Evolution
Mid Sussex District Council has released a press
statement on its "Masterplans". It
says of its programme of town centre revitalisations
that "It is important to recognise that
towns evolve - they are not static."
I
looked up "evolve" in my dictionary
and its states: "To develop or cause
to develop gradually." So what exactly
is so evolutionary as to bulldoze and rip-out
buildings which have stood for a hundred years,
make scores of people homeless and turn Burgess
Hill into a cut-price version of Crawley?
At
least the local plan has revived community
spirit, since in the Middy Mailbag everyone
is united in their total contempt for the
district council. Mr E Gumb asks, of the council's
plans: "Have they taken into account
the rapid growth of internet shopping? Will
we need all these shops in the year 2020?"
David
C Perry asks of Councillor David Shevels and
other local politicians, after his comments
criticizing those objecting to the proposed
medical centre at Sidney West: "Why do
they think that people know very little about
important local issues and they know what's
best?" Mr Perry points out that Marle
Place was donated, just as Sidney West was,
by a local benefactor and, yet, we had to
pay West Sussex County Council to prevent
it being turned into housing. He says that
assurances that Sidney West will remain a
sporting facility must be viewed with suspicion.
Mid
Sussex Matters
The latest edition of Mid Sussex Matters must
have by now dropped through your letterbox.
Its cover says: "Planning for our towns'
futures." The cover is a picture of Church
Walk, which if Thornfield Properties gets
its way will have a main road destroying most
of what the council obviously feels so photogenic.
According
to the magazine, "The Better Mid Sussex
partnership has been scrupulous in its consultation
with residents." Ahem! Then we have Chris
Goldfinch, manager of Burgess Hill's Market
Place and professional big mouth saying, "There
is a sense of anticipation about the proposals
for the regeneration of the town." By
whom, exactly? The shareholders of Thornfield
Properties, perhaps?
Bereavement
Councilling
Timothy Helm of Fairlea Close has been sent
down for 15 months for downloading child pornography.
His defence council, trying to help people
comprehend his actions, explained that Helm
had become depressed after the death of his
father. Grief and downloading kiddie porn,
they go together like cheese and a fine wine.
What could be more natural?
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