Demonstrators expected in Mid Sussex ‘Localism’ fight

He said: “I have today made a count of 58 properties in Walstead. One of these is Walstead Place which is a home for the elderly and so has numerous occupants.

“There is a sign at both ends of this settlement on the Scaynes Hill road that indicate to motorists that they are entering Walstead.”

Tony is one of the hundreds of opponents battling to stop a new housing estate of 230 homes that could be built on nine fields on the edge of Lindfield, Haywards Heath and Scaynes Hill.

Mid Sussex District Council’s planning committee will vote on it at it meeting today (Tuesday) at 2pm.

Demonstrators are expected outside the council’s offices and Sussex Police have been alerted.

Other properties that Tony has highlighted, that demonstrate the existence of the hamlet of Walstead include Great Walstead School, Walstead Forge, Walstead Cemetery and Burial Ground, Little Walstead Farm, Walstead Manor, Walstead Place Farmhouse and Walstead Grange, all of which bear the historic name.

Tony said: “In not too distant history (I’m 47 and I can remember) Walstead had a village store, a bakery, a meat pie factory, a large sheep farm, a large pig and dairy farm, a nursery school, a forge and even a factory producing around 30 speed boats a year.

“Sadly only the forge remains operational today and the farrier now works more from his van.

“Despite MSDC spending many tens of thousands of pounds compiling policies to preserve our characteristic landscape and strategic gaps and to avoid coalescence, their own planning department has chosen to completely ignore them all. What a waste of public money.

“These policies are all mentioned on the West Sussex Councty Council landscape architect’s first consultation response on the planning register.”

Tony adds: “It is very sad that in their rebuttal to this, the developers say that, despite all I have mentioned above, Walstead is NOT a recognised settlement.

“Should the committee members vote to approve this application it will be the last nail in the coffin for this Sussex hamlet.

“Hopefully, the committee will do the right thing to preserve what is left of the district’s unique landscape.”