Society Annual Meeting – 20 July, 19.00 at the Barn on the Green.
Please put the date in your diary!
With the prospect of an ‘Eton new town’ on our doorstep – and all the implications that brings for traffic, local services and the environment – this year we hope to have two speakers, including a representative from the CPRE, to explain the current status of the planning system, how it has led to so many housing development applications in the Lewes area, and how we can help combat the threat.
Come and enjoy a glass of wine and an interesting evening. More details nearer the date.
New Planning Application for ‘Land West of the Drove’
A new planning application (SDNP/23/01792/FUL) has been made to the South Downs National Park Authority seeking formal planning approval on the ‘land west of the Drove’ for “Use of land as a Camp Site at weekends between May and August Inclusive to include bank holidays, with set-up Friday and take-down Monday and an area retained for horse keeping”.
Those wishing to comment have until 6 June and the determination deadline is stated to be 22 June. The Ditchling Society has objected to this application. A number of similar applications have been made in the past, none have been approved although two are still subject to Appeal.
Currently under general permitted development regulations the applicant may use the land for camping for no more than 28 days in total in any calendar year. The planning authority has recently issued an enforcement notice alleging that this limitation of use has been breached in the past. The notice takes effect on 14 June 2023 unless an appeal is made beforehand. If the notice takes effect the owner has 28 days to comply.
Updating our website and Facebook site
We have spent some time recently getting to grips with technology. We have been working on a new-look Facebook presence and we will be adding a new website in the near future. Try to contain your enthusiasm – further details will be coming soon!
Swifts
Since 2018 we have been trying to attract swifts back to nest in the tower of St Margaret’s. Again this year we have installed a ‘swift call’ system above the five nest boxes installed in the louvres on the east-facing wall of the tower. Swifts are semi-colonial creatures and like to nest near their fellows. If you are near St Margaret’s in the morning or evening, listen out for the distinctive screeching call of the swifts. The likelihood is it will be one of our recordings, but cast your eyes around the skies – who knows, the noise may be coming from one of these wonderful birds.
Julia Goodbourn and Steve Dempsey
Co-chairs, the Ditchling Society.