Conservative Councillors for Patcham & Hollingbury Lee Wares, Carol Theobald and Alistair McNair have today vowed to continue fighting to save land earmarked for development adjacent to Horsdean Recreation Ground (25 units) and Ladies Mile Road Nature Reserve (35 units) as proposed in City Plan Part 2.
The Conservative Group moved to delete section H2 - which lists 16 greenfield sites on Brighton & Hove’s urban fringe – in its entirety, that included the land at Horsdean and Ladies Mile; Green and Labour Party councillors unanimously voted for the greenfield sites to remain in the plans for development.
At Full Council, Cllr. Carol Theobald said about the Horsdean site, “This is down land and was designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty. This appalling proposal will mean the destruction of numerous trees and will adversely affect wildlife.
“It has understandably received the most objections from any proposals in the Plan as it will significantly change the setting of the Recreation Ground and the immediate area. I hope that the council will listen to our residents and delete this.”
“How can Greens and Labour sacrifice our green land to make up for their failure to build enough housing on brownfield sites?”, she added.
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Cllr. Lee Wares said “Conservatives councillors, together with residents, had successfully ensured the removal of 46-54 Old London Road (locally known as the McCarthy & Stone site) as a development site from the City Plan. We now need to contest the unnecessary destruction of the other two sites on the edge of the South Downs that are rich in flora and fauna.”
“City Plan Part 2 has set a minimum housing target of 13,200 additional homes. 15,100 have already been identified on brownfield sites without the need to build on the greenfield urban fringe.”
“We need to do all we can to retain these sites in our fight against climate change and to increase biodiversity, and we need everybody’s help again to try and make this happen”.
Cllr. Alistair McNair said “the developments would spoil the rural character of Patcham & Hollingbury, which Green and Labour councillors do not seem to appreciate.”
“Patcham & Hollingbury is not like the built-up centre of Brighton. It is a peaceful, safe, close-knit community on the edge of the South Downs.
“We can’t let the Green and Labour coalition build on the edge of the South Downs National Park, destroying woodland and green open spaces and endanger the wildlife corridors that connect the city and the park for countless species” he said.
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