Thursday, August 24, 2006
THE PARISH MAP OF IFIELD - EVERY LOCAL PICTURE TELLS A GLOBAL STORY
St Margaret's Parish Church is the geographical centre of the huge ancient Parish of Ifield, which dwarfs the Parish of Crawley.
Ifield Parish has been cut in half (North to South) by a river - River Mole and Ifield Brook - which act as the boundary between Horsham District Council (to the West), and Crawley Borough Council (to the East) .
With its half, Crawley Borough Council has built houses right up to its river boundary (except for a strip of protected land by the river, which includes Ifield Village Conservation Area).
With its half, Horsham District Council has not built houses - it remains rural up to its river boundary, and includes Ifield Golf Course and a Medieval Deer Park.
But there is a need to build 2500 new houses - but where ?
Horsham District Council were planning to build much of their allocation of houses in their half along the river - but these plans have been put 'on hold'...
Crawley Borough Council have already built houses up to their boundary, except for the protected strip of ancient land which includes Ifield Village Conservation Area.
English Partnerships, who own the strip of land which includes the Conservation Area, have put forward a proposal to Crawley Borough Council to build houses on that ancient land.
Unsurprisingly, many people of Ifield are enraged by this - and are vigorously fighting this proposal (including myself as founder member of The Ifield Society).
The fear is that if English Partnerships succeed with their proposal to Crawley Borough Council, this will be a 'green light' for Horsham District Council (across the river) to build houses on their half - plans which were 'on hold'.
The net result if these fears are realised ? Most of this ancient Parish would be buried under concrete and tarmac.
Let battle commence...a battle we, the people, must win.
Ifield Parish has been cut in half (North to South) by a river - River Mole and Ifield Brook - which act as the boundary between Horsham District Council (to the West), and Crawley Borough Council (to the East) .
With its half, Crawley Borough Council has built houses right up to its river boundary (except for a strip of protected land by the river, which includes Ifield Village Conservation Area).
With its half, Horsham District Council has not built houses - it remains rural up to its river boundary, and includes Ifield Golf Course and a Medieval Deer Park.
But there is a need to build 2500 new houses - but where ?
Horsham District Council were planning to build much of their allocation of houses in their half along the river - but these plans have been put 'on hold'...
Crawley Borough Council have already built houses up to their boundary, except for the protected strip of ancient land which includes Ifield Village Conservation Area.
English Partnerships, who own the strip of land which includes the Conservation Area, have put forward a proposal to Crawley Borough Council to build houses on that ancient land.
Unsurprisingly, many people of Ifield are enraged by this - and are vigorously fighting this proposal (including myself as founder member of The Ifield Society).
The fear is that if English Partnerships succeed with their proposal to Crawley Borough Council, this will be a 'green light' for Horsham District Council (across the river) to build houses on their half - plans which were 'on hold'.
The net result if these fears are realised ? Most of this ancient Parish would be buried under concrete and tarmac.
Let battle commence...a battle we, the people, must win.
