Cllr. Nick Lewry

BH2021/00795 – Benfield Valley Golf Course

29^th March 2021:

I am writing on behalf of my constituents to state my objection to the above planning application for Benfield Valley in my ward of Hangleton and Knoll

The proposal includes a plan to leave mounds of chalk piled up on the site as bunds.

This site is a nature reserve and should not be used as a dumping ground for

building materials. If the chalk is not required as building material it should be

removed from the site to keep the site in proper order.

Furthermore, I find it hard to believe that the bare chalk would be colonised by flora and add to biodiversity.

I would suggest that this proposal would be contrary to the terms of the 1992

Benfield Valley lease (attached), which clearly states that:

(13) COVENANT TO KEEP VACANT LAND IN PROPER ORDER

To keep the land not occupied by buildings in a clean well cultivated and

proper condition so far as is appropriate to the actual use of the Premises and so as not to cause injury to the environment of the area or any adjoining land and to forthwith comply at its own expense with any notice of a relevant authority whether served on the Tenant or the Landlord reasonably requiring the abatement of any such injury.

(14) TO PRESERVE TREES ETC

To keep trees shrubs and hedging on the Premises in good order and

condition so far as reasonably possible and properly tended cultivated in

accordance with the principles of good husbandry and pruned or trimmed and to replace all losses PROVIDED that so to do shall not interfere unreasonably with the use of the Premises for outdoor recreational and leisure purposes AND PROVIDED FURTHER that the same quantities of trees shrubs and hedging as at the date hereof shall be maintained hereafter and any revised layout thereof shall (before removal of the existing trees and shrubs and hedging) first be agreed with the Landlord which shall act reasonably in reaching such agreement with the Tenant.

I hope that you will rule against this proposal and ask that the chalk is removed as soon as possible.

If you are not minded to rule against this in the first instance, as a ward Councillor I would like to call this to Planning Committee