Marline Valley rally against North Queensway proposals

Around 50 people, including representatives of the Green and Conservative parties, turned up for Seachangewatch’s protest meeting against Sea Change Sussex’s plans to build speculative industrial units on its North Queensway site. Bernard McGinley was among them.

Heavy rain eased in time for a good turnout in the soggy circumstances. The protest was against not-for-profit Sea Change Sussex’s application ref HS/FA/21/00327:

Business park development to deliver business units consisting of 4010m² of light industrial/ manufacturing units (use classes E/B2), 490m² of bespoke space for a local employer, and the renewal of planning permissions HS/FA/16/00330 & HS/FA/18/00761 for car showrooms (1215 sqm), as well as associated uses including plant, pedestrian and vehicular circulation, car parking, cycle parking, hard and soft landscaping and utilities. | Queensway North, Queensway, St Leonards-on-sea

The turnout of about 50 people heard a range of speakers, including Green councillor Julia Hilton, Tory councillor Mike Edwards, Andrea Needham, co-ordinator of Seachangewatch, Dr Judy Clark and Richard Watson of Energise Sussex Coast.  

Cllr Julia Hilton (photo: Bernard McGinley).

The development site is cheek-by-jowl with the Marline Wood Local Nature Reserve, owned by Hastings Borough Council (HBC) but managed by Sussex Wildlife Trust. 

Its diverse and rare wildlife has a remarkable area of ancient gill woodland, sandstone outcrops, lowland meadow, and three woods with many species of deciduous trees. This is what is under threat, for a very uncertain return.

The importance of biodiversity as an issue was emphasised — rather than (say) energy policy. The severe threat to biodiversity was pointed out, and how the developer’s offer of ‘monitoring’ was not a mitigation measure. As a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Marline Wood is a site of national importance, with its own microclimate. The ancient woodland is also jeopardised as a habitat, its soil undisturbed for centuries. The requirement for a 15-metre buffer zone was ignored in the Sea Change proposals, like other requirements. 

There was also criticism of Sea Change’s explanation of their proposals, lacking technical references and being out-of-date, both technically and regarding government policy.

In the light of its unfulfilled jobs projections and other aims Sea Change’s  assurances come with a lack of credibility, for North Queensway as well as other projects.

Marline Wood (photo: Bernard McGinley).

The application’s many breaches of local and national policy were mentioned. Natural England have made numerous formal criticisms. Aspects of funding and administration and accountability were also criticised.

Conservative Cllr Mike Edwards, whose Ashdown ward includes Queensway North, said that though HBC had a director on the board of Sea Change, for years there had been no reports on what was happening, despite the clear need for scrutiny of the use of public money. He added pointedly that ‘Sea Change are no friends of ours’.    

The case has drawn some 200 objections, some drawing on the acute observations of Seachangewatch. It is not known when the case will go before the Planning Committee.   

Also in: Home Ground