Planning Consultation – Bentley Wild Fowl and Motor Museum

Wealden’s Planning Committee are seeking our input.

It is with regard to Bentley Wild Fowl’s miniature railway.  When the original planning permission was granted in December 2009 for an extension to the site, it was only granted for 10 years.

The actual wording of the condition was:

“Condition 1: The development hereby permitted is granted for a limited period only expiring on 31 December 2019. On or before this date, the development carried out in pursuance of this permission shall be demolished/removed from the site and the land restored to its former condition in accordance with the scheme which shall have been previously submitted to and been approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. TL01

Reason: The use here by approved is not considered suitable as a permanent form of development to safeguard the setting the adjacent grade II listed building, having regard to Policy C3 of the South East Plan and Policy BE8 of the Non Statutory Wealden Local Plan.”

As that date nears, the applicants are asking for that end date to be removed, ie to make the features permanent.

The applicant asks for: “THE REMOVAL OF CONDITION 1 OF PLANNING APPLICATION WD/2009/2219/F (EXTENSION TO EXISTING MINIATURE RAILWAY WITH ANCILLARY SMALL BUILDINGS) TO REMOVE LIMITED TIME PERIOD RESTRICTION.”

Little Horsted Parish Meeting’s comment at the time of the original application raised “no objections”, and believed the proposals would “enhance the experience of visitors”.

The window for our comments is given as by 22 October 2018 (although on the website it indicates 2nd November 2018)

As the Parish Meeting will not convene before this date, please submit any comments or thoughts you like the Planning Committee to consider when making their decision to directly their website, and you can also send them to the Chairman and/or Clerk of the Little Horsted Parish Meeting to prepare a collective response.

Background papers for information:
Current Planning:
http://www.planning.wealden.gov.uk/plandisp.aspx?recno=143547

Original Planning to which it refers:
http://www.planning.wealden.gov.uk/plandisp.aspx?recno=108569