It is concerning that Wivelsfield Parish Council is still trying to persuade residents to agree to their draft neighbourhood plan.

They are stating that if residents vote no for the Neighbourhood Plan then Lewes District Council will invoke a contingency plan to trigger all developable sites (an additional 400 houses) in the village.

The parish council is though fully aware that this would not happen. Lewes District Council has publicly stated that it would not be sustainable for the village to do this and that to do so would not comply with the National Planning Policy Framework. They also know from their correspondence with Lewes District Council (LDC) that LDC will be able to use the core strategy as soon as it is adopted (or apply sufficient weight to emerging policies in the local plan part one) as evidence of a five-year supply to defend against other applications.

The reality in any case is that a neighbourhood plan cannot block development but sits alongside the district council’s own polices and if the housing requirements increase Lewes will determine planning applications on their own merits alongside the neighbourhood plan.

Also contrary to what is being said, there is no evidence to support the claim that this meets the wishes of the community. Many residents believe the effects of the development plan simply not in the best interests of the village.

The reality is that the neighbourhood plan contains numerous flaws and inconsistencies which have been ignored.

Richard and Sue Morris Slugwash Lane Wivelsfield Green