Latest News of Local Interest

Too Much Too Soon

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The New York Dolls 1974 Too Much Too Soon
The Country Landowners Association has been telling the Midhurst and Petworth Observer about their views on the South Downs National Park Authority’s looming Community Infrastructure Levy. Their enthusiasm is muted:

An unfair and unreasonable CIL system .. could stifle the rural economy and exacerbate the 
lack of rural housing in the area. We are concerned the SDNPA is planning to introduce this levy too soon and without demonstrating sufficient evidence for a genuine consultation. If the new charges are to be introduced, they must be planned and delivered through a thoughtful, transparent and evidenced process rather than a rush to raise money. The stated date for adoption of the South Downs Local Plan is 2017, but the CIL charges are proposed to start in 2015. At the proposed rates, the levy on developing a three-bedroom house of 150 square metres, for example, would add £30,000 to the development cost. If these charging rates are not developed with care and evidence, there could be a severe consequence on rural development ..

[Discographical footnote: it is the forty year anniversary of the release of Too Much Too Soon by the New York Dolls.]

Pyecombe Church to Lewes Priory

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Lewes Priory
The Sussex Express quotes Keith McKenna of Footprints of Sussex:

“We have found a lovely 10½-mile downland route between the two, avoiding the more obvious South Downs Way, and have arranged tea and cakes at the end and a coach to take us back to Pyecombe.”

Footprints is organising the walk in conjunction with Pyecombe Church. The local community has an ambitious project to improve facilities at the church for the many visitors who pass through the village on one of the walking trails.

The cost is £17.50 per person including the coach travel from Lewes to Pyecombe and tea and cake at the end of the walk. The walk is to start promptly at 10:00am from Pyecombe Church on 17th May. The booking form is here [PDF].

Saddlescombe Farm Open Day

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Dew pond at Saddlescombe Farm
The National Trust writes:

Discover this ancient downland farm that was once owned by the Knights Templars. Tours of the 17th century buildings, the surrounding downs and the walled garden. Displays and demonstrations of traditional work including; hurdle making, shepherding, carpenters’s workshop and more. This year we are delighted to introduce our new farmers Roly and Camilla — so watch out for newly born lambs and their sheep dog Belle. Tea and home-made cakes available.

Sunday 27th April, 10:30am–4:00pm, adult £5, child £3, family £13.

Get stuffed

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Potter's Museum Bramber
Local readers who qualify for a bus pass will recall childhood visits to Potter’s Museum when it still occupied the building in Bramber that housed it for a hundred years. Somewhat younger readers may have visited it in Arundel. The youngest will have had to travel to Cornwall to see it prior to closure a decade ago. Today’s Telegraph provides a convenient photo sequence to awaken the relevant memories.

Monday 21st: the Daily Mail catches up.

Do androids dream of electric sheep?

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Do androids dream of electric sheep?
The West Sussex County Times reports:

The majority of Horsham district councillors opposed the development of solar farms proposed for Steyning, Ashurst and Partridge Green by three separate applicants at the Development Control Committee meeting on Tuesday April 15.

Although the three applications had to be considered separately and based on their own merits, councillors and residents claimed that the solar energy generators, as a whole, would impact on the rural landscape and set a precedent for future applications if approved, despite all having no objections from the South Downs National Park Authority.

Philip Circus (Con, Chanctonbury) said that the council spends much of its time discussing the aesthetic impact developments have on the South Downs, but when it comes to renewable energy that debate seems to go ‘out of the window’.

“I think we’re spoiling the countryside for no good reason and we should not be swept up onto this bandwagon of renewable energy,” he said.