FAQs

Since the 2020 plans, civil engineers have joined the design team to look in detail at the drainage plans and earth movements required. The current plans more accurately reflect what will be possible on the site to help deal with the water.

Detailed surveys carried out to allow the development of the designs revealed more constraints on Finches Field than  the Design Team had been aware of in 2020, for example, we were aware of the gas main, but not the full extent of the exclusion zone around it; which meant we had to remove the play area that was originally shown on Finches Field.

Some paths have been taken out of the plans in response to comments about a feeling of over-urbanisation.

In response to comments about having play closer to McNaughton Hall, the newer plans show some play features near the building which weren't there previously.

Given how much soil needs to be excavated to aid drainage (and which would otherwise need to be removed from site at significant expense); and with the omission of the traditional play area originally proposed on Finches Field, the play area  within Hemsleys Meadow has been expanded.

The car park has been removed from the masterplan project and discussions on this are ongoing with the Parish Council (who hold a lease on the car park).

Since the original consultation in 2020 we have reconsulted twice, once in October 2022 and again in February 2023. There will be further opportunities for you to contribute your views towards the implementation of some of the details in the design over the coming months.

Play was identified as one of the main priorities in the 2020 consultation (to which over 100 people responded). The 2020 plans showed two Adventure play spaces. One to the south of Hemsleys Meadow (6) and one south of the football pitch on Finches Field (10). Since 2020, civil engineers have joined the design team and have looked more closely at the drainage for Hemsleys Meadow. Their work has identified that we will need two large basins along this southern edge so the play area would have to move further north.

There are also many invisible constraints on Finches Field which limit how the space can be used. The high pressure gas main which runs underneath the previous play area location has an exclusion zone, the extent of which the design team were not fully aware of in 2020; the football pitch to the north has a safety run off zone which must not be encroached upon; the ancient woodland to the south has a 15m buffer zone; and Mid Sussex District Council do not have the right to build on all of the land as it appears due to different land ownership and leases. These details have all come to light as the project has developed. The remaining available space was so constrained that the main play facility had to be switched to Hemsleys Meadow, with the smaller facility now closer to McNaughton Hall. 

There are many invisible constraints on Finches Field which limit how the space can be used. The high pressure gas main which runs underneath the previous play area location has an exclusion zone, the extent of which the design team were not fully aware of in 2020; the football pitch to the north has a safety run off zone which must not be encroached upon; the ancient woodland to the south has a 15m buffer zone; and Mid Sussex District Council do not have the right to build on all of the land as it appears due to different land ownership and leases. These details have all come to light as the project has developed.

A small play facility will be included next to McNaughton Hall. It could not be any larger due to the safety run off zone needed around the football pitch.

Play was identified as one of the main priorities in the 2020 consultation (to which over 100 people responded). The space will have a country park feel to maintain the other theme that was felt important - access to nature. The play features proposed are timber to sit comfortably within the natural landscape. They won't be surrounded by a fence so as to minimise the visual impact and to help make them feel part of the landscape. The 2m play mound offers lots of opportunity for informal play and is visually a 'softer' option than a climbing frame of equivalent height. The mound has been positioned so as to create a soft buffer between the play features and the houses to the northwest.

Care has been taken to ensure the play facilities are not positioned too close to peoples' homes, whilst still allowing for natural surveillance. Fields In Trust guidance suggests play areas should be no closer than 20m to a habitable room facade. This plan exceeds that with the base of the mound being over 30m to the garden fence, and the main play facilities further still.

Play was identified as one of the main priorities in the 2020 consultation. 

Guidance suggests walking distances to an equipped play area should be 400m. When measured from the car park at Finches Field, the:

-    New play area on Bellevue Farm Road on the new development is 1km away

-    The nearest Mid Sussex District Council playground on Black Swan close is 580m away

Therefore it can be considered that additional play is needed to cater for this side of the village.

Whilst there may be some increased noise of children playing, it is expected that this will be modest, and will be during daylight hours. The soft landscape should help to buffer the sound. The facility is not designed to be a destination park and is not excepted to attract people from outside of the village.

The existing boundary treatments are not being changed, therefore any existing buffer provided by planting will remain. Additional woodland planting is proposed along the western boundary to reduce the chance of overlooking into properties to the west. Many of the properties on Horsham Road whose gardens face Hemsleys Meadow, have low garden fences which afford views in and out of the properties. Some properties views are buffered by existing vegetation on Hemsleys Meadow, this will remain unchanged. The intention is to encourage people away from these boundaries by positioning the surfaced path some way south of the existing desire line.

The highest point of the mound is 2m high and it is over 60m away from the nearest room facade. The location of proposed trees has been carefully considered to provide additional visual screening from the top of the mound.

Mid Sussex District Council Anti Social Behaviour team are aware of the plans. The designs have been careful to maintain the open aspect of Hemsleys Meadow and Finches Field to benefit from natural surveillance of other users and neighbours. None of the play equipment will have enclosed sides. Anti Social Behaviour is something we can monitor once the changes are made. For more information about how Mid Sussex District Council deal with Anti Social Behaviour visit https://www.midsussex.gov.uk/environment-net-zero/anti-social-behaviour-and-crime/ 

Engineers on the design team have used the detailed topographical survey together with the ground appraisal report to come up with a design which aims to deal with the water within Hemsleys Meadow and Finches Field. A full Flood Risk Assessment was produced and is available to see as part of the planning package on the Online Public Register. The drainage engineer consulted as part of the planning process is  satisfied that the development has shown it can be suitably drained. It is the intention to not alter the flood risk to neighbouring properties, whilst making the site more accessible for more of the year.

The car park is under lease, together with MacNaughton Hall, to Slaugham Parish Council. Talks between Mid Sussex District Council and the Parish Council regarding work to the car park are ongoing outside of the masterplan project.