Major development proposed in the Ditchling/Keymer settlement gap
Ditchling RFC planning application SDNP/23/05134/FUL
Ditchling Rugby Football Club has submitted a planning application for its ground that sits in the settlement gap between Ditchling and Keymer. The Ditchling Society recognises the success of the club, particularly in extending its activities to involve children aged 5-11. However, the enormous scale of what is proposed poses a significant threat to the settlement gap. The application includes:
· A car park for 133 cars and two coaches that is as long as the existing rugby pitch (compare this with the new village car park that has 40 parking bays).
· A groundkeeper’s store extending over 225 square metres that includes a kitchen, male and female lavatories, each with a shower, space for a minibus along with mechanical maintenance equipment, and a first aid room that includes a physio couch.
· An approximately 250-metre-long access road running from the B2112 to the far side of the site.
· A new pillared 20-feet-wide gateway giving access from the B2112.
Temporary planning permission was granted in 2016 for a rugby pitch on this site, followed by full planning permission in 2020.
Originally the club stated that:
· “…. the season lasts from 17th September to 1st April.” This was subsequently extended to include a 1st September start date
· “Ditchling Rugby Club has an agreement with the St James’s and Montefiore Cricket Club for the shared use of their clubhouse facilities and car parking”.
The current application states that sharing changing and car parking facilities with the cricket club “…is no longer acceptable to both clubs” because the playing seasons overlap and the number of people involved with the rugby club has grown. In the 2023/24 season the club has seven fixtures at Ditchling, starting on 16 September 2023, with the last home fixture schedule for 23 March 2024.
The Ditchling Society has some sympathy for the potential inconvenience posed to players and supporters alike. Set against this are the long-term implications of putting structures and roadways on green space that the village overwhelmingly voted to protect through the adoption of the Neighbourhood Plan. Once it’s gone, it’s gone for ever!
The field involved was purchased for £150,000 in 2016. No-one doubts the good intentions of the current owner but, as can be seen from this current application, things can change quickly and significantly.
Whether you support or object to what is proposed, you only have until 21 February to register your views. Go to Simple Search (southdowns.gov.uk) and enter the reference SDNP/23/05134/FUL in the search box.
Safer Roads for Ditchling – Parish Council consultation
If you were unable to attend the traffic exhibition in the village hall on 3 February, there is still a chance to have your say on the future of traffic in the village. The Parish Council has an excellent presentation on its website at Home – Ditchling Parish Council (ditchling-pc.gov.uk). See what the options are, understand the scale of what is proposed, and answer the questionnaire to make sure your views are known. You have until 19 February to make your views known – don’t miss the opportunity.
Lodge Hill Revitalisation
The Ditchling Society will be represented at this event on 24 February. The Turner-Dumbrell Foundation announcement states: “It will be a pop-in event from 1:30 to 4:30pm at the Village Hall on Saturday February 24 th enabling the local community to see what is being planned and hopefully get involved.
“At the event, at 2:30pm, local naturalist Michael Blencowe will give a presentation about the species that live on the hill, and how we intend to nurture them and hopefully attract exciting new ones.
“The foundation will also be funding opportunities for local people to see for themselves, by organising free wildlife walks on Lodge Hill with Michael. People will be able to sign up for these at the event.”
| Julia Goodbourn and Steve Dempsey, co-chairs, the Ditchling Society |