Part of the greenway route through Ore Valley (photo: Tony Polain).

Join the Ore Valley greenway walk this Sunday!

Come and join Hastings Greenway Group’s last walk of the year this coming Sunday, and see the protected open space which the council plans to transfer to community hands, through which part of the greenway network is set to pass. Nick Terdre reports.

Hastings Greenway Group (HGG) is holding its last walk of the year on Sunday 10 November. This will be a circular stroll around the Ore Valley, starting at Sandown Primary School on The Ridge, walking through Speckled Wood and down to Ore Station, crossing the line and then returning via Broomgrove. The meeting time is 1.30pm.

The latter part of the route will pass through the protected open space in Ore Valley that the council recently announced that it would acquire from regeneration company Sea Space. The council said that, after doing some initial repairs and maintenance, it would look for a community trust or similar organisation to take on the long-term management of the open space.

Ore Community Land Trust tells HOT it has been in discussions with the council regarding taking ownership of this land, and HGG has been part of this.

If all goes well, then, Ore CLT will own the land and HGG will officially have its proposed route through the area. “This is obviously a huge leap forward for both organisations and offers numerous benefits for the local community,” said Ore CLT secretary and HGG chair Tony Polain.

The land includes two important open spaces, according to council leader Peter Chowney – one has a large badger sett and deep ponds that were once used to refill steam engines, while the other includes paths through woodland already maintained by volunteers, with views across the Ore Valley.

“I’m also keen that future ownership and management arrangements protect, as far as possible, the land ever being sold on,” he said.

The protected open space is separate from the old power station site which the Heart of Hastings Community Land Trust hoped to develop with a housing project but which Sea Space decided to put on the market.

A number of development proposals have been submitted, including from HoH, and these were being reviewed, Sea Space told HOT last month.

Meanwhile HGG will be holding a committee meeting at White Rock Hotel starting at 7pm on Wednesday 27 November – anyone interested in becoming involved is welcome to come along.

More information from info@hastingsgreenway.org.

Hastings Greenway Group website and Facebook page.

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