Friends of Speckled Woodgather support

Amber Rudd MP and Martin Newbold of Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust

The Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust spent a day in Priory Meadow Shopping Centre last week collecting opinions on the consultation on the Hastings Local Development Plan.

Last Saturday the trust set up a stand inside the mall with the with the help of the Badger Protection Society.

They were visited by MP Amber Rudd.

Ms Rudd said: “Martin Newbold has been fighting a respectful campaign throughout.

“And I was pleased to hear that the Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust has been conducting their own report into Hastings Borough Council’s (HBC) Management Plan.

“Protecting open green spaces like Speckled Wood, is essential to the wellbeing of all Hastings residents and important to me.

“All of those involved should be proud of getting this far and I look forward to seeing their full findings at the end of the month.”

The trust said the event was very successful 500 representations were taken to the stand and nearly all of them had been successfully completed.

The total number of responses as of Monday, March 16 was 664.

There is currently a six-week consultation taking place until March 27 for the public or interested parties to make any comments on the inspector’s recommendations.

After this the council can modify its plan to accommodate the suggestions and then there would be another period of consultation before a final plan is submitted to the Government’s planning inspectorate.

The consultation is available through the trust’s website until next Friday (March 27) until .30pm.

The trust was established in 2012 to save Speckled Wood from being used for housing.

For more information visit http://www.friendsofspeckledwoodmanagementtrust.org.uk/consultation.