Mid Sussex MP joins fight against three-month Haywards Heath road closure

Developer Redrow is to close Balcombe Road, Borde Hill Lane and Hanlye Lane for three months in June, to build a new roundabout as part of the Penlands Green development.

The business owners say the closure of the major route into Haywards Heath will cause huge disruption and will threaten the survival of their businesses.

But the developer says that the safest and most effective way to construct the new roundabout is a full closure.

Jeremy Ashpool, of Jeremy’s Restaurant and Café Elvira, said this week: “Mims Davies totally understands the gravity of the situation if full and prolonged closure of this crucial local route goes ahead this summer, and is currently working on a ‘planned intervention’ on behalf of the group and the local community.”

Ms Davies visited the businesses on February 21, and expressed her support and concern about the closure, Mr Ashpool said.

“The MP had discussions with the group about the potential impact on job security and the knock-on effect across the wider community and local economy,” he told the Middy.

He said businesses accept that the roundabout construction works are a necessary part of the housing development, but believe that those works can be achieved by a series of partial closures designed to fit in with the construction programme.

A Change.org petition has been set up in a bid to prevent the road closure and has been signed by more than 4,000 people.

Mr Ashpool said: “Feelings are running high – you have only to read the comments accompanying the signatures to sense just how concerned and angered local people are – not only for the future survival of the businesses, but also the havoc full closure would wreak on their daily lives.”

Redrow originally planned to close the road in March last year, but withdrew its application ‘to give local businesses the opportunity to put in place appropriate contingency plans’.

Sam Phillips of The Green Tree Gallery said this was ‘plainly ridiculous’, adding: “What kind of contingency plans would Redrow suggest – relocating the businesses, or perhaps helicoptering staff and visitors in and out of the site?’

The Greater Haywards Heath Bike Ride was moved from spring to autumn due to concerns over the road closure, and as a result organisers struggled with adverse weather conditions and a decrease in attendance.

The event will also not be staged this year and will instead continue again in the spring of 2021.

To sign the businesses’ petition, visit www.change.org/p/mid-sussex-district-council-prevent-the-full-closure-of-balcombe-road-to-borde-hill-businesses.