The Development

News about the Development

The Trustees of Steep In Need (SIN) announce that an agreement has been signed with Wilson Designer Homes Ltd (WDH) for the development of the field to the south of Church Road, Steep, adjacent to the Village Hall.

Following a marketing campaign carried out with the assistance of professional advisors, WDH were appointed as they offered the best price, combined with experience in the development of small sites and an understanding of the sensitivity of the field within the Steep community.

It is envisaged that the Steep development, in compliance with The South Downs National Park Authority planning rules (SDNPA), will include an area of Open Space and up to ten homes, including four affordable units.  The agreement with WDH requires that the Eames Almshouses Trust will have first refusal to purchase the affordable homes for use as almshouses with the aim of ensuring that the units remain available in perpetuity as affordable houses for local people.

It is the Trustees’ intention, subject to Charity Commission consent, to use proceeds from the sale of the field to assist Eames with the purchase of the affordable housing.

Whilst responsibility for the development rests with WDH, the ultimate decision makers being SDNPA, SIN will participate in a series of consultations organised by WDH which will take place before any application is made for planning consent.  These will be arranged for the village to consider the design options for the site, and how the houses, access road, Open Space and other features fit into the overall plan.  Details for the consultations will be posted on WDH’s website and will be published in the parish Newsletter.

For SIN this represents an opportunity to further its objective, ‘The relief of poverty for the public benefit’.  It offers a way to increase the affordable (social) housing available in the parish, with control of it remaining in the parish, and it also means the proceeds from the sale of the land will be used within the community.  

For more information about Steep In Need please refer to this website.

For further information about Wilson Designer Homes Ltd please go to their website https://wilsondesigner.co.uk/home

and any enquires should be addressed to Mr Stuart Wilson by email: [email protected]