Residents urged to back Hassocks neighbourhood plan at referendum

The Liberal Democrats and Labour have both urged Hassocks to back a neighbourhood plan tomorrow (Thursday March 5).
Centre of Hassocks (Photo from Google Maps Street View)Centre of Hassocks (Photo from Google Maps Street View)
Centre of Hassocks (Photo from Google Maps Street View)

For several years Hassocks Parish Council has been working on a plan, during which time large developments have been permitted on Ham Field, Friars Oak and off Ockley Lane.

A draft neighbourhood plan has been approved by a Government inspector and a referendum is set to be held on Thursday.

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The plan contains very strong policies for the protection of the countryside gaps between Hassocks, Burgess Hill, Hurstpierpoint and Ditchling; designates a series of valuable green spaces around the village and a comprehensive series of housing, environmental and design policies.

Bill Hatton, chair of the neighbourhood plan working group, said “Please spare the time to have a look at our Plan. The overwhelming advantage to our village is to have the protection of a Neighbourhood Plan. Not having one will place the village at much greater risk of further unplanned development. We all know that Hassocks is a great place to live and bring up our families. So does the development world.

“Developer interest remains very strong and if our Plan is rejected we will have far less ability to control our future and protect our environment.”

The plan has received the backing of several political parties.

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In a statement on behalf of Hassocks’ Lib Dem county and district councillors: “The neighbourhood plan is not perfect. It contains developments that we did not want and that we fought hard to prevent, including Friars Oak Fields and the 500 off Ockley Lane. We are sorry that, despite our best efforts, we have been unable to stop these developments from happening. Unfortunately, we now have to make the best of them.

“The neighbourhood plan is necessary because without it, there is a far greater likelihood that there will be other unwanted developments in the future.

“We will therefore be voting yes on Thursday, and we urge you to do the same.”

Hurstpierpoint and Hassocks Labour Party is also supportive of the neighbourhood plan, but raises similar regrets about the large-scale developments already approved in despite active campaigns.

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Linda Taylor, chair of the local branch, said that despite all the set backs on local planning over the last few years, the parish council should be praised for their hard work in producing a plan that can finally be put to local residents.

She added: “If this plan isn’t adopted then the village will have very little say in where new developments can take place and Mid Sussex District Council is more likely to continue to ignore local residents views.”