I wouldn't blame anyone for despairing at all talk over the last seven years on Area Action Plans and Structure Plans and now Core Strategies. So much talk, so little action. However, the process is now coming to an end with Mid Sussex District Council due to agree the Core Strategy in December and with it the future shape of Mid Sussex, including East Grinstead, until 2026.

The Town Council has been at the forefront of fighting the Town's corner. It's looked at the small print and fought for full evidence to back all the various proposals. It's looked for a Strategy that protects the existing community and brings clear future benefits. Above all it's sought to work with residents throughout this long process in developing the best possible case for the Town.

That's why we want to report back at the Public Meeting in the Meridian Hall on 20 October, commencing 7.45 pm, and hear, once again, residents' views on the Town's future.

The Core Strategy needs to show clearly and convincingly how our traffic congestion can be eased, how local employment and our retail offer can be boosted, how we can ease the Town's infrastructure shortage, how we can help our young people with more affordable houses and how we can protect the Town's special character.

The Town Council has already issued a discussion document covering these issues, which is now also on this website. It hopes this will help discussion at the Public Meeting.

It's worth highlighting briefly what's been achieved over the years in getting a sustainable strategy for East Grinstead. At once stage we were faced by a District Council proposal of over 5000 houses and an expensive relief road that clearly wouldn't work. Now those ideas are gone. Instead a ceiling of 2000 houses is proposed, with junction improvements and other traffic management methods to relieve the Town's chronic traffic congestion. We now need to look carefully at that proposal, review the possible locations of the houses and the conditions necessary to protect the Town and underpin its future prosperity.

So please let the Town Council have your views on the Core Strategy and, if possible, attend the Public Meeting on October 20 to hear more. Your views count and the Council wants to hear them.

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James Baldwin
October 2009