On March 13, 2023, The Rother District Council refused the planning application for the proposed 28 new dwellings on Church Road. The main reasons were:

• The site is at risk of ground water flooding
• The scheme has not demonstrated that it has fully assessed the landscape impacts of developing the site area, including the significance of the site in the setting of the adjacent AONB
• The design and layout of the proposed development fails to represent a successful high quality approach to placemaking in the context of the locality in a number of ways, including the 'estate cul-de-sac' layout arrangement alien to local historic settlement pattern and character
• The proposed scheme lacks detail and has not demonstrated that biodiversity impacts resulting from the development can be mitigated and additional enhancement be provided

A detailed report is available on The Rother District Council Planning & Building Control website.