Reader's letter: We still need green spaces in Hastings otherwise homes become prisons

Hastings needs new homes, but their inhabitants need green spaces to enable them to enjoy physical and mental health; otherwise homes become prisons.

After years of allowing the Borough's ‘lungs’ to be built on, our Council is at last realising that it is almost too late to save the last unbuilt-on spaces in the town.

Even the one-time play-spaces of post-war council estates, such a Broomgrove, have now had houses put on them, so that occupants can no longer enjoy grassed areas outside their own homes.

Leaving the Tilekiln sports fields as just that will save the last open fields in the Borough for the free use of all, whereas a new stadium and its accompanying enclosed sports areas will have to charge to pay its way, in one of the UK’s most impoverished areas.

Also, the dereliction of Hastings United FC’s Pilot Field has been deliberate: to help make the case for a replacement venue.

Cllr. Patmore’s argument that putting ‘much needed housing' on the Pilot Field is a necessity, is being economical with the truth.

The estate will be one of ‘luxury homes’ (with splendid views), of which only a 1/4 will be ‘affordable' and rumour has it that this 1/4 will be offset elsewhere, so that the entire development will produce maximum returns for the developers - if they can get going before the present property boom collapses as financial crises escalate.

Finally: Cllr. Patmore appears to believe that a new stadium in Hollington will lead Hastings United Football Club to a glorious future. Does he perhaps see a Cup Final at Wembley? Really?

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