THE impact on Camelsdale of losing its recreation ground has been highlighted by a survey showing how often villagers use the site. An independent blogsite, set up by local man Mike Blank, has been updating the residents on news over Chichester District Council's development plans for the site. Although the plans are not set in concrete, they do suggest building 50 houses on the site between 2018 and 2026 if housing targets set by central government are not met. Recent meetings to sound out the residents' responses to the proposals have become heated, and the perceived lack of information prompted Mr Blank to set up the site, called Save Camelsdale Rec. He has been posting any news on the plans, but has also used it to conduct an informal survey into the usage of the site in an attempt to quash any claims that it is not used by the villagers. Although he admits the survey was not a scientific one, he told The Herald he felt it gave "a really good snapshot" of public feeling in the village. He explained: "People feel it is a very important part of our community life, and if it were lost it would be a real shame. "The rec is also used by Haslemere residents, not just the village. Haslemere youth football teams play there, and many come from outside the area because they feel it is a nice, safe environment for their children to play." And he added that while people have been positive about the blogsite, everyone was "very, very concerned about the proposals hanging over the rec". Mr Blank's survey not only asked people how often they used the site, but also asked what other knock-on effects development might have on village life. It showed that 23 per cent of the respondents visited the rec more than once a day, while 60 per cent visited more than once a week. Two respondents visited more often, and the rest from time-to-time each month. When asked about their children or grandchildren's use of the play park, 11 per cent used it more than once a day, almost 50 per cent used it more than once a week and the rest used it occasionally each month. Not surprisingly, everyone who submitted a survey said they "loved the place and building over it would be a crime", while 95 per cent agreed that the rec was a vital resource for wildlife and enjoyed seeing the creatures too. Respondents also left comments to sum up their feelings about the proposals and its possible effects. One said: "Child health is of major importance and it is more important than ever to encourage playing and outdoor activity. This is the only accessible playground for our child." Another added: "Having a child at Camelsdale First School and a new baby who will be attending in the future, I'm concerned that not only will they lose their cherished play area but that the school will be overwhelmed by the excess pupils brought to the area by the new housing that is proposed." One resident summed up several fears by saying: "Camelsdale Rec is a vital social area for the local community for all age groups. It is used for children's play, football matches, stoolball matches, dog-walking and it is somewhere safe our children can gain their first taste of independence. "It is a beautiful spot and certainly the wildlife would suffer if this land is built on - owls, foxes, bird life. Please don't spoil this beautiful place." One felt that "Camelsdale doesn't have the infrastructure to support these extra families and the traffic at rush hour is horrific as it is and could not support the extra congestion". "It is ironic that at the very time the government is starting to act to reduce child obesity the council are reducing the recreation space." As well as the survey, villagers have been writing to the district council to voice their objections. l Continued on Page 3
