Following extensive public consultation with local residents, Eastbourne Borough Council last night agreed not to include greenfield land at Kings Drive and PrioryHeights in long term plans for future housing development.
Both locations were part of a consultation process that looked at various options for new homes and community facilities across Eastbourne.
Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council, Councillor David Tutt, said, “This is a great example of local democracy; we included these sites in the extensive consultation on housing land within the town in order to seek public opinion. This will strengthen the Council’s case should applications to build on these open spaces be refused by the Council and appealed by the applicant to the independent Planning Inspectorate. I am delighted that local people have resoundingly rejected building at either of these locations. The Council firmly believes that we should retain our greenfield sites and the support of the Eastbourne community for this view is something that I very much welcome”.
The Council consulted on the Core Strategy and Sustainable Neighbourhood Assessment between November and January 2010. With all the comments collated, council officers are now preparing for a second phase of consultation that will begin in October 2010.
Councillor Tutt added, “This hugely important piece of work will help shape Eastbourne in the long term. It is essential that we do everything we can to engage as many residents as possible in the process and encourage their views on the preferred strategy that will be presented later this year.”
The strategy incorporates the views of residents and sets out the most sustainable ways of addressing Eastbourne’s long term housing needs.
