Former Sussex Police Station To Become 33 Flats

Friday, 14 March 2025 13:07

By Karen Dunn LDR

Plans to convert a former police station into 33 flats have been approved by Mid Sussex District Council.

The application from ZMQL Ltd, for the site in College Lane, East Grinstead, was given an unanimous thumbs-up by the planning committee on Thursday (March 13).

The permission will allow the south and west blocks to be demolished and rebuilt, while the east block will be converted.

John Dabell (Con, East Grinstead Town) said:

“This needs redevelopment, this needs to be put to good use. I’m sure that there will be niggles and I’m sure we will get through them, and I look forward to seeing what is finally concluded.”

The council received 190 letters objecting to the plans, with concerns raised including over-development, road safety, and how the flats would impact parkland and the nearby Conservation Area.

One letter of support said the town ‘desperately needs new housing’.

East Grinstead Town Council shared the concerns about road safety as well as the level of parking being offered – 34 spaces, including eight electric vehicle charging points and two disabled bays.

The development will be made up of three studio flats, 12 one-bedroom flats and 18 two-bedroom flats.

None of them will be classed as affordable, or the scheme would not be financially viable – though that situation will be reviewed once 75% of the flats have been sold.

That idea didn’t sit well with Paul Kenny (Lab, Haywards Heath Franklands), who pointed out that the council had never invoked that review option in the past.

Mr Kenny said:

“The only barrier to affordable homes on this site is the profit level that is being demanded by the applicant – and I am deeply unimpressed by that.”

He called on planning officers to work closely with developers to impress on them the importance of not bringing applications to the council which didn’t include affordable housing unless they had ‘rock-solid reasons’.

But chairman Gary Marsh (Con, Ardingly, Balcombe & Turners Hill) pointed out that the government had declared it to be perfectly reasonable for developers to make up to 20% profit, adding: “They don’t do it from the goodness of their heart.”

To view the application, log on to pa.midsussex.gov.uk and search for DM/24/1340.

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