Regular readers of the Observer may remember a report that the Development Control Committee of Crawley Borough Council recently refused permission for a small green space at Ely Close in Tilgate to be developed.
For hundreds of residents and for myself this was the successful conclusion of a community campaign to protect not just this area from development, but a similar one and a play ground at Chichester Close, also in Tilgate.
This story begins in Autumn 2011 when what can only be described as the council’s hard line Tory Cabinet, under the leadership of Councillor Bob Lanzer, announced it would like the two areas to be considered for development. This followed the local Tory borough councillor getting safely re-elected in May 2011. The outcry after the announcement was deafening in defence of local green space in these built up areas. A concerted effort by residents forced a council back down on Chichester Close by Christmas 2011. Even Mr Lanzer seemed to sense he had over reached himself in his zeal to build. However, in what appeared to be a classic property portfolio wielding ploy, the council leader gave a little, but to our dismay decided to plough on with Ely Close. This was in defiance of a 360 name petition from homes in the immediate area and an eloquent presentation to the Cabinet in Spring 2012.
There followed another year of tension for those who would be affected by the building proposals hanging over them. Yet, everyone kept their conviction that this green space is unsuitable for development and when the planning application eventually came this January dozens of formal objections were made. On 25th March, following presentations to the Development Control Committee by residents and myself, planning permission was overwhelmingly refused by the committee.
We must see this struggle by residents and a councillor to protect local space in the context of Crawley as a whole.
It is sickening that those temporarily in power were condescendingly prepared to declare these spaces ‘surplus to requirements.’
Yes, we urgently need more homes but this desperate, ill thought out, piecemeal approach is no answer.
Small green spaces, of which there are many in our residential areas, are not there by accident but were planned sixty years ago and help give Crawley its distinctive green character. Defending this is worth fighting for and we should all remain vigilant.