New offices planned for Cowdray Estate development

Plans for new offices for the development at Cowdray Estate have been submitted.

The former stables at the estate would be converted into a office and reception area alongside a cycle storage and electric charging station.

The Rickyard Stables on the A272 Easebourne St to Heath End Lane would be converted as part of the approved development at the estate.

12 new treehouses for tourist accommodations across two woodland areas were approved by the South Downs National Park Authority in March 2021.

In the planning statement, Ashley Wynn from Greenhayes Planning wrote: “The former stable building has been underused for some time and this sits adjacent to the car park which was approved for the treehouse tourism development under 21/ 06365/ CND (as amended).

"This scheme was approved subject to conditions relating to cycle storage and electric charging would have required a separate detached building

and facilities within the site.

"As the treehouse accommodation also requires some form of office and welcome area, it is now proposed to integrate this within the former stable

building along with the cycle storage required for the treehouses.

"This will avoid the need for an additional building within the car park area and will therefore have benefits in terms of landscape and sustainability through the reuse of this redundant building.

"The wider grounds of the building will remain unchanged with the car park area being laid out and landscaped.”

To view the full application visit the South Downs National Park Authority’s planning portal using the reference: SDNP/22/02982/FUL