Cllr. Jacob Allen & Cllr. Jacqui Simon

BH2026/01166 - 25 Drove Road

1^st July 2026:

Dear South Downs National Park Authority + Brighton & Hove Local Planning Authority,

I am writing in my capacity as Ward Councillor for Woodingdean in Brighton & Hove to express my support for this application at Drove Road Stud.

Having considered the proposal and its local context, I believe the application represents an appropriate and pragmatic use of the site that supports the rural and equestrian character of this part of the South Downs National Park. Equine activity has long formed part of the landscape and local economy in this area, and the application formalises and regulates an existing use while providing the facilities necessary for the safe and effective management of the business.

The proposed stables and barns are directly related to the operation of the site and will help ensure improved welfare standards for horses, better storage and management of equipment and feed, and a more organised appearance overall. In addition, the temporary siting of a mobile home for a five-year period appears justified in supporting the day-to-day operational and welfare requirements associated with commercial equine use, including the need for regular on-site supervision and security.

Importantly, I consider the proposal to be proportionate in scale and compatible with the surrounding rural environment. The application also contributes to sustaining rural employment and small-scale enterprise within the National Park, which should be encouraged where developments are sensitively managed.

As a Councillor for the last three years and a local resident close to the site for over twenty-seven years I can attests to no complaints from local residents regarding the site’s negative impact on amenity of the national park or of any widely held view that the site is incongruous to the setting of the national park.

I can see no reason within the framework of town and country planning to refuse this application. For these reasons, I respectfully ask the SDNPA to note our support for the application and consider these points in its deliberations.