Mayfield Market Towns have stated that they control 464 acres of land in Horsham District, and 135 acres in Mid-Sussex District, some within the site proposed for their new town and some outside, but they have not yet provided evidence to support this claim. LAMBS, by contrast, currently has over 4,300 acres signed up as ‘not available’. They have released an interesting two-page document [PDF] that deals with valuation and compulsory purchase issues.
PP Correction
Please note that Bob’s contact number for the forthcoming Wine Quiz was wrong in the printed version of the Pigeon Post – it should be 271. That’s the Wine Quiz on Saturday 24th January, 7 for 7.30 pm. Tickets from Bob 271 or bob.pamrowland@btinternet.com
And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear
The Duke of Burgundy butterfly is one of the most rapidly declining and threatened species of butterfly in the UK. Numbers have crashed by over 50 per cent since the 1970s and only about 100 colonies remain. In 2003, just eight Duke of Burgundy butterflies were recorded in the whole of Sussex. Over the next two years, Neil Hulme and Steyning Downland Scheme volunteers will be planting cowslip to encourage the Duke of Burgundy back to the chalk grasslands of the Steyning Downland. Neil has already been successful in seeing the Duke of Burgundy return to Chantry Hill, about nine miles west of the Steyning Downland. There will be opportunities for local people to work with Wakehurst Place/Kew; to collect cowslip seed and grow cowslip plants; to learn how to identify and monitor the butterflies; and to conserve their habitat. Anyone who is interested should go to the free launch event at the Steyning Centre at 7:00pm on Monday 8th December to find out more. More here.
Bobservation No. 2
In praise of Preston Nomads Cricket Club…
The recent mini-furore over the licence application by Preston Nomads which, as I understand it, is to regularise their existing position, made me realise just how lucky we are in Fulking to have a cricket club of such note within the parish.
Other than the manic way in which some of the members can drive their cars from time to time, I do not recall any nuisance being caused by the club since the new pavilion was built and indeed before that.
In retrospect it was probably a pity that the principal access to the club was not arranged from the Poynings Road instead of Clappers Lane, but that is how it is and we all have to make the best of it.
I doubt there is, architecturally, a more attractive cricket club building in the South of England and the setting on a summer’s day is just magic viewed against the Downland backcloth.
Paul Hird, the Chairman of the club, has always gone out of his way to be welcoming to villagers and in particular St Andrew’s church has found the availability of the clubhouse for events a great blessing. The club have, over the years, been very generous in donating very attractive hampers for village events and making the clubhouse available to the village.
Let us count our blessings and see if we cannot appreciate the club more.
Bob Rowland
Steyning Arts Christmas Exhibition
At Steyning Centre on Saturday 6th December from 10:00am to 4:00pm. In addition to the art, there will be seasonal refreshments sold in aid of SAFeR (the Steyning version of HART).