18 May 2006
NEW PLAYER JOINS BATTLE AGAINST COUNCIL PLANS FOR STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT
A new voice has joined the crusade to fight against Mid Sussex District Council's unwelcome plan to build a large-scale housing development of 2,500 homes in the East Grinstead area. The Worth Way Action Group, a collection of highly motivated and vocal residents, has been formed following publication of MSDC's Area Action Plan and its controversial proposal to turn the Worth Way into a 62ft wide "relief" road linking the development with the town centre.
In its campaign of awareness the Group hopes to highlight the consequences of the plans and its relief road options to East Grinstead residents, and to draw attention to the councils own figures that contrary to providing relief to the town, actually forecasts increased rat-running and significant rises in traffic levels to the area.
Said Heidi Brunsdon, spokesperson for the Group: "If we allow this action to go ahead two vitally important wildlife corridors with the biodiversity they sustain will be eradicated, along with every single tree. With one fall of the construction axe this much valued walk-way which provides enormous pleasure to residents, commuters and recreational users will be lost forever to make way for a "relief" road that will actually deliver more traffic into the town centre."
The Worth Way Action Group will be "going-live" on Friday May 19 with its own website:
www.worthway.org.uk. The site is intended to provide anyone affected by the proposals a helping hand in identifying the best possible ways to go about opposing the plans. It will set out clear objectives, draft letters, links to other sites, contact details, as well as detailed maps of the route. The group is also planning to include on the site a "hot spots" map which will "flag-up" some of the many rat-runs which have been forecast in the councils own plans.
-ends-
