Those who attended our AGM will know that Shirley Crowther retired as chairman having led the Society with distinction for nearly a decade. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Shirley for all her hard work on behalf of the Society. At the meeting Julia Goodbourn and Steve Dempsey were elected as co-chairs.
This is our first newsletter and provides a brief update on some of the notable events and developments in and around Ditchling.
Sprucing up Ditchling
Thanks go to all those who helped with the village clean-up prior to Remembrance Day. The weekend was hindered by illness and bad weather, but those who ventured out did a great job. Those who deserve particular thanks are Liz Pope, who organised the Ditchling Society’s clean-up effort, and Nick Blake who is out litter picking week-in, week-out. There are also many admirable people who just take care of their own patch on a regular basis. The village looks a whole lot better for all your efforts.
Come the Spring we will embark on a concerted effort to tackle some of the remaining areas that require improvement. We will be in touch nearer the date.
Will we soon be in a different Parliamentary constituency?
Those of you who follow these things will know already that the Boundary Commission is undertaking its third and final consultation on proposed changes to constituency boundaries before presenting its recommendations to government by 1 July next year (2023 Review | Boundary Commission for England (independent.gov.uk).
Ditchling, along with other so-called ‘northern villages’, will be carved out of Lewes constituency and will join a newly formed constituency called East Grinstead and Uckfield. The deadline for final comments is 5 December.
Ditchling has long been at the periphery of the elected institutions to which we belong – district, county and parliamentary – which means we need to make our voices louder to have them heard. This will be even more the case if the centre of gravity of our new parliamentary constituency shifts to urban settlements to the north of us.
Eton College and its plans for a new town
Welbeck Land Limited, the property professionals working with Eton College to build 3,250 houses on land just to the east of Plumpton, have recently written to local councils and organisations. They have now branded themselves as ‘The North Barnes Farm Partnership’ and say they have aspirations for ‘….a small market town where residents’ everyday needs are met within walking and cycling distance from their homes, including new shops, schools, workplaces and open spaces.’
They state clearly on their website: ‘We are not housebuilders or developers, we are a PARTERSHIP (sic)!’ (Yes, they really do misspell and capitalise partnership before emphasising the whole thing with an exclamation mark). It begs the question as to whom the rights to build and develop the land will be sold should planning permission be given.
The coordinating group campaigning against this development is Don’t Urbanise the Downs (donturbanisethedowns.com). its website says that the next area of focus will be Lewes District Council’s consultation on a new settlement in the Low Weald, which it expects to happen during 2023. You can join the campaign by visiting the website.
Other planning matters
A new planning application (SDNP/22/04046/FUL) has been submitted for the field described as ‘Land West of The Drove’, which sits in the development gap between Ditchling and Keymer and has been the subject of a number of previous applications. It proposes ‘Use of land as a campsite for 28 days a year (under Class B Schedule 2, Part 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015) with occasional extended use to allow for tent and supportive infrastructure erection and removal’. Details can be found by entering the application reference at Simple Search (southdowns.gov.uk).
An addendum seeks permission to keep horses on the land at the same time. The Ditchling Society is objecting to this application, but a number of pertinent objections have already been lodged. Comments are required by 1 December.
Finally, the application in Mid-Sussex to build 264 houses to the south of Folders Lane is about to go before the relevant planning committee. The Ditchling Society submitted an objection before the 18 November deadline for comments.
The future
We live in a wonderful part of the world that has been nurtured and cared for over centuries. We are grateful to all of you who continue this tradition. If you have any comments or suggestions on this newsletter or any other local matters, please feel free to contact us: [email protected].
Julia Goodbourn and Steve Dempsey, Co-chairs, the Ditchling Society