You saw Sold as Seen at Fulking Fair and, at 7:00pm on the 15th August, you can see them again at The Hiker’s Rest in Saddlescombe. Tickets are on sale at the cafe, £7.50 without food, £15.00 to include buffet.
Latest News of Local Interest
Rural burglary arrests
The Argus reports:
The 26-year-old man and 24-year-old woman, both from Worthing, were questioned after homes .. were broken into in May, June and July. The homes broken into were in Balcombe Road, Crawley, Bramlands Lane and Wheatsheaf Road in Henfield, Woodpecker Lane and Link Hill in Storrington and West Chiltington Lane in Billingshurst. Among the items stolen were electrical equipment, jewellery and cash.
The draining of Lake Pippin
The work started on Monday, as scheduled, and has now been completed.
Beginning Nature Photography
Tutor: David Plummer
Venue: Woods Mill
Date: Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th September
Time: 10:00–16:00 both days
A two day course for beginners with digital SLR cameras only. Day 1: Camera basics, manual control, manual metering, aperture priority and depth of field control. Day 2: advanced metering, composition, making a good shot better, fieldwork and supports, focussing and where it goes wrong, putting it all together.
How to Engage in the Planning Process for the Benefit of Wildlife
[If you are planning to convert your fields into a new market town, or trying to stop someone else from doing so, then this brief tutorial may be just what you need.]
Laura Brook and Jess Price look at how to engage with planning processes and its impact on wildlife with reference to biodiversity legislation and how to respond to planning applications on biodiversity grounds: (i) an introduction to the planning system in England and key biodiversity legislation & guidance; (ii) the process involved in responding to a planning application on biodiversity grounds; and (iii) some examples of planning applications. A basic run through of the planning system in England and key biodiversity legislation and guidance. An outline of the process involved in responding to a planning application on biodiversity grounds. The course will be run from an ecological stand point and will not cover other planning issues.
Woods Mill, Saturday 4th October, 10:00am–12:30pm. Book here.
Cross the A283 and live! [update 3]
The Shoreham Herald reports that work is about to begin on the new bridleway that will allow users of the Downs Link to avoid having to cross the A283.
David Barling, county councillor for Bramber Castle, said ..
The underpass scheme is intended to provide a much better and safer route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders by removing the need to cross the open A283 bypass, which is extremely dangerous, you usually take your life in your hands crossing at this point.
Edburton Contractors, working for West Sussex County Council, is programmed to begin initial clearance works [today]. Mr Barling explained:
This means having a look at the site and clearing scrub and trees or tree roots that may need removal along the highway verge. This initial phase will take a couple of weeks and then proper construction works will start on Monday, August 18, and it is hoped that these will last no more than four weeks to complete. The finished pathways will then be left to settle down for a couple of weeks more and then [be] fully open to pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.
Progress report
Update 4th August — photos by Tony Brooks of the work in progress over the weekend:
The UK National Property Register
[There’s a sister service called CheckMEND, the fence’s friend: if someone offers you a purportedly stolen iPad in a pub you can use this service to check that the item really has been stolen and that the seller is not simply trying to palm you off with something that he bought from a shop quite legally but has got bored with.]
SDNPA issues first article 4 direction [update 2]
The Hampshire Chronicle reports the views of the farmer in the case:
The national park misrepresented the situation. They have decided that because I repositioned a gateway that I was going to sub-divide the field. They have used their powers wrongly. They have stopped us putting stock there. They have misused the legislation. The trouble with the national park is that they have too much power. They should have come to me and consulted me. At no point was I going to sub-divide or put horses there. I have spent a lot of money restoring the field to meadowland from arable. The national park is wasting everybody’s money. Authority gone mad. They have taken away my right and I cannot even put cattle in. The park authority is jumping because a few people make a fuss.
