Stop Overdevelopment in Sussex Weald: Protect Our Communities, Services & Green Spaces
Our towns and villages are under siege from uncontrolled overdevelopment.
Developers—enabled by councils—are pushing through housing schemes that our roads, schools, doctors, and services simply can’t cope with. These plans aren’t about “local homes for local people.” They’re about profit before community, and we’re being left behind.
✅ Roads are already gridlocked.
✅ GP appointments are almost impossible to get.
✅ Schools are full.
✅ Flood risk is rising.
✅ Green spaces are vanishing forever.
We are not anti-housing. We are pro-planning, pro-infrastructure, and pro-community. But the current approach is reckless and unsustainable.
We, the undersigned, call on Wealden District Council to:
- Reject all major housing applications until infrastructure is in place and communities are properly consulted.
- Protect remaining greenfield sites, particularly in rural and semi-rural communities.
- Support genuinely affordable housing for local families—not investor-driven developments.
- Demand real local input in planning decisions that affect our lives.
If you live in or care about Sussex Weald, add your name now. Let’s protect what we have—before it’s gone.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
October 2, 2025
Reached 100 supporters
August 9, 2025
117 Comments
I understand the need for housing but Wealden, and in particular the Hellingly area has seen a huge growth in housing estates virtually destroying the rural landscape. The roads and infrastructure are not in place to deal with the current demand let alone any future developments.
There has to be accountability by water companies and council to make current planning permissions be built out first before new permissions given and the water companies need to be able to say no when capacity on the system is reached.
Pausing major planning decisions until those already approved are built out will ensure the impact of those are known, including how they meet local housing need will ensure opportunistic developers can’t take advantage of the lack of Local Plan and apparently inadequate 5 year land supply.
We need to stop other local authorities buying houses in our area to place their people in need of social housing as I believe has happened recently with Croydon buying new houses in Crowborough
Our villages are being lost. The market town of hailsham has been destroyed. 8 farms within hailsham gone to development. There fore our environment also destroyed. Approximately a 1000 acres. Which also brings into question our food security.
The government's standard method of the so called objectively assessed local housing need is a complete misnomer. The result is a large number of houses which certainly has not been objectively assessed, it is not local and doesn't represent any need other than the governments chase for growth, aka countryside destruction.
Over development for the sake of greed. No holistic considerations. We need farms for food, a good environment to support the farms and keep us healthy, and a sensible infrastructure through consultation with local residents
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Stop Overdevelopment in Sussex Weald: Protect Our Communities, Services & Green Spaces
Our towns and villages are under siege from uncontrolled overdevelopment.
Developers—enabled by councils—are pushing through housing schemes that our roads, schools, doctors, and services simply can’t cope with. These plans aren’t about “local homes for local people.” They’re about profit before community, and we’re being left behind.
✅ Roads are already gridlocked.
✅ GP appointments are almost impossible to get.
✅ Schools are full.
✅ Flood risk is rising.
✅ Green spaces are vanishing forever.
We are not anti-housing. We are pro-planning, pro-infrastructure, and pro-community. But the current approach is reckless and unsustainable.
We, the undersigned, call on Wealden District Council to:
- Reject all major housing applications until infrastructure is in place and communities are properly consulted.
- Protect remaining greenfield sites, particularly in rural and semi-rural communities.
- Support genuinely affordable housing for local families—not investor-driven developments.
- Demand real local input in planning decisions that affect our lives.
If you live in or care about Sussex Weald, add your name now. Let’s protect what we have—before it’s gone.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
October 2, 2025
Reached 100 supporters
August 9, 2025
117 Comments
Please consider our ancient woodlands and the preservation of country life. We do not have the infrastructure to support the continual development of new housing estates. This short sighted quick win is depriving everyone of our natural outstanding beauty.
I understand the need for housing but Wealden, and in particular the Hellingly area has seen a huge growth in housing estates virtually destroying the rural landscape. The roads and infrastructure are not in place to deal with the current demand let alone any future developments.
There has to be accountability by water companies and council to make current planning permissions be built out first before new permissions given and the water companies need to be able to say no when capacity on the system is reached.
Pausing major planning decisions until those already approved are built out will ensure the impact of those are known, including how they meet local housing need will ensure opportunistic developers can’t take advantage of the lack of Local Plan and apparently inadequate 5 year land supply.
We need to stop other local authorities buying houses in our area to place their people in need of social housing as I believe has happened recently with Croydon buying new houses in Crowborough
Our villages are being lost. The market town of hailsham has been destroyed. 8 farms within hailsham gone to development. There fore our environment also destroyed. Approximately a 1000 acres. Which also brings into question our food security.
The government's standard method of the so called objectively assessed local housing need is a complete misnomer. The result is a large number of houses which certainly has not been objectively assessed, it is not local and doesn't represent any need other than the governments chase for growth, aka countryside destruction.
Over development for the sake of greed. No holistic considerations. We need farms for food, a good environment to support the farms and keep us healthy, and a sensible infrastructure through consultation with local residents
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Please consider our ancient woodlands and the preservation of country life. We do not have the infrastructure to support the continual development of new housing estates. This short sighted quick win is depriving everyone of our natural outstanding beauty.