally been down, while cancellation rates are up (largely through chain failures). It’s a worrying trend as we approach the summer period, where interest normally slows down anyway.
3.2 The first-time buyer end of the market in particular is a concern, as only a very small proportion of enquiries are making it through to completion. It’s a part of the market that’s not currently working – again it seems to come down to confidence.
3.3 The commercial market continues to demonstrate good levels of interest and demand, with the cost of materials holding reasonably steady – the price of steel is actually down, while concrete costs have slightly increased (most likely impacted by the cost of labour due to National Insurance changes). Commercial rents are also holding steady.
3.4 The affordable homes market is covered in agenda item 4.
4. Spending Review
4.1 JB provided a broad overview of the Spending Review, which is set to unlock around £113 billion of capital investment, including £39 billion for the Affordable Homes programme, £15.6 billion for public transport (albeit mostly outside of the southeast region) and significant investment in clean and nuclear energy.
4.2 Highlights of the Spending Review include the ten-year Infrastructure Strategy, which will involve a total investment of £725 billion over the next decade to support housing development and other infrastructure projects; the creation of a new National Housing Bank operating as a subsidiary of Homes England and aiming to deliver half a million homes by unlocking £53 billion of private investment; and a suite of reforms in the planning system, including the Planning and Infrastructure Bill which aims to streamline the planning process by reforming planning committees and schemes of delegation, and the UK-wide mortgage guarantee scheme set to launch next month.
4.3 The group discussed the Affordable Homes programme in more detail, the prospectus for which is expected to be published in the autumn, with the bidding and engagement processes to be launched by the end of the calendar year. BHr observed that through conversations at the most recent Affordable Housing Roundtable sessions, it’s clear that the sector welcomes everything in the Spending Review. He cited the recent ‘policy note’ drafted by the Roundtable partners, which contained a series of asks of government, and noted that most of the asks will now be delivered. Only one of the policy note’s recommendations remains outstanding (to allow Homes England grant on S106 affordable housing) so the note has been revised and resubmitted, again urging the government to work with Roundtable partners to co-design and test this policy intervention.
4.4 BHk noted that the Affordable Homes programme will have a clear focus on locally led Social Rent, which Homes England will be strongly pushing.
4.5 Colleagues agreed that it’s hard to fully gauge how markets will react, and private housebuilders are still nervous, but it is hoped that the measures introduced will give Registered Providers some assurance. The only questions now are in the elements of detail we’re waiting for, and how much time it will take to come to fruition.
5. Construction Management Plans
5.1 ES flagged a concern related to Construction Management Plans (CMPs), which are often secured through planning conditions on major developments. The CMP document not only sets out essential project information (such as project scope, location, compliance with legislation etc) but also outlines any mitigations in place to minimise the potential impact on the local neighbourhood and environment.
5.2 The concern is that authorities have seen a steady increase in non-compliance over the last couple of years. It’s still a small proportion overall, and cases can often be resolved by an onsite conversation with the site manager, but in some instances contractors have been unaware that CMP mitigations even exist. This has been particularly prevalent on matters such as contractors’ parking, wheel washing facilities, routing of HGVs and the timing of deliveries.
5.3 SR agreed that the problem is on the increase and cited examples of large sites where police involvement was required (with vehicles dangerously mounting kerbs). Such conduct reflects badly on both the developer and the local authority, who are seen as having no control.
5.4 ES advised that he’s sharing these concerns just to raise awareness, and asked colleagues simply to ensure that any contractors and site managers are made aware of CMP requirements.
6. DES pan-Sussex expansion: Task and Finish Group
6.1 JB provided an update on DES expanding its remit to cover the whole of Sussex, noting that conversations thus far with other authorities across Sussex have been met with real enthusiasm. BHk advised that he’s already involved on behalf of Crawley BC and is reaching out to other planning colleagues and Registered Providers. CBe added that the new ‘Sussex Strategic Planning Officers Group’ is meeting this week, and DES is one of the first topics on the agenda.
6.2 JB asked the group to reach out to any developer colleagues across West Sussex and Brighton and Hove, to let them know about DES and put them in touch.
7. Other national and local policy changes
7.1 BHr advised that Homes England will be taking stock of the Spending Review announcements and working to create the necessary programmes – now with a confirmed funding envelope. We should expect autumn or new year announcements.
7.2 ES commented that work is continuing on Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), but nothing significant has changed since the last DES meeting. Timelines are unchanged, so LGR proposals are still due to be submitted by 26 September 2025.
8. East Sussex Housing Strategy
8.1 JB advised that the draft East Sussex Housing Partnership Strategy has now been published online for public engagement: Have your say on improving housing in East Sussex. The consultation runs until 18 August 2025, and DES colleagues are encouraged to respond and to share the consultation link with their networks. MC, who leads on the strategy, has also offered to meet with any colleagues to discuss their priorities further, if helpful. Following the public engagement, the strategy is expected to be finalised and adopted in the autumn.
9. Local Planning Authority (LPA) updates
9.1 CBe thanked NF for joining a recent meeting to discuss various water issues; things do now seem to be heading in the right direction. BHk added that he has also had further discussions with Southern Water on water neutrality issues, and while their programme of leak reduction won’t be part of SNOWS (Sussex North Offsetting Water Scheme) there will be a ‘workaround’ solution involving credits.
9.2 MH advised that Rother DC has reissued its Call for Sites in order to inform the next Local Plan consultation. The call has been open since 2020 and has never actually closed, but it’s being readvertised now to give landowners another opportunity to submit details of available land for assessment. Note that there is no need re-submit sites that have already been submitted (unless it’s to flag any changes or provide updated information). Any new sites should be submitted by 1 August 2025.
9.3 BHr noted that Hastings BC have reached out for early market engagement on their Priory Street regeneration project in Hastings town centre. He advised that he’s already provided feedback on behalf of DES, but if anyone has an interest and also wants to feed in, please get in touch.
10. Any other business (AOB)
10.1 JB confirmed that the next DES meeting will be held in person at the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne on 17 September 2025. The annual Leaders Dinner will take place the same evening – invitations will be issued to Full Members shortly.
Summary of actions
None.
Attendees and apologies
Attendees
- BB, Beverley Bayliss, East Sussex CC
- BHk, Ben Hook, Crawley BC
- BHr, Brian Horton, South East Housing & Development Group
- BW, Ben Weller, Vistry Homes
- CBe, Chris Bending, Wealden DC
- CBu, Craige Burden, Barratt David Wilson Homes
- CM, Chris Moore, Bellway Homes
- DB, David Bradley, Taylor Wimpey
- DE, Dave Evans, East Sussex CC
- DF, Duncan Flynn, Surrey Development Forum
- DG, Derek Godfrey, Westcotte Leach
- DM, David Maher, Dandara
- ES, Edward Sheath, East Sussex CC
- ET, Ed Tibbetts, Orbit Homes
- GF, Gemma Forshaw, Wealden DC
- GQ, Graeme Quinnell, Rother DC
- HF, Hayley Frankham, Wealden DC
- HM, Hannah Mullane, Marrons
- JB, Jonathan Buckwell, DHA Planning (DES Chair)
- JC, Janan Clatworthy, B.Yond Homes
- JF, John Farnaby, National Highways
- JP, Joe Powell, Rother DC
- JS, John Stebbings, Thakeham
- JT, James Taylor, Greymoor
- KB, Kim Bloxham, East Sussex CC
- LH, Laura Hannan, Spider Projects
- MB, Mark Bewsey, DHA Planning
- MH, Mike Hughes, Rother DC
- NDW, Nigel De Wit, National Highways
- NF, Nick Fenton, Nick Fenton Associates
- OK, Os Kamil, Baily Garner
- PP, Peter Phillips, National Highways
- RJ, Richard Jones, East Sussex CC
- RT, Ryan Trodden, MHCLG
- SR, Stacey Robins, Wealden DC
- SS, Stephanie Shea, Sea Change Sussex
- TH, Tim Hardwicke, Stiles Harold Williams Partnership
- TL, Tristan Lee, Tarn Homes
- TS, Tanya Szendeffy, Eastbourne BC / Lewes DC
- VM, Vici Mitchell, DHA Planning
Apologies
- JD, Jade Dickens, South East Consortium
- MC, Michael Courts, East Sussex CC
- RM, Rob Moore, Homes England