Homes plan for joinery

AN Uckfield joinery business has applied for permission to demolish its premises and build four terraced houses on the site.

The application is from Forest Joinery of 47 Framfield Road, where there has been a joinery works for more than 100 years.

Agents Madgwick and Dottridge say in the application to Wealden Council that major work is needed to bring sub-standard structures up to an acceptable condition and the workshops are no longer suitable for Forest Joinery, who plan to move to an industrial unit in Uckfield.

'It is felt the buildings are not suitable for any other business use and therefore, as the site is within the Uckfield development boundary where new housing is acceptable, this application has been submitted, say the agents.

They said they felt sure the local authority would not wish to encourage commercial uses which would add to traffic congestion in Framfield Road. They pointed out that a builders yard in Framfield Road had received consent for new dwellings.

They believed four homes, with seven car parking spaces, would decrease traffic movements from the site. At the moment there was constant movement of traffic carrying materials to the site and customers collecting joinery.

They concluded that the proposal would result in less ground area being used than the current buildings and the houses had been designed so that there was no direct overlooking of any other residential property.