ANGRY Camelsdale residents packed out St Michael's Hall in Hammer this week to vent their feelings on a controversial planning document that could take away their recreation ground. Chichester District Council's Local Develop- ment Framework highlights land where development may take place by 2026 – as its various parishes must meet strict government targets or face a fine. Although the document, which was released on January 19, is only in draft form, the inclusion of the recreation ground, seen by villagers as the "heart and lungs" of the village, has got people worried. And after a meeting with council officials to discuss the plans failed to appease all the fears, around 20 villagers filled the hall at a recent Lynchmere Parish Council meeting to demand answers. The meetings with district council planners, at Camelsdale and Fernhurst last week, attracted 180 and 112 people resepctively. At Hammer on Tuesday night, one resident branded those setting the targets as "fascists", while another claimed house prices were "already being affected by this tittle-tattle". Among the main fears raised should the document – which suggest 50 houses going on the site between 2018 and 2026 if no alternatives are found – be adopted, were the loss of the recreation ground and increased traffic. Despite the worries, parish council chairman Sylvia McCallum told the residents there was still time to lodge their complaints, and urged everyone to write to Chichester District Council to object to the possible use of the recreation ground and, if possible, to suggest alternative sites. She added: "I hope you will not just comment on what you don't want to see, but also what you do want to see, and the more people who do that, the better we can argue a case. "The project team have ensured they will look very carefully at everything we say, and at other sites, if we propose them. "If you don't like the format of the questionnaire, or the questions it proposes, please still write in. It is critical that we follow this form, so write in anyway." Her views were echoed by Chichester district councillor Heather Caird, who is responsible for "keeping people healthy in the area". She said: "When I found out the development framework proposed the recreation ground for use of housing, it was like a red rag to a bull. "There was a bit of a fuss, and now I and a number are arguing very vociferously that there should not be houses built on recreation ground anywhere. "We have responded to this document in a really robust manner, and everyone must do the same. "If you don't like the questionnaire, write it on the back of a fag packet as long as they know the proposal is unacceptable." While the councillors were urging people to write in and complain about the plans for houses on the site, the audience was not pacified. One resident raged: "The infrastructure is falling apart, and to put houses there would double, treble, quadruple the pollution and danger on the roads. "There are no facilities for the kids to cycle, shortage of water – I could go on and on and on. "But they don't care about knock-ons when it comes to government targets. They are just fascists sitting up there in their ivory towers." Another resident, Mike Blank, claimed he had been forced to set up a website called Save Camelsdale Recreation Ground in an effort to get information on the plans to more villagers. He also offered to become a parish councillor if the extra manpower would see more people informed. His comment came after many raised concerns over the council's methods of advertising both the exhibitions on Wednesday, January 31 and the parish council meeting on Tuesday. They were told that signs had been put up and leaflets left in a local shop about the exhibition, and that the council meetings were on the first Tuesday of every month. But many said they had only become aware of the meetings after reading about them in The Herald. Mrs McCallum reiterated that the council was opposed to the idea of losing the site, and revealed it was even spending more money to revamp the facilities there. She again urged everyone to email the project leader, Louise Gibbons, at [email protected]">[email protected] or write to Chichester District Council, East Pallant House, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1TY. All representations must be received by Friday, March 2. l Mr Blank's website address is http://www.savecamelsdalerec.blo">www.savecamelsdalerec.blo gspot.com
