Letter to the editor A call to Crawley Borough Council to upgrade Ifield Brook Meadows local green space to a nature reserve, before it's too late

‘West of Ifield Rural Fringe’ within the ancient Parish already has some protection in the approved Crawley Local Plan - which includes the ‘hidden gem’ of Ifield Brook Meadows Local Green Space [LGS] and Crawley Millennium Greenway:

“Proposals which respect this area of locally special rural fringe…will be encouraged” [Policy CL8 - Para 4.67 - Page 60].

To this end, Ifield Park Local Nature Reserve [LNR] is proposed - which would require Crawley Borough Council [CBC] to upgrade its Local Green Space [LGS] to a Local Nature Reserve [LNR].

Crawley Observer-Sussex World reports on Homes England:

“The exhibition included reassurance that Ifield Brook and Ifield Brook Meadows would be ‘retained and protected’ and that housing along its boundary would ‘respect the sensitive landscape setting’”.

This is palpable nonsense from the government housing quango - and disturbing:

Ifield Brook Meadows is already protected by the CBC-designated Local Green Space [LGS] and Homes England own map clearly shows houses will be built right up to the banks of Ifield Brook - showing a near-criminal contempt for “the sensitive landscape setting” of this beautiful area.

I call upon Crawley Borough Council to upgrade Ifield Brook Meadows Local Green Space [LGS] to Ifield Park Local Nature Reserve [LNR] - before it’s too late.

Richard W. Symonds. MCIPD

The Ifield Society - ‘Save Our Ancient Parish’ Campaign

Ifield Street, Ifield Village

Crawley, West Sussex

NB A Walk will take place this Saturday [May 10th] to the ‘West of Ifield Rural Fringe’ - 11am from the Ifield Plough [return by 1pm].