Almost 200 people turned out to support a campaign to save Benfield Valley from housing despite the rain yesterday (Sunday 16 October).
They were addressed by the Labour MP for Hove, Peter Kyle, and one of the organisers of the campaign, Kayla Potter-Jones, an ecologist.
The protest was organised days before Brighton and Hove City Council is due to approve a document known as City Plan Part Two which earmarks part of the valley for housing.
Supporters of the Benfield Valley Project also plan to gather outside Hove Town Hall on Thursday (20 October) when the City Plan is to due to approved at a meeting of the full council.
Mr Kyle said afterwards: “We need new homes in in our community so kids growing up here can afford to live here into adulthood if that’s what they want.
“But we also need to protect our green spaces too because they are so precious. Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.
“That’s why I joined Hangleton residents this afternoon to show my support for Benfield Valley remaining a small green spot for families to enjoy.
“The fact that so many amazing dogs were in attendance too shows just how important this kind of space is, especially for pet owners.
“I’ve been your MP long enough for you to know that I don’t oppose development often. In fact, just yesterday I visited the Hove Gardens construction site by Hove station.
“But we need balanced development that keeps the local character intact as communities evolve over time.
“Huge thanks to wonderful campaign organisers Helen Forester, Carla Blackman and Kayla Potter-Jones. This is a campaign that adds up to more than the sum of its parts and I was proud to be a part of it today.”
Conservative councillor Dawn Barnett, above right, who has previously raised the plight of Benfield Valley in the council chamber, also took part.
The organisers said: “Despite the wet weather, it was wonderful to see our local community out in force and demonstrating our love for the Benfield Valley.
“The sheer number of people that turned up to this protest was incredible and surpassed all of our expectations.
“We recognise the need for housing but Benfield Valley is an inappropriate location to build homes.
“Giving over any section of our vital green lung to development would cause irreparable damage and could not be mitigated, however ‘sensitive’ the planning.
“It is a unique mosaic of habitats such as mature woodland, scrub and chalk grassland, all of which are vital to the endangered and protected species that call the valley their home.
“The protest proves that Benfield Valley is also an important space for our community, providing mental and physical wellbeing opportunities, as well as possibilities for educational and social interactions, not just for the local area, but for the wider city and beyond.”
More than 4,000 people have signed a petition urging the council to “Save the Benfield Valley from Development”. To read or sign it, click here.
The petition said: “As per the City Plan Part Two proposals, a section of the Benfield Valley in Hangleton is marked for the development of 100 dwellings.
“This section of the valley is home to an abundance of wildlife and trees and ancient (Saxon) hedgerow, a number of which are either endangered or on the national protected species list (species at threat of endangerment), including badgers, wood mice, hedgehogs, adders, slow worms, a mature woodland and so much more, and should be protected, not destroyed.
“The Benfield Valley is also the biggest urban woodland in Brighton and Hove and acts as a green lung, improving air quality from surrounding busy roads, including the A27, connecting the city with the South Downs and making the national park accessible to all.
“It is well-loved by both locals and those from the wider city and is an important part of our community.
“The space is currently leased to Benfield Investments Ltd, a company who have tried and failed on a number of occasions to develop it for profit. Until now the council have always denied such plans but now the threat comes from the council itself.
“Interestingly, the Benfield Valley was omitted from the City Plan Part Two original proposals but the leaseholders contested this, appealing to the council and arguing that the space had ‘no ecological value’, a claim which we at the Benfield Valley Project have evidence that proves the contrary.
“The council argue that developing a section of the land will mean that they can take care of the rest of it but at what cost? Once the woodland is destroyed it takes with it the years of maturation it has taken to create the wildlife haven that it is.
“The Benfield Valley is also designated an SNCI (Site of Nature Conservation Interest) which, in an urban area such as Brighton and Hove, holds the same importance as a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) due to its impact on the surrounding areas.
“We believe that the whole of the Benfield Valley should be marked as a nature reserve and given the protected status comes with this, and that it deserves.
“Please sign the petition to safeguard this incredible local green space so that it can be cared for and enjoyed by the local community for generations to come.”
What an amazing afternoon! The community clearly loves and cherishes this space. It’s criminal that it has got this far!
The council leased the valley to a company called ‘Benfield Investments Ltd’ – the clue is in the name.
The Boon brothers weren’t buying the lease out of the goodness of their hearts, the investment part is developing the land and making a profit.
It’s almost as if the council has no common sense or fore thought of what consequences their actions will have…