Large numbers of villagers jumped at the chance to join a guided countryside tour of the Cuck-stye site, where a local company is planning to build a giant new settlement in the face of widespread opposition. Despite the controversial plan by developer Fairfax to build 1,600 houses merging Cuckfield and Ansty being dropped from the latest District Plan, it could be back within months. It would come on top of 3,500 houses now under construction in the huge Northern Arc development less than a mile from Ansty and in the same rural parish.
“We have been given a detailed briefing by Mid Sussex District Council that the developer Fairfax will put up a very determined fight to get this controversial plan back on track, which is not surprising since there are millions of pounds at stake,” said parish Councillor Simon Stokes, who is also Co-Chair of the Stop Cuck-sty Action Group. “It was great to see so many local residents and dogwalkers come on the tour, which will help the campaign to build even more momentum and comes on the back of three other well-attended community events in the past seven months,” he added.
A six-week public consultation is now underway and Mid Sussex District Council Leader Jonathan Ash-Edwards wants everyone to have their say. “The decision to exclude the Ansty Farms site from the latest draft of the plan will be heavily challenged by the site promoter at all stages of the plan making process,” said Jonathan, in a letter to parish councils.
And he went on to warn: “They will of course present their own transport modelling and other studies seeking to justify inclusion of the site.” Four initial studies have already been commissioned by Stop Cuck-stye Action Group, covering Landscape assessment, ecology, traffic and planning issues. Whilst a legal scoping strategy is also underway. “We are gearing up for a long battle, but at the same time Fairfax will try to stay one step ahead of us as we move towards a planning inquiry. But there is every chance our community will win in the end,” added SCAG Co-chair, Simon Stokes.