Strong opposition to new market town expected at public meeting tonight

Opponents to a proposed new market town between Henfield and Sayers Common are expected to pack out a public meeting in Hassocks tonight (Friday October 18).

By The Newsroom

Published 18th Oct 2013, 09:30 BST

Wineham yellow ribbon demo against proposed new town in the area. Pic Steve Robards

Held at Adastra Hall in Keymer Road, the meeting will start at 7.30pm, and will hear residents’ concerns over Mayfield Market Towns’ proposals for a 10,000-home new market town.

MPs Nick Herbert and Nicholas Soames will speak alongside Anthony Watts-Williams of the campaign group Locals Against Mayfields Building Sprawl (LAMBS).

The meeting will be chaired by Roger Smith, vice chair of the Campaign to Protect Rural England Horsham district branch.

On Wednesday campaigners held a seven-mile ribbon protest near Wineham to highlight the area under threat.

While Mayfield’s proposals, which were exclusively revealed in the County Times in September 2012, are not in either Horsham or Mid Sussex district council’s draft housing plans, locals remain concerned about the scheme.

For a full report on the meeting see next Thursday’s West Sussex County Times.