Chatsmore Farm appeal dismissed

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Yesterday, we delighted to learn that the Planning Inspector had dismissed the appeal by Persimmon Homes against the decision to refuse them planning permission to build a total of 475 new houses at Chatsmore Farm. This is a excellent decision for the local communities of Ferring and Goring on what would have been a very damaging development. So a big thank you to all those people who have submitted their objections, attended demonstrations and fought hard over a number of years. Also well done to Worthing Borough Council who have been forthright in standing up to Persimmon Homes. We now hope that this company give up on the idea of developing this land, and work with local communities to maintain it as a valuable natural habitat.

The decision notice runs to 17 pages, so far too long to replicate here, but below are some relevant short extracts:

Appeal Decision

Inquiry held on 17-18 and 24-26 September 2024 and 1 and 3 October 2024. Site visits made on 16 and 19 September 2024 by Y Wright BSc (Hons) DipTP MSc DMS MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State

Decision date: 28th March 2025

Appeal Ref: APP/M3835/W/21/3281813

Land North West of Goring Station, Goring-By-Sea, Worthing

  • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 against a refusal to grant outline planning permission.
  • The appeal is made by Persimmon Homes Thames Valley against the decision of Worthing Borough Council.
  • The application Ref AWDM/1264/20, dated 7 August 2020, was refused by notice dated11 March 2021.
  • The development proposed is mixed use development comprising up to 475 dwellings along with associated access, internal roads and footpaths, car parking, public open space, landscaping, local centre (uses including A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, D1, D2, as proposed to be amended to use classes E, F and Sui Generis) with associated car parking, car parking for the adjacent railway station, undergrounding of overhead HV cables and other supporting infrastructure and utilities.
  • This decision supersedes that issued on 25 February 2022. That decision on the appeal was quashed by order of the High Court dated 1 August 2022.

Decision

  1. The appeal is dismissed.

Main Issues

  1. I consider the main issues are:
  • The effect of the proposed development on the Local Green Gap;
  • The effect of the proposed development on landscape including the setting of the South Downs National Park; and
  • Whether the proposed development would be in a suitable location having regard to other local and national planning policies and the need for housing.

I conclude that the appeal proposal would result in substantial harm to the LGG which would conflict with LP Policy SS5. It would also not accord with LP Policy SS1 on the basis that the development would be outside the BUAB, would not protect this remaining area of countryside and would substantially harm an important gap between settlements.

I conclude that the resultant harm from the proposal to the character and appearance of the local landscape would be substantial and would conflict with LP Policy SS1 which requires gaps and landscapes outside the BUAB to be protected, including those between settlements. It would also be contrary to LP Policy SS4 due to the adverse impact to the character of the area.

I conclude overall that the proposed development would result in moderate to modest harm to the SDNP over the lifetime of the development. Accordingly, this would not accord with LP PoliciesSS1 and SS4 and the Framework in this regard. It would also conflict with the duty in s11A of the 1949 Act, as it would not meet the legislative requirement to seek to further the statutory purposes of the National Park.

For the reasons given above, I conclude that the appeal proposal conflicts with the development plan when read as a whole. Whilst there would be some benefits to the scheme to which I have afforded weight, these material considerations, when taken together, do not indicate that the appeal should be determined other than in accordance with the development plan. I therefore dismiss the appeal.

April Community Project morning

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Our next Community Project session will be on Thursday 3 April at 10am – meeting at the Sea Lane boat at the foot of Sea Lane. We’ll be tidying up the boat and its surrounds to make a good show of wild maritime flowers again. If you’re able to help, please bring a trowel and a pair of gloves with you, and it will be a maximum of an hour as usual.

Sussex Wildlife Trust

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Bluebell Hues                                                                    April 2025

By Kerry Williams: Communications Officer – Conservation

Like many people, Bluebells are a blast of nostalgia for me. I remember woodland days out as a kid; clambering up trees and scrawling thrilling finds like ‘Woodpigeon’ in biro in soggy exercise books. Bluebell season always required a visit. There’s not much like the all-encompassing violet thwack of Bluebells in ancient woodland. Sickly-sweet scent in your nostrils, the hues of the rich indigo carpet somehow also hanging in the air, and the understory buzzing with busy pollinators, who, just like you, are making the most of this abundant explosion.

We love a limited edition, a special experience that we must make the most of. Like one-off characters in your cereal box, like happy hour, like Nightingales. And Bluebell fever is no different. Every April and May, Sussex woodlands erupt with millions of these vivid beauties, announcing that spring truly, finally, fabulously, has sprung. This early flowering provides a welcome bounty for struggling wildlife and allows Bluebells to make the most of the sunlight before the woodland canopy becomes too dense.

Like many of our native wildflowers, the British Bluebell is up against it. At risk from habitat loss of precious ancient woodland, and threatened by a changing climate, the plant is also in competition with an interloper; the Spanish Bluebell. A non-native species, the Spanish Bluebell tends to outcompete its native counterpart for resources such as light and space. It can also hybridise with our native species, diluting the native Bluebell’s characteristics. So how can you tell these two species apart?

The native Bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, has narrow leaves and tubular-bell shaped flowers of deep-violet blue which curl back at the edges. The flowers are generally down one side of the stem, which has a distinctive droop to it. The Spanish species, Hyacinthoides hispanica, has broader leaves and a paler blue, conical shaped flower. The stem is upright and covered with flowers on all sides. A big difference between the two is the Spanish has no scent, whilst the native Bluebell smells sweet.

The idea of plants ‘escaping’ your garden invokes notions of under-the-cover-of-darkness creeping, but it’s easier than you think for non-native species to go astray. Uncovered cuttings and garden waste can easily blow into communal areas or can be carried by animals, to proliferate in new, wild areas. If choosing to plant Bluebells in your garden, it’s best to choose the UK species for this reason. In a small way you could be supporting our native species to recolonise our wild woodlands, and to keep them smelling sweet.

Culberry Nursery at our February meeting

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Members and visitors welcomed Martin Jarvis, the owner of Culberry Nursery in Angmering which has been in existence for over 75 years. Martin explained that in the beginning it was run by his parents as a market garden with a 99-year lease where they lived in a caravan on the site; this is where Martin’s sister was born. By the time Martin came along his parents had bought a house and had begun to grow mushrooms which they initially grew in old wooden fish boxes but this soon progressed to greenhouses. Good hygiene became crucial to prevent the introduction of bacteria or viruses to the crops – this also applied to the areas around the greenhouses. Interestingly at one time there were around 100 mushroom farms in West Sussex.

These days, Culberry Nursery only supplies bags of highly regarded mushroom compost and also grows and produces a wide variety of plants, including a large selection of herbs. These are all grown without the use of chemicals and instead beneficial bugs are used.  The Nursery staff attend many local Farmer’s Markets which produces an additional income and much to the delight of the many keen gardeners among the audience, Martin brought along a good selection of plants and herbs to sell during the break for refreshments.

Following a short break, Pete Coe and David Bettiss delivered February’s Nature Notes by showing some excellent photographs of wildlife along the Rife taken by member and keen wildlife photographer James King. There had been many reported signs of spring being sprung, including Snowdrops in Sea Lane, Crocuses on the Village Green, and Daffodils at the Community Orchard. Brent Geese, Chaffinches, Lapwings, Skylarks and a Song Thrush had all been spotted in and around the vicinity. David also delivered the sad news that the body of a deceased dolphin had been washed up on Ferring Beach.

To conclude the meeting Stephen Abbott advised the audience of recent planning news. There is still no decision by the High Court regarding Persimmon’s Appeal on Chatsmore Farm. The planning application for 3 houses at the back of Ferring Nursery remains undecided together with the Pool House proposed at ‘Mayfield’ Florida Road. Stephen also advised the Group of a new application to convert a garage into a self-contained annex at 8A South Drive in Ferring.

Sussex Wildlife Trust                                        

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 Flying Colours  

By Kerry Williams: Communications Officer – Conservation                    March 2025

Let’s get the smug bit out of the way. This January I visited an incredible bird watching and conservation organisation in the Western Ghats, India, run by highly skilled and welcoming environmentalists, spotting 75 remarkable bird species, many endemic to this region. #sorrynotsorry.

A notable feature of these tropical species is their astonishing colour palette; vivid reds, brilliant pinks, and intense greens. There are a few reasons behind plumage colour. Bold colours can be flaunted as a display tactic in males to impress females and shame rivals in competition for a mate or territory. Colour can be used as a camouflage and survival technique, whether blending into surroundings, or by confusing predators with reflective iridescence.

A fellow Brit commented on how our birds don’t really compare when it comes to colour, but there’s some spectacular species to prove them wrong. Back in Sussex, spring is just starting to peep in; the season where we finally experience those explosions of colour after such a long wait. Aside from an excuse to show off about my grey-escape holiday, I thought a celebration of our most colourful birds was due.

Firstly, Kingfishers. They also reside in India, but they’re too bright and beautiful to not make the cut. A wetland and reedbed regular, these fabulous fishers take blue to another level. There’s no mistaking their tiny turquoise shimmer as they dart down a watercourse, or perch stock still on a branch, ripple-peering.

A regular on feeders, Blue Tits can be overlooked. Take a moment to appreciate that lemon and azure plumage, merging with navy and tinged with green. Once another common garden staple, Bullfinches are sadly now a rare treat to see. If you spot a male, peachy-coral chest set against muted hues of grey and black, it can’t be anything else.

Although wowing crowds with their aerial acrobatics in murmuration, you could be forgiven for thinking Starlings individually are somewhat ordinary. Think again. Up close, and in the right light, Starlings are a mass of beautiful iridescent purples, greens and golden yellows.

Corvids are considered a little plain, but what about an emerald Magpie tail or the sapphire flash of a Jay feather? A Jackdaw’s pale iris can seem blue against dark feathers, and sometimes, in low summer sun, jet-black Rook plumage can look purple.

Who needs a Malabar Trogon or a Flame-throated Bulbul? Not me! Well… not for 11 months of the year anyway.

Hawking About – January 2025

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Kevin, the head falconer from ‘Hawking About’ based in Arundel, gave over 100 members and visitors a wonderful opportunity to enjoy getting close and personal to several of his beautiful Birds of Prey, including a Barn Owl, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon and and two Harris Hawks.

Not only were the audience enthralled by the precision indoor flying displays of these magnificent birds but were also educated along the way by Kevin imparting his extensive knowledge and passion that he had gained over many years. This initially started as a hobby for Kevin and he gradually developed the skills to enable him to train a collection of Birds of Prey and he now attends some of the top tourist attractions in the South of England including Arundel Castle, Parham House, Petworth Park and Natural Trust sites giving talks and flying displays.

Busby the Barn Owl was the first bird to show off his flying skills and headed straight for the ceiling bars looking down on the audience. With encouragement from Kevin tempting him with a piece of fresh mouse, he swiftly returned straight to his perch to greedily claim his reward.  These birds have an average lifespan of 18 months in the wild and are the most widely distributed group of owls in the UK and they enjoy a variety of habitats, including open countryside, wetlands and roadside verges.

The next bird to show off its flying skills was a pretty Kestrel named Mo whose hunting skills are so well developed and with such razor-sharp vision, he is able to detect mouse urine in ultra-violet from the air but sadly 75% of Kestrels do not survive the winter in the wild.

Kevin then showed the audience the Peregrine Falcon, and these birds are the largest falcons in the UK with the male around a third smaller than the female. Their lifespan in the wild is only around 10 years but in captivity they can live for 25 years. Its distinctive feature is the black ‘moustache’ which contrasts with its white head.

A female Harris Hawk gave the last flying display of the day, which was shown alongside a male, and this formidable hunter is the only bird to hunt in a pack and will share out any food caught. They primarily hunt for rabbits, lizards, birds and occasionally carrion.

At the end of each flying session the birds were given the command of ‘Box’ by Kevin and amazingly each bird flew with great skill into its individual box – an astounding feat and could only be achieved by many hours of intense training and the special bond that is so evident between Kevin and his birds.

In Graham Tuppen’s absence, David Bettiss delivered the popular Nature Notes session following the usual break for refreshments. This month a Water Rail has been spotted swimming on the Rife north of the road bridge, also a number of Red-throated Divers and Red-breasted Mergansers have been seen off the coast at Goring Gap, alongside an amazing total of 220 Great Crested Grebes on the water. A member of the Group was fortunate enough to see an attractive little Weasel in his garden and it is believed there may be a small breeding colony somewhere along Ilex Way. While members were busy observing their gardens for the Big Garden Birdwatch there were reports of a Goldcrest, Greenfinch and a Song Thrush, although bird numbers were generally worryingly low. Various other sightings of a Heron, a Red Kite and a Buzzard together with a variety of Gulls plus 2 Skylarks were reportedly observed locally.

Stephen Abbott concluded the meeting by advising members there are still issues to be resolved regarding an additional property at 1, Sea Drive and also an application for a large garden structure has been submitted at 1, Birch Place in Ferring.

 

Sussex Wildlife Trust.

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 THE LITTLE KING                                                                        February 2025  

By Kerry Williams: Communications Officer – Conservation 

In this, our littlest month, I’d like to celebrate our littlest bird, the Goldcrest. Crowned with a yellow tuft, this aptly named species has an equally grand and, if you ask me, quite adorable, Latin name: Regulus regulus, or ‘little king’. 

At a mere 9cm in length, the Goldcrest weighs a featherlight 5-6 grams; the same as a 20 pence piece. Despite their size, Goldcrests are a surprisingly easy spot. A fan of coniferous and mixed woodland, these birds can often be seen zipping about in pairs in your local gardens, parks and nature reserves, picking morsels like spiders and moth eggs from tree needles with tiny expert beaks. Their characteristic squeaking refrain, a ‘fiddle-di-di’ on loop, is so high pitched that not everyone can hear it. If you think you hear one, stop, wait, and listen, as you will most likely hear it again.  

The only real confusion species is the similarly diminutive Firecrest, Regulus ignicapilla (meaning ‘fire-capped’). This rarer species, whilst sharing in the Goldcrest’s olive-green plumage, has notable black lines around the head and eye. Think of the Goldcrest as having not yet applied its eyeliner. Following the on-point naming convention, the Firecrest has an orange crest. This creates an additional challenge for identification, as the male Goldcrest does have a line of orange feathers hidden within their crest, which they show during territorial displays. 

Goldcrests breed around April time, creating intricately curated nests of moss, lichen and spider webs high in the treetops. Overall, Goldcrest numbers are stable, with a 600,000 strong breeding population throughout the UK. These are joined by a Scandinavian migratory population for the winter, boosting your chances of seeing one during the colder months.  

Despite their success, Goldcrests are at risk from several threats. Their size means they are vulnerable in the cold weather, so the more erratic weather patterns we experience due to climate change, including unexpected cold snaps and storms, are a danger to these birds. As with all UK species, habitat loss is a problem, and in the Goldcrest’s case this includes deforestation.  

If you are walking in woodland and catch a glance of a little ball of energy in the treetops, try to spot them with binoculars to be rewarded with a millisecond’s glance of their worried-looking little face, before they’re off again, much to do. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. 

Ten Bees and the Stories they Tell – last meeting of 2024

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James Power, the author of a recently published book named ‘The Bees of Sussex’, was welcomed to Ferring Conservation Group’s last meeting of the year to present an illustrated talk entitled ‘Ten Bees and the Stories they Tell’.

James told the Group that he spent much of his childhood exploring the wide-open spaces of Salisbury Plain. His interest began when he discovered the diverse range of wildlife around him there and this ultimately led to a career lasting almost 40 years in nature conservation.

James’s career included working for two different Wildlife Trusts, DEFRA, the Severn Gorge Countryside Trust and The National Trust – within Britain James has worked in Wiltshire, Yorkshire, Surrey, Shropshire and now in Sussex.

For 15 years James has studied bees and his talk gave a snapshot of the wild bee populations as they shift and adapt with some species thriving and others sadly becoming extinct.

With approximately 229 species of wild bees recorded in Sussex James selected just ten to demonstrate how climate change etc has been devastating to some and advantageous to other species. Two examples are Cullum’s Bumblebee which has now disappeared from the UK but still found in Europe and Asia, although also in decline in these areas. The Ruderal Bumblebee has had more success with a good distribution throughout the South and Southeast of England together with sightings in Northern Ireland.

After a break for tea and welcome mince pies, Graham Tuppen took to the floor to advise members and visitors about the recent wildlife seen in and around the village. Along with Brent Geese, Stonechats, the resident White Starling which is now four years old and a familiar sight in Ferring, Greenfinch and Blackcap had been spotted by members.

Along the Rife a Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, and a Great White Egret (the first known sighting of this the largest of the Egret family) were seen. Also, in a road near to the Rife a single Ring-necked Parakeet was spotted in a tree – these birds originally from Africa and Southern Asia are now widespread in the UK.

To conclude the meeting Stephen Abbott advised members of planning updates with applications still to be decided by Arun DC for the separate dwelling in the back garden of 1 Sea Drive and the additional two-bedroom extension for Greystoke Manor Care Home.

SUSSEX WILDLIFE TRUST  Newsletter

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January 2025 – A case of the January News

By Kerry Williams: Communications Officer – Conservation

 

Happy New Year! I hope you all celebrated the festive period with cheer and are still basking in the twinkly afterglow, hoovering up remaining treats and reminiscing over time spent with loved ones.

As that sparkle fades to a glimmer, don’t give in to that looming January chasm of grey-blue doom. Instead, focus on the new. Think of Month 01 as a springboard for all the things that await you this 2025; new wildlife, new experiences, new Parish magazine article authors… and with that shameful segue let me introduce myself.

I’m Kerry, ‘Communications Officer – Conservation’ for Sussex Wildlife Trust. My role consists of running the Trust’s wildlife information advice service, WildCall, and also writing content for blogs, our website, and social media.

In December, Michael Blencowe signed off with his last Parish Magazine article about footprints, fittingly leaving me mighty big shoes to fill. Flicking back through the past library has been a wonderful read, and considering Michael’s term of seven years (!), it’s a challenge to find a fresh new topic not already covered. Seeing as it’s a new year, how about newness itself?

So, to January newness. I’m looking forward to fieldfares and redwings delicately tweezing berries from treetops. Huddling on Brighton Pier, amid ghost train squeals and the smell of sweet doughnuts, to watch Starlings sky-dance. Drops of snow and Snowdrops. Chilly stomps up the Downs on roaring fire Sundays.

From now on, the days ever so slowly get longer again, giving more precious minutes to get out there and explore. Last year I visited Ebernoe for the first time, searching for Fungi in early autumn. I look forward to heading back to experience its Old-England-come-fairy-whimsy in the crunching frost. I’ll head back to Rye Harbour to hole up in hides, be-gloved and binoculared, to spot winter waders and hovering Marsh Harriers.

I will search for paw and hoof prints in the snow or the mud. I’ll be vigilant for too-witting and wooing Tawny Owls and scan darkened woodlands to see one; I never seem to succeed, but maybe this is my year.

Whatever you choose to do with this often-condemned-as-miserable month, I hope it instead brings you joy. Let your only January blues be that of the sea and sky. Here’s to 2025!

Footprints – Parish magazine article by Sussex Wildlife Trust

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December 2024

I’m scrambling through the woodland undergrowth, anxious, sweating and clutching a 2kg pouch of white powder and a spoon. I may look like some Colombian cocaine smuggler, but I’ve got the perfect excuse for the police: “I’m researching my parish magazine article”. I’ve been writing articles Sussex parish magazines for many years and I’ve received some lovely comments from many people – thank you. It’s nice to know they are being read and enjoyed.

When I was a kid, I would read loads of wildlife books with names like ‘the amateur naturalist’ (not to be confused with ‘the amateur naturist’, a mistake you only make once). Each book promised to make you a wildlife detective and was filled with tips on tracking mammals in the countryside. Most British mammals are nocturnal and, after centuries of persecution, all of them are understandably rather wary of humans. We hardly ever see them. Yet these invisible animals leave behind tantalising clues which let us know they really exist: droppings, nibbled nuts, pellets. But the biggest giveaway of all are their footprints.

Primitive mammals (such as Hedgehogs, Stoats, Badgers and you) are plantigrades. We stroll about on the soles of our feet and have five toes. When we run, we use our toes and the balls of our feet. For the mammals who spend a lot of time running and jumping this basic mammalian plantigrade foot has evolved and adapted over time. Some animals have lost a toe (Foxes, cats, dogs, Hares) while the real gymnasts, such as deer, leap around on two toes, and horses race on just one toe enclosed in a hoof. Like Sherlock Holmes with a foot fetish, you can examine each footprint’s formula of toes, claws and pads to deduce just who has been sneaking around at night.

My books told me that, once you find a footprint, the best way to capture it is to make a cast – which explains why I’m crouched here in the undergrowth excitedly mixing up plaster of Paris powder and pouring it into a footprint in the muddy woodland floor. I’ve always wanted to do this since I was a kid but, well, I guess life got in the way. Now, sat proudly on my desk, I have my first footprint cast: a Badger (with five toes, a wide pad and obvious claws). And somewhere out there is a Badger completely unaware that its footprint has created a deeper enjoyment of wildlife and inspired someone to preserve it. Which now I think about it, is all I have hoped for from these articles too. I hope I’ve made an impression.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2025.

 

Parish Magazine article kindly provided by Sussex Wildlife Trust. Author not named.