Letter published by the West Sussex County Times 26 February 2015

Sir,

Horsham District Council’s decision Decision to approve application to build up to 594 dwellings on countryside at Southwater

Saturday, 28th February at The Clair Hall, Haywards Heath

You are warmly invited to join us for an event we are hosting for our members and all those who love the Sussex countryside on Saturday, 28th February. Hear about issues affecting your local countryside and CPRE’s work. We are delighted to welcome Ian Everest, Sussex Historian, who will reflect on life on a Sussex Farm during the 1950s. Ian will show a cine film from this period and talk about life on the farm and what has happened since. After coffee, Michael Nailard from The Woodland Flora & Fauna Group will talk about the invaluable conservation work of this successful local group.

The latest news on Durand is that they submitted an appeal against the SDNPA's 2013 refusal to grant planning permission in June 2014, a public enquiry was booked for February 2015. On 11 December Durand withdrew their appeal, no reasons were given. Both the SDNPA and the local campaign group have now submitted a costs application to the Planning Inspectorate as considerable preparation work had been undertaken by legal counsel and planning experts. Meanwhile between 40 and 50 Year 9 children are being bussed to West Sussex to spend three nights a week in the former Wispers mansion in Stedham, using planning consent from 2010. No new application has been submitted but it is expected.

Boxal Bridge, a landmark 1850s bridge is threatened by a West Sussex County Council plan to replace it with a two-lane structure.