Objections to housing development in Eastbourne

I wish to raise objections to the Sharnfold Farm development application click here to read.

This application claims to be ‘sustainable development’ but any building on this field is not sustainable.

Sharnfold Farm won the Award for Farm Shop of the Year in the Sussex Food and Drink Awards 2016.

One of the reasons for this award is that this field where the development is proposed has produced nutritious vegetables until recently. It is now grazed by valuable sheep.

The geology of the soil and the highest levels of sunlight in the country combine to produce vital crops.

Families and thousands of tourists visit every year and enjoy picking fruit and vegetables and learning about where their food comes from.

This local food reduces the food miles and the carbon footprint to help meet essential climate change targets.

The UK Government, East Sussex County Council and Wealden have declared a climate emergency and set carbon neutral targets for 2050. Nearby Eastbourne has a carbon neutral target for 2030.

Replacing this important field with concrete is not a sustainable development.

This land is outside the Stone Cross development boundary which protects the countryside.

This is essential for the long term economic benefits generated by tourism, this will be even more important for post Covid regeneration.

Tourism is predicted to provide much of the employment growth in the area.

This agricultural field is an efficient use of land it is vital for its importance to well-being and healthy places.

The field needs to remain in production to meet the needs of future generations.

Development would be a character change from rural to urban with the total loss of valued landscape and local distinctiveness.

Traffic access would be on a dangerous double bend.

There is no environmental impact assessment.

Developers state that tall poplar trees provide an important wildlife corridor.

Houses would be too near to these trees.

Polluted water drainage into the protected wildlife area of Pevensey Levels would be increased.

The Wealden drainage engineer states that any development should protect water quality.

Development north of the A27 bypass is contrary to the local plan. Hundreds of houses are being built in Stone Cross, which overloads roads and services.

Residents can comment via the Wealden District Council website’s planning applications section.