Development Special: Destroying Green and Pleasant Land
Sandrock Bends
Local residents are campaigning to save an area of land on The Ridge opposite Conqueror’s March pub from an estate of 65 houses.
The 3.88 hectare site is listed in the Local Plan for the development of 80 new homes. Protestors argue the greenfield site is a vital wildlife link between St Helen’s Woods and the High Weald AONB and developers have failed to consider wider environmental factors including flooding and increased traffic.
Consultants AAB Architects have developed an alternative strategy, keeping the nature corridor and protecting wildlife. New homes would be located away from the central, most ecologically important part of the site, making use of existing road access. They propose an alternative development model of flats within a larger apartment block instead of detached houses with garages.
Tilekiln Fields
A large greenfield site off Harold Road and Fairlight Avenue in Ore, near the Hastings Country Park. The development plan is for construction of 200 houses which protesters say would have dire consequences. “We are already facing intermittent water supplies and an overwhelmed sewage system. Adding 200 homes will exacerbate these issues, impacting new residents and all existing homes in the area. It would destroy local wildlife habitats, irreparably alter the natural landscape and increase the risk of flooding further down the Bourne.”
A petition signed by 722 supporters argues the Tilekiln fields are “vital green spaces that support our environment and our community spirit. We should explore sustainable solutions to meet our housing needs without losing our invaluable green spaces.”
Protesters say two other contentious Ore sites around Winchelsea and Rock lanes are also in the draft Local Plan “because private landowners have put them forward for inclusion”.
St Leonards Bathing Pool Site
A hotly contested area at West Marina in St Leonards. HBC granted a 250-year lease to a developer, WMSLL, which proposes up to 151 new homes. A petition signed by more than 3,000 residents has called for it to be retained as a community and leisure space.
“HBC’s stated policy was for a viable and attractive proposition to transform the site into a destination point, provide enhanced leisure opportunities and see much-needed investment in the area,” says Anna Sabin of the West St Leonards Neighbourhood Forum. “This is just what local residents and the whole town would like to see there too. But the company’s recently published plans fall far short. It’s no good having a plan if no attempt is made to stick to it.”
Convent of the Holy Child Jesus
A ten-acre site of the former convent to the east of Magdalen Road, St Leonards.
The council says it’s working with Historic England and the site owner to bring forward a development brief and masterplan. ‘Save the Convent’ protesters believe the playing fields will be offered to developers for housing. They argue the existing buildings should be converted to dwellings and the land, containing a nun’s graveyard and unmarked graves of babies and children from the old poor school, should be retained as a community garden, orchard and allotments.
Breadsell Woods
Arguments over development at Breadsell Lane in Combe Valley have been going on for more than a decade. Community groups originally opposed the building of 1,000 new houses on the greenfield site, highlighting potential damage to the adjacent Marline Valley Woods site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
After objections from Natural England about the SSSI saying development could affect the bryophyte populations by the Marline Stream, the planning proposal was shelved. However, new ‘Save Breadsell Woods’ social media campaign raises fears that the site could be forced back into the Local Plan with proposals to build more than 500 homes on this “beloved green area and surrounding woods.
Speckled Wood
The Draft Local Plan identified land on Graystone Lane in Ore for housing, saying it was “next to” Speckled Wood. Objectors say that’s misleading as plans show the land sits within Speckled Wood itself. Building there would mean cutting into the woodland, not building beside it.
Currently Speckled Wood is designated as Local Green Space giving it strong protection. This was confirmed in 2015 by a Planning Inspector who accepted Hastings needs more homes, but concluded that Speckled Wood should not be built on, saying it is “demonstrably special to the local community”.
We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. You can also support local journalism by becoming a friend of HIP. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.
Leave a Reply