A new Wealden Local Plan produced by the Liberal and Green alliance at Wealden is out for consultation and it is a disaster for our villages, says Conservative Cllr Roy Galley who represents Maresfield & Buxted Division at County Hall.
"When first elected as a district councillor in 2007, my priority was to protect the rural nature and environment of our village communities.
In the Planning strategy I submitted in 2013, the aim was to build 450 houses per year and prevent any development within seven- kilometres of the Forest. The courts overturned this in 2015 on a technicality, although developers were required to pay contributions for environmental improvements. Now the Labour government insists on a target of over 1,500 houses per year. I fear if implemented we will become one large suburban mass.
I accept that we need homes which local people can afford but this should not be achieved by concreting over our precious green space.
Not really a plan
The Plan published by Wealden Council is not really a plan. There is certainly no strategy. It is based on meeting government targets.Where landowners are wanting to sell their land and make a fortune, this land is put into the Plan.
The consequence is the urbanisation of North Wealden.
Business park looms large
Along with me and many others, The Greens at Wealden opposed the extension of the Ashdown Business Park in Maresfield on the grounds that it was too big, would destroy good agricultural land and Ancient Woodland. It would also change the character of the surrounding area.
Well, Lo and Behold, it is in the Local Plan!
Green betrayal
At the time, the Green Party council candidates said: “We must save this precious green space” and that only they would and could do that. It was the focus of their campaign to be elected. It has been included in the plan as an option and so is likely to go ahead.
The same is true of the Owlsbury Development of 1,500 houses which will destroy huge swathes of our countryside. The Uckfield by-pass will cease to be a by-pass at all but a road running through a much extended town.
Many sites across Buxted and Maresfield are in the Plan. Whilst Nutley, Danehill, Chelwood Gate, Fletching, Isfield and High Hurstwood are not directly affected because of their proximity to the Ashdown Forest, the total impact especially of the Owlsbury development will affect us all.
The Green Party, who dominate the Wealden alliance and effectively control the council, promises us a ‘fairer, greener Wealden”. Well they are concreting it over without any consideration for the infrastructure such as water, sewage and roads required for such a large amount of development
In my view, The Plan should have concentrated building near the A22/A27 junction with better transport links, infrastructure and more job opportunities. We should be building on the road and rail systems already there and have an infrastructure plan to accompany the housing plan."
