Best in the 1930s

As something of a local historian, I have long affirmed the area between Littlehampton and Worthing was at its best in the 1930s. Limited development in towns and villages then involved large areas of virgin land, properly planned and at sensible density.

A large area remained for all the social needs that might arise, with green belts to enjoy, and for agriculture.

All of this has been squandered. Now there is redevelopment, much of which is a planning disgrace.

Developers are permitted to acquire one or two houses, with modest gardens.

They then present plans with buildings crammed in with a shoehorn.

If redevelopment is to be permitted in a general area, it should be on the basis of overall planning and not opportunistic mayhem.

We have old houses with gardens and new houses jammed in so as to make any good architect squirm.

Sensible old roads, with incongruous mini-estate roads opening out all the way along, like spaghetti junction.

What is to blame overall, is the insane increase in population promoted by Government in the last 60 years.

Every square mile of England could have a village of a thousand people, with the present population of the country.

Sustainable – or is the term really survivable?

We can have a small population, with all the goods it needs, or a large population without.

R. W. Standing

Sea Road

East Preston