Reader’s letter: Yet another housing plan for Hailsham?

From: Becky Jenner, Misty Acres, Lower Horsebridge , Hailsham
By Letter by a Reader
Published 12th May 2022, 12:31 BST

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I spotted yesterday (Wednesday April 27) in the field off the A271, Lower Horsebridge end, a full topographical survey going on.

Of course they don’t know what it is for, but if I was a gambling person I would put my money on yet another housing development.

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This is the last green breathing space between Hailsham and Lower Horsebridge.

This field next to the A271 at Horsebridge, Hailsham, is pictured underwater after a recent flood. This photograph was sent in by Horsebridge resident Becky Jenner, who has written the letter Yet Another Housing Plan? She sent in the picture to illustrate how the area floods and how unsuitable she considers the site for a housing development. SUS-221105-093808001This field next to the A271 at Horsebridge, Hailsham, is pictured underwater after a recent flood. This photograph was sent in by Horsebridge resident Becky Jenner, who has written the letter Yet Another Housing Plan? She sent in the picture to illustrate how the area floods and how unsuitable she considers the site for a housing development. SUS-221105-093808001
This field next to the A271 at Horsebridge, Hailsham, is pictured underwater after a recent flood. This photograph was sent in by Horsebridge resident Becky Jenner, who has written the letter Yet Another Housing Plan? She sent in the picture to illustrate how the area floods and how unsuitable she considers the site for a housing development. SUS-221105-093808001

The small villages of Horsebridge and Hellingly are being lost to the a greater conurbation of Hailsham.

We are losing precious and increasingly valuable agricultural land at an alarming rate.

The war in Ukraine has highlighted the need for us to be productive agriculturally to a far greater extent than we have been so as not to be reliant on imported commodities. Yet we continue to build on the little land that is left.

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Typical, of course, is that the surveyors turn up when it has not rained for weeks.

This field is a natural flood plain for the Cuckmere and a stream joining it. It works well as a floodplain when left alone but we all know what happens when that water is displaced.

At least three quarters of this field is regularly underwater after just a couple of days rain.

Perhaps the new development will have moorings or houseboats?

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Dare we mention the impact of traffic with noise and air pollution? The A271, along with every route out of Hailsham to join the A22 is already heavily congested at peak times, with traffic backing up for several miles along the A271 in the mornings.

These roads were quiet rural roads and not ever designed to take the volume of traffic they are now seeing. Us residents who live along that stretch of the A271 take our lives in our hands if we want to cross the road and walk along the very narrow pavement.

Lorries thunder pass and the fumes are overwhelming.

I think we all have a responsibility to stand up and fight any more housing developments in this area.

It is saturated already, the infrastructure can’t take it and the residents have had enough!

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Related topics:HailshamREADERUkraine