It's getting close to crunch time for Titnore Woods. The West Durrington Consortium is speeding up its bid for planning permission to demolish the woodlands. On 28th January 2010, the consortium will meet at Worthing Borough Council's Development Committee to push for the go-ahead. Below is a call from Camp Titnore for help in resisting the development and a run-down of the corporate interests that stand to benefit from the destruction of the woods.

Titnore Woods is one of the two remaining semi-ancient woodlands on the West Sussex coastal plain. It is home to a rich diversity in species, flora and fauna. Rare creatures that have been spotted there include the brown, long-eared bats, great crested newts, dormice, yellowhammers and buzzards. It is also used as a migratory route by birds from other continents. All of the above could be lost forever to make way for a concrete jungle.

For the last three and a half years, Titnore Woods have been occupied by eco-activists, who have built Camp Titnore in resistance to the proposed plans to tear down the ancient landscape. What might replace these woods and its surrounding fields, if the fat cats get their way, is a 1,250-home development, which was initially to be 875 homes. Also planned is a new road, and possibly two schools and a health centre.

Those responsible for this project are the West Durrington Consortium, which consists of Persimmon Homes, Taylor-Wimpy and Heron Homes (headed by convicted crook Gerald Ronson, who was involved with the 1990 Guiness insider trading case). The development is estimated to cost over £3 billion and will take 6 years to complete, which is an absurd effort given that people could be housed in Worthing's 1,000 or so reportedly empty buildings.

When visiting the woods, construction is already very evident. If you stand at the front of Camp Titnore and look across the field, which may soon become part of the housing development, a 'mini project' costing £20 million has reared its ugly head: a giant Tesco. This is planned to open in spring/summer 2010 and has been built to replace an existing smaller Tesco, which will be knocked down and turned into a massive car park. Also planned for the area is a dot.com distribution centre. The planned new road will connect this superstore with the housing development and plough through the woods to reach a tennis courts and more houses on the other side. A sickening picture of suburban consumer convenience.

Close to Tesco is a public footpath to the woods from Fullbeck Avenue. On 9th December 2009, West Sussex County Council gave the order that the footpath be closed, stopping any persons from using this right of way. With construction on the land being imminent, the footpath is now viewed as a 'public safety hazard'.. Trees and bushes have been cleared from this area and, although none from the semi-ancient variety, this is still a haunting reminder that this land could soon no longer be with us.

There are many who oppose the plans to develop other than the stalwarts at Camp Titnore. Local Worthing residents are in uproar. Over 5,000 have signed petitions and written letters to their MP stating their anger at losing a part of their history. The locals are also very grateful that Camp Titnore exists and often visit the site with donations.

Environmentalists oppose the development not just because part of our natural heritage will be lost, but also because the Fering Rife that runs through Durrington was put on flood watch by the Environment Agency. The existing farmland acts as a sponge and soaks up the majority of rainwater. But with this lost, there will inevitably be a greater risk of flooding, with houses and a road creating run off, not forgetting the novelty plastic ponds that the developers plan to include becoming overwhelmed in bad weather.

Keith Buchan, a transport planning consultant for the Metropolitan Transport Research Unit (MTRU), a company that has been involved in sustainable transport planning for 10 years, has written an assessment underlining the absolute chaos the development would cause. He states that, with the current proposal, "access for bus users deteriorates significantly" and "the pedestrian catchment area will be reduced greatly." The dot.com distribution site, according to Buchan, "will become a major traffic and noise problem with deliveries starting early in the morning and continuing all day." These deliveries will also interfere with residential traffic. Buchan stresses that there has been poor co-operation between Tesco, the dot.com distribution centre and the West Durrington Consortium and believes that "it is far from clear that the aspirations to sustainability have been reflected in practical proposals." He urges that new proposals be agreed on in order to reduce transport problems.

With this report hanging over its head, the West Durrington Consortium is desperate to be granted planning permission. On 28th January 2010, the consortium will meet at Worthing Borough Council's Development Committee to push for the go-ahead. If it wins, then it's full steam ahead for the bulldozers and a very sad day for Camp Titnore, Worthing's locals and nature lovers alike, who wish to see the ancient woods left standing.

If you wish to see Titnore Woods remain, then meet at 5.30pm on 28th January outside Assembly Hall, Stoke Abbott Road, Worthing, to show those inside discussing the planning permission that you oppose the rape of our precious land by corporate greed.

Camp Titnore is calling out for people. Please visit the site, stay a while, help to build defences and walkways. Donations of wood, nails, polyprop and corrugated iron would be much appreciated.
For more information and directions to Camp Titnore, please visit:
www.protectourwoodland.co.uk
www.titnorewordpress.com