Toads Hole Valley at some 47 hectares is by far the largest, but is being sacrificed by the City Council to meet its housing targets. In reality the Council are taking the easy option of not putting a determined effort into developing existing brown field sites including building above existing open car parking such as in Lewes Road; returning empty properties – public and private – into use; consideration of converting disused shops as shopping habits change and use the existing accommodation above. All these use existing infrastructure and could regenerate areas of our town. The Council prefers the easy option of taking our precious green field open land; Ominously the Planning Inspector who is reviewing the Draft City Plan Part One has asked the Council to reconsider the use of the “Urban Fringes”. The Council had already reduced the protection of these countryside “Urban Fringes” which had initially been promised when they put forward the development of Toads Hole Valley.

I see on the Argus website this morning (Oct 10 2013) that B&H Albion are floating the idea of a £55 million development at Falmer with a four star hotel, a new fans’ car park and student accommodation. So much for promises (?) of no more development! I tend to put B&H Albion at Falmer on my lost causes list, but it should be on our radar.

Stuart Derwent (Planning)