Bolney
Introduction
21.1 Bolney Village is set in an undulating landscape which, particularly
to the east, provides an important visual background to the settlement
and a valuable landscape buffer separating it from the A23 which
now bypasses the settlement completely. To the north the village
adjoins the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
21.2 The village has a charming semi-rural character derived from
abundant trees and hedgerows, narrow sunken lanes, and a wide variety
of building styles and features. It is linear in form with Bolney
Street (running north-south) connecting two groups of older buildings,
several of which are listed. In the south of the village these are
mainly set around the Parish Church (Grade I Listed), the Old Vicarage
and the Eight Bells Public House, and in the north Cherry Lane and
Top Street. The Street itself is lined on either side with houses
of various styles, built mainly over the last 30-50 years.
21.3 There is some local employment and facilities within the village
include a post office/stores, a primary school, recreation ground
and equipped children’s play area, public houses, a village
hall, church and chapel.
21.4 To the south of Bolney, at the junction of Bolney Chapel Road
and the A272, lies Crosspost. This small settlement does not have
a defined built-up area boundary. It lies within the Countryside
Area of Development Restraint and comprises a small tightly knit
group of dwellings, a petrol filling station, which includes a shop
selling everyday goods, and some commercial properties. There are
no other community services and the former chapel has been converted
into a dwelling.
Policies and Proposals
Built-up Area Boundary
21.5 A built-up area boundary is defined for Bolney in order to
conserve the rural setting of the village and to protect the surrounding
countryside from unnecessary development.
21.6 The boundary excludes most of the area between the A23 and
the London Road on the eastern fringe of the settlement, as this
is detached from the main village (with the exception of the former
G&W Motors site which is allocated for residential development).
This area comprises a row of residential properties where the consolidation
of built development is considered undesirable.
Conservation Area
21.7 In recognition of the special architectural and historic interest
of sections of the village the Local Planning Authority designated
two parts of Bolney as a Conservation Area in January 1989.
21.8 The southern part of the village contains several listed buildings,
including the Grade I Church of St Mary Magdalen with its Norman
chancel and nave. The buildings which are arranged in an attractive
manner around Bolney Street together create a sense of enclosure
and form an attractive entry to the village. The northern part of
the Conservation Area, which also contains a number of listed buildings,
includes those properties fronting onto Bolney Street, north of ‘Leacroft’,
Cherry Lane and Top Street. It is characterised by low density development,
with trees, hedges and open spaces making an important contribution
to its attractiveness.
21.9 The following features, in particular, contribute to the character
of the Conservation Area:
-
the lack of a uniform building line which adds variety and interest,
reflects the gradual growth of the village and enhances its semi-rural
character;
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the variety of age and style of the buildings and the use of
natural and traditional building materials;
-
the attractive walling within the area;
-
the attractive countryside views; and
-
views into and out of the Conservation Area
Area of Importance for Nature Conservation
21.10 The Hanger SNCI lies partly within the Parish of Bolney. Within
this woodland site are two main types of wood. Alder occurs along
the streams and extends up the lower slopes, with Oak, Hazel and
Ash on the upper slopes and flat ground above. The wood supports
a wide range of woodland plants, mosses and liverworts, a good bird
community and a number of uncommon butterflies.
Housing
G&W Motors, London Road, Bolney
21.11 This site of 0.3 hectares consists of a former petrol filling
station on the ‘old’ A23 (London Road). Part of the site
is now used for motorcycle repairs and servicing and part for the
sale of furniture. The site is bordered by residential properties
to the north and south while Homeleigh, a residential property accessed
through the garage frontage, lies to the rear of the site.
21.12 Care should be taken to protect the amenities of existing
residents, particularly those to the south of the site where additional
landscaping will be required. The new A23 lies to the east and appropriate
noise attenuation measures will also be required to protect new residents
from excessive traffic noise.
BO1 Land at G&W
Motors, London Road, Bolney (approximately 0.3 hectares) is allocated
for residential development to provide approximately 6 dwellings.
Permission will be subject to the general requirements of the Local
Plan, particularly policies G3 (Infrastructure), B2 (Design), H2
(Dwelling Mix), T4 (New Development) and R3 and R4 (Outdoor Playing
Space).
Additionally permission will be subject to the following
requirements:
(a) a single point of access from London Road;
(b) the provision of a comprehensive landscaping scheme
paying particular attention to the southern boundary;
(c) the provision of adequate noise attenuation measures
within the development;
(d) the site should be checked for possible contamination
and any necessary remediation shall be undertaken by the developer
before building commences; and
(e) financial contributions towards the provision of additional
library facilities in Haywards Heath, primary and secondary school
provision and civic amenity facilities.
Employment
21.13 A number of businesses are located in the village or the surrounding
rural area. These contribute to the economy as well as providing
some local employment. The majority of these operate with little
or no impact on the surrounding area. The following paragraphs set
out policy and proposal relating to one specific site.
Bolney Grange
21.14 The Bolney Grange Industrial Estate is situated in predominantly
open countryside north east of the small settlement of Hickstead.
This is an instance where industrial development has become established
in a rural area. Originally a poultry farm, planning permission was
granted in 1982 for the use of the redundant poultry houses for industrial
purposes, subject to a legal agreement requiring environmental improvements
to be made to the buildings and the site. Employment activity has
expanded incrementally on the site since.
21.15 The site is currently occupied by a large number of small
firms, with premises between 45m2 and 465m2. It provides relatively
low cost industrial premises for a range of industrial and commercial
activities. It is an important source of local employment.
21.16 The site is relatively well contained and screened from view.
It is a significant traffic generator, however. While the estate
operates satisfactorily at the present level of activity it is the
Council's view that any extension of the site, or intensification
of the level of use beyond which is existing, would be likely to
cause significant environmental and traffic difficulties and would
be contrary to the aims of this plan for the countryside.
BO2 Redevelopment
proposals at Bolney Grange Industrial Estate will be permitted
where all of the following criteria can be met:
(a) a high standard of landscaping is included as an integral
part of the proposals, particularly around the periphery of the
site;
(b) the eaves height of any proposed building does not
exceed 4 metres; and
(c) the floorspace of any proposed building does not exceed
465m2, and provided that a wide range of building sizes is provided
below that figure down to 45m2.
Proposals for the open storage of materials, proposals
which would intensify activity on the site or extend the Estate
beyond its existing boundaries, or activities which give rise to
pollution, will not be permitted. It is considered desirable for
all access to and from the site to be from Stairbridge Lane south
to the A2300 only.
Community/Recreation Use
Recreation Ground
21.17 Bolney Recreation Ground (Batchelors Field) is a well used
public recreation facility, providing opportunities for football,
children’s play and informal activities. There is a need, however,
for a floodlit multi-use area and additional public open space located
in the village.
21.18 An extension to the existing recreation ground onto land to
the east is therefore proposed. This enlargement and the proposal
for the multi-activity area will significantly increase the recreation
facilities available in the village. Efforts have been made to implement
this proposal which was included in the 1990 Plan. The Council considers
that its allocation remains appropriate.
BO3 Land is allocated for an extension
to the east of Bolney Recreation Ground for recreational use, comprising
approximately 1.4 hectares.
Rawson Institute
21.19 The Rawson Institute building serves as a village hall facility
for Bolney and, although comparatively well used, the building lacks
a full range of modern facilities. The Council will support the improvement
of this existing facility. Alternatively, the provision of a replacement
village hall building will be supported if a suitable site can be
identified.
Aurora Ranch Caravan and Camp Site
21.20 Aurora Ranch provides the only static caravan pitches in the
South Mid Sussex area and the only major touring caravan and camp
site. Its location adjacent to the A23 Trunk Road means that it is
both a popular transit location serving people travelling through
the County, and a suitable longer term site for visitors to the Areas
of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the District’s other attractions.
The Council supports the continued use of the site for this activity.
BO4 No Increase in the current permitted
level of static caravans at the Aurora Ranch site will be considered
acceptable due to the sensitive location of the site within the
High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
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