Bobservation No. 24

neighbourlinessIt would be good if we could all take into consideration the feelings of our neighbours and communicate with them when a contentious situation happens. This might involve loud music, noisy children, late night barking dogs, trees, hedges, access to a view, parked vehicles or any number of things.

In particular it occurs to me that we might, as a village, consider that the ten-year battle between the village and Mid Sussex District Council over the Market Garden site has been brought to an end, with the decision by that council, complying with a Central Government ruling. In addition to this the recent ruling on the planning application at Conifers is the end of any objection that was raised.

Accordingly, I suggest that the village should now accept that these families are with us for as long as they wish to be, and should be accepted and welcomed as villagers on exactly the same basis as the rest of us. I appreciate that with the original lack of planning consent at the Market Garden site feelings ran high and I have no doubt that there will be objections to this Bobservation but I do implore you to let bygones be bygones and move on. After all, when it comes to planning contraventions there are some villagers who might find it difficult to cast the first stone.