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Hassocks shop plan is
rejected
PLANS to demolish a building in Keymer Road and replace it with a large shop unit and flats have been thrown out by district councillors.
Two thousand villagers opposed the plans by writing directly to Mid Sussex District Council and filling in forms distributed round the village.
Developer Weald Estates Ltd planned to demolish a building, currently occupied by Rocking Horse Antiques market, and replace it with a large shop unit and up to five flats. Although a prospective retailer was not named on the application, Sainsbury’s was mentioned in rumours circulating round the village.
Parish councillor Noel Thomas said the large floor space and long opening hours in the plan pointed to a supermarket, adding: “The applicant has been very clever, by not naming the occupier he has placed officers, both district and county, in a situation where they cannot deal with a number of important issues.”
Hassocks parish council objected strongly to the scheme saying it would generate “an unacceptable amount of additional traffic” and have an “adverse impact on the local economy”.
District councillors threw out the plans after reading objections from traders and residents about the scale of the development, potential parking problems, traffic congestion and the impact of a large supermarket on high street traders.
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Weather for Haywards Heath
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
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Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
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