URL: https://westsussex.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=2418

Decision Maker: Cabinet Member for Finance and Property (Cllr Jeremy Hunt)

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Purpose: The County Council has been in discussion with land promoters, Welbeck Land Ltd and their selected development partner, Vistry Homes Limited and, following the receipt of independent valuation advice, the County Council has provisionally agreed that a 1.6ha area of land comprising playing field at Imberhorne Upper School, Imberhorne Lane, in East Grinstead, required for pedestrian and cycleway access serving a new housing development, could be transferred to the developer in exchange for a significantly larger area of freehold land (comprising 5.8ha) adjoining and located to the west and rear of the school site.   This proposed land exchange is subject to the developer constructing a new playing field on the land to be transferred to the County Council and providing other facilities including a sports pavilion, car park and boundary fencing and more as set out in section 2.4 of the report.  Outline planning approval for the development and the works has been obtained for these facilities. The respective land exchange areas are identified on the plan at Appendix B.  

Content: The County Council has been in discussion with land promoters, Welbeck Land Ltd and their selected development partner, Vistry Homes Limited and, following the receipt of independent valuation advice, the County Council has provisionally agreed that a 1.6ha area of land comprising playing field at Imberhorne Upper School, Imberhorne Lane, in East Grinstead, required for pedestrian and cycleway access serving a new housing development, could be transferred to the developer in exchange for a significantly larger area of freehold land (comprising 5.8ha) adjoining and located to the west and rear of the school site.   This proposed land exchange is subject to the developer constructing a new playing field on the land to be transferred to the County Council and providing other facilities including a sports pavilion, car park and boundary fencing and more as set out in section 2.4 of the report.  Outline planning approval for the development and the works has been obtained for these facilities. The respective land exchange areas are identified on the plan at Appendix B.   The Cabinet Member for Finance and Property, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Young People and Learning, has approved that –   (1)part of the Imberhorne Upper School, East Grinstead school playing field, including the existing adjoining permissive pathway and wooded area, comprising approximately 1.6 ha in area (as set out in Appendix A) is declared surplus to educational operational requirements on the basis that: (a) the County Council enters into a land exchange and development agreement with Vistry Homes Limited, who have now secured the adjoining land from Welbeck Land Ltd, which provides for them  to transfer 5.8ha of freehold land adjoining the Imberhorne Upper School to the County Council, the developers having first constructed on that land a new playing field and other facilities in compliance with the planning permission now obtained;   (b) on physical completion of the new playing field and associated facilities to the County Council’s satisfaction, that the freehold estate in the new playing field land is transferred to the County Council with the freehold estate of the existing surplus school land transferred to the developer for use as a new pedestrian and cycleway access with associated landscaping to serve the adjoining new housing development; and   (c)this land exchange deal is conditional upon satisfactory overage provisions to bind the piece of land being transferred to the developer to ensure that the disposal land is not used as a road access; and   (2)authority is delegated to the Service Director (Property and Assets) to complete the land exchange and development agreement, land transfers and overage agreement. None declared

Date of Decision: March 27, 2026