Latest News of Local Interest
“Friends are flowers in life’s garden”
The West Sussex County Times reports:
Henfield residents were stunned to see hedgerows ripped up and trees cut down screening a nursery from a main road .. planning permission for a new structure was only granted by Horsham District Council (HDC) because of the screening provided by the thick tree belt and the bluebell wood .. Permission was granted in 2011 by HDC for a new building for the nursery, subject to conditions around landscaping screening the new structure. However according to the council because the development never commenced conditions did not ‘kick-in’ meaning any site clearance was not seen as development and does not require planning permission.
A283 diversion
The A283 between the A24 and Storrington will be shut between from 6:00am on Saturday 15th February to 5:00am on Monday 17th February, and from 6:00am on Saturday 22nd February to 5:00am on Monday 24th February. The diversion will be routed via the B2139 Thakeham Road, Rock Road and the A24.
Operation Watershed on Clappers Lane
Update – 7th February 2014
I have just been advised by Edburtons that work still cannot start on Clappers Lane due to the weather. They will update me again next week.
Andrea
Update – 29th January 2014
I have just been updated by Edburtons who have been unable to start the work on Clappers Lane due to the current weather and that it is too wet for ditch clearance. The work has been rescheduled to start next Wednesday weather permitting. I will let you know if this changes again.
Andrea
Advanced Notice
Under Operation Watershed (WSCC programme to invest in flood and road repairs) Fulking PC applied for a grant for work to be carried out in Clappers Lane.
The grant has been awarded and Fulking PC have appointed Edburton Contractors to carry out the work on two areas of Clappers Lane, the North End and by The Sands.
When Edburton Contractors met with WSCC in December it was decided that a full road closure was not necessary.The work is due to start on the 27th January 2014.
Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact Andrea Dickson clerk to Fulking PC on andreadicksonfpc@gmail.com or 01444 451060.
—
Andrea Dickson
Clerk to Fulking Parish Council
01444 451 060
12 Turners Mill Road
Haywards Heath
West Sussex
RH16 1NN
andreadicksonfpc@gmail.com
A23 Handcross–Pease Pottage closures
| Date | Duration | Details | Allow an Extra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 10 February to Tuesday 11 February 2014 | Overnight Works 20:00 – 06:00 | Southbound carriageway closed | 20 Minutes |
| Wednesday 12 February to Thursday 13 February 2014 | Overnight Works 20:00 – 06:00 | Northbound carriageway closed | 20 Minutes |
| Thursday 13 February to Friday 14 February 2014 | Overnight Works 20:00 – 06:00 | Northbound carriageway closed | 20 Minutes |
| Saturday 15 February to Sunday 16 February 2014 | Overnight Works 20:00 – 06:00 | Southbound carriageway closed | 20 Minutes |
Broadband Update
Louise Goldsmith, Leader of West Sussex County Council writes:-
Since I last wrote to you in September I would like to update you with progress on our plans to enable connections to better, faster broadband in the county. We aim for the majority of residents and businesses to be able to access superfast fibre-based broadband speeds of 24Mbps in line with national targets and our available funding. We are working hard to beat the government’s target date of Spring 2017 and, by building on the continuing commercial deployment of broadband, ensure that more than 90% of our county can access fibre-based broadband services by Spring 2016.
Since contracting with BT last year we have been carrying out detailed planning to make sure we achieve the best possible coverage for the county in the most cost effective way.
Openreach, BT’s local network business, is carrying out the necessary geographical survey work to challenge or confirm assumptions about how and where the telecommunications network can be built. This will mean reviewing an area of nearly 800 square miles and including 23,000 postcodes. It is a highly complex engineering challenge in our rural and coastal county.
This work is being done in eight overlapping phases and is almost completed for areas in phase one. These areas were identified as important to survey and build first in order to plot the grid for roll out across the county. We anticipate making an announcement before Easter about the first communities to benefit.
To help keep you informed we have created a new website which includes an interactive map to keep track of what is happening where. As we begin building the network we can update the map to show where work is being carried out and when broadband services will become available. The website also has information about the benefits of better, faster broadband and helps to put users in touch with broadband suppliers. The website will be live this week. For more information please do visit www.westsussex-betterconnected.org.uk
4 February 2014
Nature Tots (Spring 2014)
The Sussex Wildlife Trust has developed a Forest School programme specifically for pre-school age children (2-5 year olds) at Woods Mill. Nature Tots is a programme focused around getting pre-school children engaged in wildlife and outdoor activity. It begins on March 5th. More information here.
Warm off the press
Launched today: the SDNPA’s first ever Partnership Management Plan for the South Downs National Park. Click the graphic to download the PDF.
Flood inhibition
Six hundred trees are being planted on farmland in the South Downs National Park to help prevent a repeat of recent flooding and soil erosion.
David Hamilton Fox, who manages the Cowdray Home Farms, in West Sussex, said: “The River Rother in the heart of the South Downs National Park floods most years but this winter has been particularly bad. As well as misery for locals we have lost a considerable amount of topsoil, which is vital for growing crops, and will eventually increase the silt in the river – perhaps leading to more flooding.
More here.