Warning of A259 chaos

PEACEHAVEN Town Council predicts traffic chaos and amenities stretched to breaking point if plans for hundreds of new homes along the Seahaven coastal strip go ahead.

Planning guidelines dictate that more than 2,500 homes must be built in the Lewes district by 2011. And the coast will bear the brunt with 300 planned for Peacehaven, 450 for Newhaven and 183 for Seaford by 2006. Land earmarked in Peacehaven is east and west of the Sports Park.

Peacehaven Town Council is angry that building will not be held back until a package of measures to cut traffic on the busy A259, such as encouraging the use of public transport, is introduced.

In a strongly worded letter to Lewes District Council the town council has warned it will not accept the draft local plan which includes the housing proposals.

Peacehaven Town Council clerk Sheila Baker said: 'The town council is deeply concerned about the level of development that is proposed for Peacehaven. No other urban area within East Sussex has been developed at the rate that Peacehaven has.'

Severe traffic congestion on the South Coast Road during morning and evening rush hours already slows vehicles to crawl, resulting in frustration and delays for travellers.

Mrs Baker added: 'There is a shortage of infrastructure and amenities for the current population and further development would only exacerbate the problem.'

Comments on the draft local plan will be considered by Lewes District Council in the autumn and, if agreed by a government planning inspector, adopted by Christmas