LETTER: Bad outweighs the good of plan

Speaking as a long time resident of Burgess HIll perhaps the proposed developments for a part of Burgess Hill town centre are not all glittering.

To look at these proposals objectively:

What the community will lose:

Our cultural centre - Martlets Hall - with no replacement (in spite of over 6,000 signatures requesting a replacement before the hall is demolished).

Lidls from the town centre - to be built in a residential area

Heights Gym facilities

Public toilets (no replacements )

Car parking spaces

What the community will gain:

A 10 screen cinema (jeopardizing the future of our popular Orion Cinema)

146 flats (but no affordable housing - MSDC require a 30 per cent social housing from any development, but not for this?)

Small, retail units but no anchor store

More restaurants (are more needed?)

Overall many of the residents of Burgess Hill think that the disadvantages of the New River Retail proposals far outweigh the advantages.

Janice Henwood

Burgess HIll Town Councillor, Oakwood Road, Burgess Hill

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