Cooksbridge, Offham & Hamsey

CHURCH SERVICES: Sunday, St Peter's Church, 10.15am Sunday School in the church hall, 10.15am Family Communion followed by coffee in the hall.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Sep 2018, 06:00 BST

FESTIVAL OF HARVEST: Saturday and Sunday, September 29 and 30. All Things Bright and Beautiful from 1am until 5pm at St Martin’s Church, Westmeston near Ditchling, on the Lewes Road. Local parking. Refreshments in the parish hall, vintage car rides. Contact Tessa Haughton on 01273 843581 for further information. I was sent this in the post but could not read the enclosed postcard and hope that I have got the details correct.

ADVANCE NOTICE: I have been asked to mention the following. Village Children’s Christmas Party, this year will be on Saturday December 15 in the village hall, Beechwood Lane. The party is paid for by the Trustees of the hall out of the profits made during the year from weddings, parties and general hire. For further information contact Parish Cllr Kate McBrown on 01273 400725.

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STOP HARE COURSING: Pleads the CLA, who are urging the police to step up the fight against hare-coursing gangs and end the misery they cause to animals and farmers. Coursing, which becomes more widespread after harvest, is a crime that causes damage to land and property as well as being cruel to hares and the poor dogs abandoned after the chase. Coursers are hardened criminals who use threats, intimidation and violence against anyone who challenges their actions. To stop this illegal activity, the CLA are calling for the introduction of specific punitive guidelines. Sentences such as vehicle seizure would help to deter (criminals) and make rural communities feel safer. Other recommendations include giving the National Wildlife Crime Unit enough resources to fight coursing. The CLA cautions farmers and landowners against tackling hare coursers directly. Instead they should call the police on 101 or, if the crime is in progress, 999 from a safe location.

LARGE LORRIES: I mentioned a few weeks ago about these huge lorries coming in here early in the mornings, usually around 7am, and sometimes driving down to the cottages, banging on the door to ask my son if this is the Mount Harry development site. Of course it is making us angry as it is clearly signed Courthouse Farm with a No Parking sign as well. This problem has been going on for months now and the last straw was earlier this week, around 7.45am, when this time a large lorry drove down to the cottages to ask if this was Mount Harry Farm. When confronted by my son, who told him that he would have to turn back as there was no exit from the cottages onto the B2116, he managed to jack-knife the trailer while he was ranting and raving at my son, who was furious. He then drove up past the farmhouse, found that he could not turn near the bridleway and reversed into my drive. He then used the most appalling language to my son before driving down our road and having to open the other gate to get out onto the main road. On one occasion one of these huge vehicles, on its way out, hit the hunting gate on the side of the main gates and broke it. No apologies came forth. We have now had enough and my son got in touch with the developers head office and told them to sort it out and use the site at Mount Harry. Enough is enough.

PARISH COUNCIL: East Chiltington PC met on September 12 and there were quite a lot of planning applications to discuss. LW/18/0509 and LW/18/0588 Upper Burrells, Chiltington Lane. Listed Building Consent Application. Replacement and repositioned greenhouse. SDNP/18/03010/HOUS The Grange, Novington Lane. Build a greenhouse for personal domestic use. No objection. SDNP/18/03339/HOUS The Grange, Novington Lane. Proposed two storey side extension, single storey rear extension and internal alterations. No objection. (Permission granted by LDC). SDNP/18/03817/HOUS Novington Oak, Novington Lane. Single storey side extension. Objection. LW/18/0508 Upper Burrells, Chiltington Lane. Listed Building Consent Application. Replacement windows to orangery, stable and studio block. No comment. (Permission granted by LDC)

Decisions by LDC. LW/18/0379 Hurst Barns Farm, Chiltington Lane. Creation of new farm access, on land to the west of the A275. Granted. SDNP/18/02339/HOUS Ashingate Holding, 3 Novington Lane. Single storey ground floor side extension. Granted. SDNP/18/01297/FUL Land at Wooton Farm, Novington Lane. Proposed change of use and conversion of existing building to form holiday lets, surrender of storage yard (B8) use, and use of workshop as ancillary outbuilding. Granted.