Hartfield special event: Housing, planning and people
Hartfield played host to the latest in a series of public events being organised by Wealden Green Party. Against the background of rampant housing development across the District, the Housing, Planning and People event aimed to give Hartfield residents an insight into the planning process and how decisions are made.
The Hartfield event attracted some 75 members of the public and was led by Cllr. Rachel Millward, who represents the Hartfield ward on Wealden District Council. At the event, Green Party councillors and local activists explained how planning decisions are made, from the planning laws that govern decisions to how Wealden District Council’s two planning committees function.
Local Green Party activist Christina Coleman, who has a Master’s degree in Environment, Development and Policy from University of Sussex, began by debunking many of the key myths about the housing sector in the UK and provided the wider social and environmental context.
East Sussex County Councillor Georgia Taylor presented an example of a successful challenge to a planning application that she had supported – and Cllr. Patricia Vanegas-Patterson gave a District Councillor’s view of the planning process, based on her three years of attending meetings of Wealden’s Planning Committee North.
Green Party activist Ian Tysh, a retired lawyer, explained the patchwork of laws that govern planning and the role of local plans. Hartfield Parish Councillor Duncan Gunn, who is an award-winning architect, provided the parish council planning perspective.
There were questions from the audience throughout the session, which was followed by was a lively question and answer session with the panel of speakers.
The event was well received, and a number of attendees have been in touch with positive feedback. One of them was the chair of a nearby parish council, who wrote and said:
“Just a quick note to say I found it very interesting and as with all parishes in Wealden it reinforced the problems which we all face.
“One thing that really jumped out at me was how engaged you and your fellow ,district and county councillors are, to your electorate and their concerns. It was refreshing to see and hear at such a difficult time.”
The Hartfield event built on the success of a pilot held in Horam in September 2021. Several similar events in other areas are being planned.
If you would like to host a localised version of this event in your community, please email us at: coordinator@wealden.greenparty.org.uk
