The Low Weald Sussex is surrounded by historic rural villages.
Mayfield Market Town’s proposal for a new town encompassing 7,000 to 10,000 houses would dwarf any existing local settlements; subsuming communities that have lived in harmony with each other for hundreds of years. The villages most at risk have joined together to form an inter parish group, which now consists of 17 parish councils in HDC and Mid Sussex who are deeply concerned about the negative impact of Mayfield’s plans. A sub group of 10 directly affected parishes have paid for a flooding report which has already been submitted to HDC and can be seen on all parish council websites.
The 17 parishes who LAMBS are collaborating with are Albourne, Bramber, Ashurst, Cowfold, Henfield, Shermanbury, Twineham, Upper Beeding, West Grinstead, Woodmancote, Bolney, Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common, Pyecombe, Hassocks, Fulking, Newtimber and Poynings.
Mayfield’s proposed new town would roughly be the same size as Burgess Hill, but with no local train station. With an estimated 14,000 additional cars being added to local roads, the plans would significantly increase traffic congestion as new residents commute to and from work. Letchworth, a recently completed new town, has stated that 68% of its residents commute. With Hassocks as the nearest train station, similar commuter numbers in Mayfields would see thousands of additional cars travelling through Hurstpierpoint and over the Stonepound crossroads.
Cowfold will be the main route for Mayfield residents travelling towards Horsham & Guilford. Residents in the north of the new town will travel through the village towards Brighton, Worthing, Portsmouth and accessing the A27/M27 and M25. Cowfold and the Stonepound crossroads are already key Air Quality Management sites; both would see considerable increases in air pollution from additional traffic levels.
