Campaign group 'Don't Urbanise the Downs' fights plans for new town of 3,250 homes

According to the campaign recent water shortages are enough reason alone to rule out the option of including it in Lewes District Council’s (LDC) next Local Plan.

Despite rainfall over the past seven months hitting 250mm more than average in the region according to Southern Water, many Sussex residents are experiencing low or no water - and South East Water is already urging people to use water only for essentials like cooking, drinking and hygiene.

Marc Munier, who leads the campaign, says: “Lack of investment in water infrastructure means water companies can’t even meet demand now – let alone cope with the addition of a new town on what is currently absorbent green land.

“At the moment the Bevern Stream, which runs through the proposed 500-acre new town site, mostly floods into adjacent fields and onto tiny country lanes. But bigger and busier roads to and through a new town, coupled with very little green land means the water will have nowhere to go - and demand from new town residents will soar - creating even worse drought conditions.”

LDC’s current evaluation of Eton’s proposals, which includes an independent review, takes a detailed look at the water situation. More than 99% of respondents to the council’s Issues and Options consultation in summer 2021 said they did not want a new town here.

According to a statement from LDC: “We are currently preparing the next stage of the Local Plan. It is an exhaustive process, as it is only by leaving no stone unturned that we will be able to demonstrate to the planning inspector, at the examination stage, the level of new housing that is sustainable for our district.”

Councillor Zoe Nicholson, leader of LDC, said: “The Don't Urbanise the Downs campaign is quite right to highlight their concerns about water supply. Our summer has only just started, yet there have been thousands of people without water in East Sussex and Kent this week. It is one of many infrastructure issues that alarm me greatly about these deeply unpopular plans for our local countryside.”

The campaign has nearly 7,000 members. For more information visit www.donturbanisethedowns.com

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