Residents fight glasshouse plans for Almodington

Madestein has submitted plans to build the 23ft-high glasshouses in Almodington after it withdrew its last application.

At a public meeting held by the Almodington Association at the Earnley Concourse on December 12, 120 residents voiced their unanimous opposition to the plans for the glasshouses at Easton Farm.

Association chairman Dries de Vaal said: “The high turnout at the meeting demonstrates the overwhelming level of concern shown by people throughout the Manhood Peninsula regarding this development, and we aim to stop it.”

Various presentations from committee members of the Almodington Association covered the many threats and dangers this project would inflict on local people.

Mr de Vaal added: “There was unanimous agreement that the proposal for the glasshouses is contrary to planning policy.

“The increased HGV and traffic levels on unsuitable country lanes, the increased congestion at the A27 junctions, the flood risk, threats to wild life and habitat, light and noise pollution are all serious concerns which make this development totally unacceptable.

“Also this agro-industrial complex is totally contrary to all the aims and objectives of the recently-approved adjacent Medmerry realignment scheme.”

Sidlesham Parish Council objected to the plans and raised the same worries about traffic and the glasshouses being inappropriate as with Madestein’s first application.

The Almodington Association has also sent in a formal letter of objection.

The committee outlined the action programme the Almodington Association will be pursuing in order to defeat this scheme. Everyone was encouraged to write letters or emails of objection to Chichester District Council by the deadline of December 23. For more information and to see the new plans log on to www.almodington.org.uk