County claim on Wilmington inclusion in National Park "nonsense" say local campaigners

1.01.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 19th May 2008

Local campaigners Roy Martin and Andy Watkins are campaigning for the inclusion of all of Wilmington in the South Downs National Park.

The County Council have threatened the inclusion of all of Wilmington in the National Park, by claiming that Wilmington Green is separate from Wilmington village.

Cllr Andy Watkins said "The County Council objection is complete nonsense - the only reason why that part of Wilmington is referred to as Wilmington Green is because it is where the village green is. There is no difference at all between the fields to the south or the north of the A27 and the few houses left to the north are not a separate village."

"The County Council must not be allowed to get away with their spurious arguments and such a gross distortion of reality as they, and others, pursue for their own ends a reduction in the size of the proposed new National Park. The officials failed to listen to residents of Wilmington and Long Man Parish Council who know what they are talking about and we now rely on the good sense of the Inspector."

County Councillor for Wilmington Roy Martin said "I was aghast at the reasons given for the objection by the County Council. This has nothing to do with a reasoned case where the actual boundary should be. It is all about the Eastbourne Hailsham Triangle and the Local Development Framework being produced by Wealden District Council. The Conservatives are trying to ensure that nothing stands in the way of thousands of houses being built in this area. The boundary of the National Park at Wilmington should be at the railway line as proposed by the previous Inspector and I strongly support the views of residents, Long Man Parish Council and the South Downs Campaign."