Downland sites saved from sell-off

Protest over downland sale (Photograph: Brenda Pollack)Protest over downland sale (Photograph: Brenda Pollack)
Protest over downland sale (Photograph: Brenda Pollack)
Green campaigners welcomed news this week that two areas of land on Sussex Downs will no longer be sold.

The potential sell-off of green spaces at Poynings and Plumpton was fiercely contended by groups including Brighton and Hove Friends of the Earth (BHFOE) and numerous Green councillors.

Chris Todd from BHFOE said: “This is a vindication of our belief that enough money had already been raised without the need to sell these important assets.

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“Following the recent protests in Eastbourne and Brighton, politicians across Sussex have been reminded just how strongly people feel about their ownership of the South Downs.”

Protest over downland sale  (Photograph: Brenda Pollack)Protest over downland sale  (Photograph: Brenda Pollack)
Protest over downland sale (Photograph: Brenda Pollack)

These areas should now avoid the fate of the Devil’s Dyke estate which was recently sold into private ownership, where ancient trees have been felled.

Green councillor Ollie Sykes said his key concern throughout the campaign was that if these other areas of land were sold off, the public sector bodies taking on their protection would have fewer resources to do so effectively.

He said: “Greens welcome the council’s announcement and have worked hard for this decision. The South Downs is an iconic landscape and habitat of huge importance to our city and nationally. It’s great news that we’re not going to sell it off bit by bit.”

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Mr Sykes also referenced the continued reduction of environmental protection under the current government and the risk – in light of Brexit – that existing protection of green land may soon become irrelevant outside EU law.

Protest over downland sale (Picture: Brenda Pollack)Protest over downland sale (Picture: Brenda Pollack)
Protest over downland sale (Picture: Brenda Pollack)

A spokesperson for Brighton and Hove City Council said that the sell-off was set to generate an estimated £360,000, but that funds from the Stanmer Park Restoration Project were likely to exceed their original targets, meaning the Plumpton and Poynings land would not need to be sold.

The final decision will be made at the policy, resources and growth committee on May 4 of this year.

Dave Bangs, a key member of the environmental campaign to protect the areas, said: “We need a new culture of openness and democratic inclusion in the management of the downland Estate, to bring in the democratic voices of all local lovers of the Downs and to end the culture of secretive and narrow commercial management.”

Chris Todd of Friends of the Earth said: “Rather than seeing these landholdings as liabilities, councils need to start making more of their benefits.”

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