Proposals for houses to be built on the site of the
former Register Office and Business Centre.
Click HERE for the Sale brochure for homes at BOHEMY FIELDS
On these pages some documents are displayed using SCRIBD - Please use the on page controls.
Planning application HS/FA/15/00984 will take you to the application on the HBC planning website. The planning board received the officers report on Wednesday 25th May 2016. See the report that was published on the 18th May 2016 HERE on the file with all the planning documents. At the Planning Board meeting it was approved by 9 votes to 1. As part of the decision to approve there was a Section 106 aggreement that has to be accepted and signed by 25th August 2016. As well as the normal potential contributions to issues such as play, schools, libraries, public rights of way etc this could include a financial contribution towards Summerfields Wood Local Nature Reserve.
Interestingly after HBC Planning department granted the planning permission in May 2016 HBC decided to commission a viability report that was assessed independently by the District Valuer Service. The District Valuer concluded that the scheme would not be viable with the financial contributions and therefore the S106 Agreement attached to the planning permission only has affordable housing as the only clause contained within.
This information was only revealed by HBC following a question to Hastings Borough Council. A recent decision at HBC cabinet may make gaining this type of information more difficult after a policy to make a charge for planning information was accepted by our elected members
The minutes from the Planning Committee make allowance for the S106 to be signed within a certain time with the proviso that the viabiltiy of the scheme can be considered if need be. There was therefore no requirement for the application to go back to the committee following the viability report and assessment by the District Valuer Service.
The provision of new homes on the Register office site will not offer any funding at all to help improve the open space at Summerfields Wood. The next open space site that also has an element of HBC land that developers would like to help the scheme, should HBC choose to provide open space for homes,is the development of the Travelodge site.
Register Office Homes
Hastings Borough Council forever eager to liquidate their assets by selling off land are looking towards changing the use of the Register Offices and Business Centre at Bohemia and using the site to build new houses. One early possible scheme is shown towards the bottom of this page and their latest proposals were shown at a Pre Application Planning Forum at Hastings Town Hall on Wednesday 7th October 2015. The Hastings Observer reports on the latest proposals and the meeting. Further proposals to build houses at Bohemia are to be heard at another Pre Application Planning Forum on Thursday 15th October 2015 where proposals to build homes behind the Travelodge Hotel site will be revealed. On this scheme it seems that the existing employment at the hotel will remain but new houses with car parking will be on the land to the rear.
A planning application has now been made for demolition of the temporary single storey structures and erection of dwellings HS/FA/15/00984 comments of support or objection can be made via this link on the hbc.gov website. The Register office is now relocated to Hastings Town Hall.
On the 4th January 2015 the HBC Cabinet received a report from HBC Estates advising the elected members of the Council some details of the proposed newsaved hat could occur at the former site of Bohemia House.
Application 15/00984 did go to Planning Committee on 25 May 2016, with a recommendation to
grant planning permission subject to a S106 Agreement for affordable housing provision and a number of other financial contributions. However, a viability report was subsequently commissioned by the Council and was assessed independently by the District Valuer Service.
The District Valuer concluded that the scheme would not be
The applicants for the 15/00984 application for the proposed homes were Hastings Borough Council and social housing provider Amicus Horizon. The district valuer reduced some expenditure for the HBC & Amicus partnership. Were other people looking towards further savings by reducing the quality of the development because it was to only be be social housing.
Interestingly after HBC Planning department granted the planning permission in May 2016 HBC decided to commission a viability report that was assessed independently by the District Valuer Service. The District Valuer concluded that the scheme would not be viable with the financial contributions and therefore the S106 Agreement attached to the planning permission only has affordable housing as the only clause contained within.
This information was only revealed by HBC following a question to Hastings Borough Council. A recent decision at HBC cabinet may make gaining this type of information more difficult after a policy to make a charge for planning information was accepted by our elected members
The minutes from the Planning Committee make allowance for the S106 to be signed within a certain time with the proviso that the viabiltiy of the scheme can be considered if need be. There was therefore no requirement for the application to go back to the committee following the viability report and assessment by the District Valuer Service.
The provision of new homes on the Register office site will not offer any funding at all to help improve the open space at Summerfields Wood. The next open space site that also has an element of HBC land that developers would like to help the scheme, should HBC choose to provide open space for homes,is the development of the Travelodge site.
Register Office Homes
Hastings Borough Council forever eager to liquidate their assets by selling off land are looking towards changing the use of the Register Offices and Business Centre at Bohemia and using the site to build new houses. One early possible scheme is shown towards the bottom of this page and their latest proposals were shown at a Pre Application Planning Forum at Hastings Town Hall on Wednesday 7th October 2015. The Hastings Observer reports on the latest proposals and the meeting. Further proposals to build houses at Bohemia are to be heard at another Pre Application Planning Forum on Thursday 15th October 2015 where proposals to build homes behind the Travelodge Hotel site will be revealed. On this scheme it seems that the existing employment at the hotel will remain but new houses with car parking will be on the land to the rear.
A planning application has now been made for demolition of the temporary single storey structures and erection of dwellings HS/FA/15/00984 comments of support or objection can be made via this link on the hbc.gov website. The Register office is now relocated to Hastings Town Hall.
On the 4th January 2015 the HBC Cabinet received a report from HBC Estates advising the elected members of the Council some details of the proposed newsaved hat could occur at the former site of Bohemia House.
Application 15/00984 did go to Planning Committee on 25 May 2016, with a recommendation to
grant planning permission subject to a S106 Agreement for affordable housing provision and a number of other financial contributions. However, a viability report was subsequently commissioned by the Council and was assessed independently by the District Valuer Service.
The District Valuer concluded that the scheme would not be
The applicants for the 15/00984 application for the proposed homes were Hastings Borough Council and social housing provider Amicus Horizon. The district valuer reduced some expenditure for the HBC & Amicus partnership. Were other people looking towards further savings by reducing the quality of the development because it was to only be be social housing.
Drawings below were submitted a few weeks before the planning forum presentation information above
Above : Layout of proposed houses and car parking on land occupied by Bohemia House / Register Office. The proposed development uses the existing access route to the existing and historic structures with the building shown top right on the footprint of now demolished Pooh Cottage. The block on the left in white is part of the proposed Horntye Park development. The Bohemia Ice House is to the north of the proposed white building and within the Horntye Park proposed development area. Below the blocks in purple are proposed homes at Horntye Park. The site outlined in red is the entire HBC owned site fronting Bohemia Road and between the Police HQ & ESFRS. The proposed homes shown above are to the north of the HBC owned site. If HBC decides to retain the section of site fronting Bohemia Road they will remain responsible for the trees and open space as well as the access road that would access Horntye cricket ground and proposed homes, ESFRS, the proposed Kember Louden development, Magistrate & County Court, and the Police HQ.
One of the conditions of the planning permission granted by HBC required an archeological survey of the site before building work started. The trenches that were created seen in the photos below show the different trenches that were dug as part of the exploration of the site. On the part of the site occupied by the southern side of Bohemia Mansion as well as an area near to the entrance porch parts of the original foundations have been revealed. There does not appear to be any remains of the original Bohemia Farmhouse from the 1700s or the well associated with the farm house that was not found in 1972 when Best Demolition knocked down Bohemia Mansion / Summerfields House. The foundations shown below seem to be from the area of the extension to the house that replaced the conservatory shown in early photos. Another area revealed seems to be near to the entrance porch and shows a section of curved kerbstone that was a few centimetres below the surface of the car park.
From Monday 27th November it would appear that the archeological survey is complete and building work for more homes in Hastings will commence on the site in 2017
From Monday 27th November it would appear that the archeological survey is complete and building work for more homes in Hastings will commence on the site in 2017
After digging the trenches shown above Chris Butler MCIfA produced the 46 page report that is below. Please use the SCRIBD controls to see pages 1-46.
In March 2017 with the archaeological survey complete work starts on building the new homes that social homes provider Amicus Horizon requires. The development appears to be called Bohemy Fields. As the development has a "social housing" provision it was considered that it was not necessary for the developer to make any section 106 contribution towards the upkeep of adjacent open space, provision for play etc.
Over twelve months the homes permitted in the planning permission HS/FA/15/00984 were built and building works were complete by 20th April 2018. The new partner for what are shared ownership homes was to be Optivo who has taken control of Amicus Horizon during the year. Bohemy Fields shared ownership with Optivo.
Below is a page from the marketing information provided by Optivo where they seek to sell the homes shown in blue that are on the southern side of the Bohemy site and visible from the steps of the Hastings Courts. These affordable homes are being offered as shared ownership where the plan below shows the line of a dozen trees at the end of the gardens of homes 1 to 10 This was a recommendation of the Hastings Borough Council arboriculturist and formed part of the conditions of the planning permission 15/00984 that was granted for the homes
Visitors to Bohemy Fields or prospective purchasers will see that the southern boundary trees and other landscaping has not been installed .
There is a Trading Standards issue where Optivo are choosing to market a 35% ownership opportunity with landscaping shown but apparently not included. When a full explanation from Hastings planners emerges it will be shown here and we will know if Bohemy Fields is to be another Good Enough For Hastings regeneration development.
Visitors to Bohemy Fields or prospective purchasers will see that the southern boundary trees and other landscaping has not been installed .
There is a Trading Standards issue where Optivo are choosing to market a 35% ownership opportunity with landscaping shown but apparently not included. When a full explanation from Hastings planners emerges it will be shown here and we will know if Bohemy Fields is to be another Good Enough For Hastings regeneration development.
This plan produced by Optivo is taken from their sales literature that seeks to sell homes as shared ownership. Trees defined in the planning permission are clearly marked by Optivo. Revised plans that seem to have slipped through and got approved
has removed the condition requirement for planting trees.
DISCHARGE OF CONDITIONS 10 , 11, 13, 14, 22, 22,7 & 28
Fulcrum Design Studio 7
Design House Guildford Road Bookham KT23 4HB
For the attention of: Mr Skipper Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3UY Dear
Mr Skipper, Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (As Amended) Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 (As Amended)
Application Number: HS/CD/17/00159 Proposed Development: Discharge of conditions: 10 (lighting design strategy for biodiversity); 14 (badger protection); 22 (management of biodiverse garden) of Planning Permission HS/FA/15/00984 Location: Summerfields Business Centre, Horntye Park, Hastings, TN34 1UT Drawing Numbers: 16-47-109-A, 16-47-113 I refer to the above application received on 16 March 2017 and write to inform you that these details pursuant to conditions have been considered under my delegated powers and are hereby discharged: Condition 10 states: Whitecroft Lighting Levanter lamps (LEVH24KGF) and ASD lighting stealth SE2/BLED16 wall mounted lights are proposed along the access road and car parking areas only. The number of lights, type, height and direction of illumination is appropriate for this location and would be in accordance with best practice recommendations by the Bat Conservation Trusts (2014) Interim Guidance on Artificial Lighting. No new lighting is proposed to be installed along the woodland edge to safeguard bats, badgers and the adjacent nature reserve. The northern and eastern site boundary is to be retained as a dark area. Condition 10 is hereby discharged. Condition 14 states: “No works which include the creation of trenches or culverts or the presence of pipes shall commence until measures to protect badgers from being trapped in open excavations and/or pipe culverts are submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority”. A Badger Construction Method Statement has been submitted by the Ecology Consultancy dated 7 February 2018. Protective non-intervention fencing was erected around the site as evidenced in the Method Statement and remained in place for the duration of the construction. The Method Statement also sets out a number of safeguarding measures to protect badgers during the course of the development. Condition 14 is hereby discharged Condition 22: ‘Prior to the landscaping of the Biodiverse Gardens, details of the management and the responsibility of the Biodiverse Garden to be submitted in writing and approved by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter, management of the garden to be carried out in accordance with the approved details’. The biodiverse garden is located on a south facing slope in the eastern extent of the site. The area will be re-seed with compatible wild flower seed mixes and a strip of woodland seed mix approximately 2m wide adjacent to the woodland edge, sown with Emorsgate Woodland Mixture or similar. It is also proposed to install three hibernacula along the woodland edge within the biodiverse garden to enhance wildlife / reptile habitats. A native species scrub buffer is proposed on the sloping ground along the northern boundary. Grassland buffer are proposed within the site around the edges of the buildings in the northern part of the site. Landscaping is proposed within the site surrounding the car parking areas and will be planted with mainly native species. Bird boxes will be installed on the buildings and within the adjacent woodland. The report includes an appropriate five year management schedule for the whole site including the biodiverse garden. Condition 22 is hereby discharged The conditions cannot be fully discharged until the works are completed in accordance with the approved details. Yours faithfully, for Eleanor Evans Planning Services Manager
Design House Guildford Road Bookham KT23 4HB
For the attention of: Mr Skipper Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3UY Dear
Mr Skipper, Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (As Amended) Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 (As Amended)
Application Number: HS/CD/17/00159 Proposed Development: Discharge of conditions: 10 (lighting design strategy for biodiversity); 14 (badger protection); 22 (management of biodiverse garden) of Planning Permission HS/FA/15/00984 Location: Summerfields Business Centre, Horntye Park, Hastings, TN34 1UT Drawing Numbers: 16-47-109-A, 16-47-113 I refer to the above application received on 16 March 2017 and write to inform you that these details pursuant to conditions have been considered under my delegated powers and are hereby discharged: Condition 10 states: Whitecroft Lighting Levanter lamps (LEVH24KGF) and ASD lighting stealth SE2/BLED16 wall mounted lights are proposed along the access road and car parking areas only. The number of lights, type, height and direction of illumination is appropriate for this location and would be in accordance with best practice recommendations by the Bat Conservation Trusts (2014) Interim Guidance on Artificial Lighting. No new lighting is proposed to be installed along the woodland edge to safeguard bats, badgers and the adjacent nature reserve. The northern and eastern site boundary is to be retained as a dark area. Condition 10 is hereby discharged. Condition 14 states: “No works which include the creation of trenches or culverts or the presence of pipes shall commence until measures to protect badgers from being trapped in open excavations and/or pipe culverts are submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority”. A Badger Construction Method Statement has been submitted by the Ecology Consultancy dated 7 February 2018. Protective non-intervention fencing was erected around the site as evidenced in the Method Statement and remained in place for the duration of the construction. The Method Statement also sets out a number of safeguarding measures to protect badgers during the course of the development. Condition 14 is hereby discharged Condition 22: ‘Prior to the landscaping of the Biodiverse Gardens, details of the management and the responsibility of the Biodiverse Garden to be submitted in writing and approved by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter, management of the garden to be carried out in accordance with the approved details’. The biodiverse garden is located on a south facing slope in the eastern extent of the site. The area will be re-seed with compatible wild flower seed mixes and a strip of woodland seed mix approximately 2m wide adjacent to the woodland edge, sown with Emorsgate Woodland Mixture or similar. It is also proposed to install three hibernacula along the woodland edge within the biodiverse garden to enhance wildlife / reptile habitats. A native species scrub buffer is proposed on the sloping ground along the northern boundary. Grassland buffer are proposed within the site around the edges of the buildings in the northern part of the site. Landscaping is proposed within the site surrounding the car parking areas and will be planted with mainly native species. Bird boxes will be installed on the buildings and within the adjacent woodland. The report includes an appropriate five year management schedule for the whole site including the biodiverse garden. Condition 22 is hereby discharged The conditions cannot be fully discharged until the works are completed in accordance with the approved details. Yours faithfully, for Eleanor Evans Planning Services Manager
From:Murray Davidson Sent:24 May 2017 15:04:32 +0100
DCComments Cc:Karen Phillips Subject:RE: Summerfields CD/17/00159 The council expects information submitted to discharge the ecology related conditions to be supplied by a competent professional ecologist. There is no evidence to suggest the information has been supplied by a professional ecologist. The information supplied does not dully discharge conditions and fails to address the issue of long term management in relation to wildlife and habitats required by conditions. The council expects that where the condition requires the implementation of measures outlined in the agreed ecology report (Ashley Leftwich, December 2015) that the professional ecologist would supply the detailed information to support any statement that indicates the measures had been fully implement on site. The supplied information does not provide the council with sufficient detail to understand if the various conditions have been met and therefore able to be discharged.
Murray Davidson Environment and Natural Resources Manager Hastings Borough Council Environment and Place Muriel Matters House Breeds Place Hastings TN34 4UY Tel 01424 451107
DCComments Cc:Karen Phillips Subject:RE: Summerfields CD/17/00159 The council expects information submitted to discharge the ecology related conditions to be supplied by a competent professional ecologist. There is no evidence to suggest the information has been supplied by a professional ecologist. The information supplied does not dully discharge conditions and fails to address the issue of long term management in relation to wildlife and habitats required by conditions. The council expects that where the condition requires the implementation of measures outlined in the agreed ecology report (Ashley Leftwich, December 2015) that the professional ecologist would supply the detailed information to support any statement that indicates the measures had been fully implement on site. The supplied information does not provide the council with sufficient detail to understand if the various conditions have been met and therefore able to be discharged.
Murray Davidson Environment and Natural Resources Manager Hastings Borough Council Environment and Place Muriel Matters House Breeds Place Hastings TN34 4UY Tel 01424 451107