'It was people power'

A highly-controversial application for a large housing development in Willingdon was refused last week and a residents association says it’s a ‘very welcome decision’.
Local people were celebrating this weekLocal people were celebrating this week
Local people were celebrating this week

A highly-controversial application for a large housing development in Willingdon was refused last week and a residents association says it’s a ‘very welcome decision’.

Wealden District Council’s Planning Committee North considered the plans to build 700 new homes on land known as Mornings Mill Farm at a meeting last week (Thursday, December 9).

The meeting concluded with the plans being refused.

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Now Willingdon Residents Association and the parish council has welcomed the news.

Councillor John Pritchett BEM, chairperson for Willingdon and Jevington Parish Council and the residents association called the news a ‘very welcome decision’ in an open letter.

Cllr Pritchett said, “Willingdon and Jevington Parish Council thanks all those on Planning Committee North for their decision to uphold the Planning Committee South’s refusal. The council has objected very strongly on behalf of the hundreds of residents (over 1,000) who objected, which would be condemning the village to part of the

Eastbourne suburban sprawl, cancelling one of our last green spaces and removing its rural character forever.”

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The letter said councillors had ‘fought this application for many years now’.

Councillor John Pritchett said, “I thank all members of the Action Group led by Ruth Sheppard; our local Parish Council Large Development Sub Committee of Andy Watkins, Douglas Murray, Frances Pritchett, Ian Nisbet and I who will continue to fight against this development as we, and our council, have done for many years now.

“A huge thank you too to all our residents for their hard work in putting forward such a strong case for refusal against the views of District Council Planning Officers, many of whom do not know this area well enough to appreciate the problems that our residents have to endure on a daily basis, and which ultimately met with success. A perfect example of local democracy and people power at its finest!”