Combe Haven Valley (photo: Oliver Tookey)Sussex spring? BHLR latest

Is this a Sussex Spring?

We’re familiar with the Arab Spring. Do we currently have a Sussex Spring happening within our own country, (albeit a relatively tranquil one thankfully), emerging around the issue of the Bexhill Hastings Link Road?, asks HOT’s Zelly Restorick.

In Crowhurst earlier this week, local people gathered at the parish meeting to pose a number of questions regarding the road.  Representatives from ESCC, the police and the Combe Haven Defenders also attended.

Issues raised concerned the fact that work was started by ESCC without the promised notification; environmental concerns re the Department of Transport’s report that the road is ‘the most polluting’ of the roads proposed by The Chancellor, George Osborne and ‘poor value for money’; concerns that speculators and property developers were gaining more from the plan than local residents; current legal action regarding the site of the Battle of Hastings; flooding issues; disagreement regarding the number of jobs to be created, when there are many industrial units currently empty on the locality [estimated figures range from 900 to 4,000] and the purpose of the link road being changed by ESCC from relieving Bexhill Road traffic to jobs and regeneration.

BLINKRR, the group in Bexhill who claim that the BHLR will be built across the site of the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Invasion, have also been busy. English Heritage have agreed to investigate the site and legal proceedings have been instigated to stop work on the road.  Bexhillian Michael Bernard is seeking an injunction to protect a possible world heritage site.  ESCC have been given until 1 February to consider their position and respond.  A court order confirms this.

A meeting of the Council is due to take place on 29 January at Lewes Town Hall.  It’s possible for people interested or involved in this issue to attend.

By the way, to date, I’ve not heard from Peter Jones in response to my letter which I dropped at his home address re the Combe Haven Defenders claim that ESCC had met in secret to agree further funding for the road.  To be fair to him, I imagine he currently has far more pressing matters on his mind.

Out of the three camps in Combe Haven Valley located on the route of the link road, one remains, Decoy Pond; the others were evicted in the last week or so.  Protectors, police, the protest police team, private security guard companies, chain saw gangs, specialist teams of tree climbers and those with skills to dig people out from tunnels were all involved in the evictions and had to endure the often harsh weather conditions.

I visited the Decoy Pond Camp yesterday, sitting around a camp fire whilst the freezing sleet and howling wind lashed at my back.  Blue tarpaulins flapped astoundingly high in the trees, where tree houses have been built. I have no idea how the protectors and other people involved are able to withstand the weather conditions and still be motivated and be able to function.  However, spirits at the camp seemed to be high and I heard that people were working well together, sharing tasks, united in a mission and leader-free.

Decoy Pond Camp Photo Combe Haven Defenders

News also emerged this week that the daughter of Chrissie Hynde and Ray Davies, Natalie Hynde, has been taking part in the protest to protect the area.  She’s local and has been on site from the start.  A new experience, she found herself up a tree on Day 1, spontaneously defending the trees about to be cut down by the chain saw teams and has been on site more or less full-time ever since.  She feels strongly that the road shouldn’t be built through the valley, her primary reasons being the increase in carbon emissions from the road.

Local, national and international media have recently covered the BHLR issue from a wide variety of perspectives – with many reports being filed on TV, radio, in the papers and on-line.

Opinions amongst the local community also range across a wide spectrum, coming from many different angles, some in support of the road, some in opposition and some indifferent.  It seems that the journey of the link road project continues to stir some people’s hearts and souls, as it has for decades.

At this time, it appears that the link road plan is not, as many people – both those in favour and those against – seem to have believed, a ‘done deal’.

What do you think?

Also in: The HOT Planet