The threatened tree outside the Duke of Wellington Pub is fast becoming a rallying point for people in Shoreham who care about our town and want to see it succeed and be a great place to live going forward.

Concerns are many and varied, but centre around the sheer numbers and sizes of housing development and their height and density. Shoreham already has stretched resources and a fragile environment, as those of us seeking a reasonably priced place to rent, school places, a doctors’ appointment, clean air to breathe, or just to get across town know only too well. The Shoreham Society are calling for a holistic review of ALL of the planned developments and their cumulative impact on our infrastructure and society before any more planning permissions are granted.

The tree itself typifies the approach which profit hungry developers seem to succeed with locally, as it was included in the initial consultation plans and was specifically mentioned as being worth retaining by the planning officers, providing a height break between the pub and high rise flats. The tree has vanished from the formal planning application which is now submitted and seems set to be the latest in a long line of lost mature trees and their associated ecosystems (such as the new Monks Farm ones) which are greatly valued by locals, needed for our environment and absolutely should be retained.

The Duke of Wellington Pub and the Poplar Tree

Objections have also been made on many other grounds to these recent trio of planning applications*, including the many departures from the Adur Local Plan and Joint Area Action Plan and that the noise assessment was completed when the much-loved Duke of Wellington Pub was closed and therefore silent during Lockdown. The Shoreham Society amongst others are calling for a genuine say for local residents in these decisions.

To sign the Shoreham Poplar front petition go to https://www.change.org/p/tim-loughton-shoreham-poplar-front

*65-71 Brighton Road (Frosts), Howard Kent Site, Civic Centre Site

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Last modified: September 30, 2021