March 30th, 2018.

Councillor Penny Lower writes:

I wonder how many local residents are aware of the status of this proposed new road?

ESCC has produced a briefing paper this month entitled Strategic Infrastructure Update. It seems that ESCC has to submit a business case to the Department for Transport at the end of March and expect a decision within 8 to 10 weeks.

Officials from DfT have visited the site and there have been two ‘very productive meetings’.

ESCC has appointed a ‘preferred contractor’ and we can all see that clearance of the site has already commenced in anticipation of approval of this £23million road.

This highly controversial and widely condemned use of public money is, ESCC claims, to enable Newhaven Port and Properties to extend port facilities to facilitate amongst other uses: aggregate handling; quarried stone handling; other bulk or general cargoes and biomass product handling. These will of course, as the briefing states, “ generate substantial additional HGV and related traffic”.

What price local consultation, local democracy and the aspirational Neighbourhood Plan?

Penny Lower
Seaford Town Councillor (Labour)


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