Concerned residents highlight worries over the proposed development of the Mayfield Court Meadow site
27th November
The battle in Mayfield to decide the redevelopment of a potential new surgery and community site is hotting up. The Save Court Meadow Group proposed Level House and the Fire Station as alternative surgery sites after limited progress on existing plans. With previous Court Meadow designs proving expensive, they believe the Fire Station option is feasible and cost-effective and potentially will avoid a costly waste of public funds. They argue it could reduce groundworks, traffic issues, safety and public spending while enabling separate hall and surgery provision. The local Parish Council and Wealden District Council have a different view. We have a comment from two of the interested parties, unfortunately WDC were asked for a response but did not provide comment.
Is the Court Meadow site viable?
A response has been received from Mayfield and Five Ashes Parish Council which does not echo the residents’ concerns. A response from WDC has been sought but not received to date.
Ian Parker, Mayfield and Five Ashes Parish Council
“The negative sentiment on this project is from a vocal minority. In 2023, Mayfield & Five Ashes Parish Council had an election where a number of Councillors stood on the basis of seeing this project through. All 13 of the councillors elected were in favour of this project as were those that were re-elected. The turnout was extremely high and those who stood on the basis that they were against the development received very little support.
“Alternative sites such as the fire station site have been considered. It is understood the Fire Service are looking for a capital receipt in excess of £1million for the site. Additionally, the project is well advanced with a planning consent granted for the Court Meadow site. Changing sites now would therefore constitute starting from scratch and a complete re-design, costing a significant amount in professional fees. If savings in build costs were indeed possible on this site, and this could only be verified by significant site investigation and design work, they would have to outweigh the significant purchase costs and additional professional fees.
“Therefore, it is extremely unlikely that the fire station site would be more cost effective. Additionally, the fire station site is not big enough to accommodate both a new medical centre and the new community centre and therefore the benefits of co-location these services would be lost. The benefits of economies of scale would also be lost and it’s not certain both projects would be viable as separate initiatives on separate sites. The Parish & District Council therefore remain committed to delivering the scheme on the Court Meadow site and hope to start construction next year.”
In response Thomas Treherne, Save Court Meadow Group, had this to say:
“A year ago, in December 2024, I went to the Wealden District Council Offices in Hailsham along with two other members of Save Court Meadow to meet WDC councillors Rachel Millward and James Partridge, and Mayfield and Five Ashes Parish Councillors Ian Parker and Chris Lilly. Save Court Meadow had called for the meeting as we were concerned by the lack of progress in achieving a new surgery, the wasting of public money, the closure of the Memorial Hall, and the legal and environmental implications of building on Court Meadow (a protected King George V Playing Field). We presented plans for a new surgery on two alternative sites using the specifications of the surgery element from the then current WDC/PC project. The sites were Level House, and the Fire Station site. At the meeting, Rachel Millward, promised to look into these options. This has yet to happen. No serious appraisal of these sites has yet been made by WDC or the PC.
“WDC have granted Planning Permission for a combined surgery and hall on Court Meadow twice, and both proposals have proved too expensive. With two failed designs behind us, it seems time to look at the Fire Station site seriously. To that end Save Court Meadow sought Pre-application Advice from WDC to re-purpose the Fire Station site into a surgery. The result was positive. Costings have been produced demonstrating the feasibility of this within current available funding. The PC can purchase the Fire Station site (even at the price of £1million) and create a new surgery faster and cheaper than pursuing the latest, and third, PC plan for Court Meadow. The £1.5million spent to date by WDC/PC is in part redeemable using the Fire Station site, particularly as regards specifications.
“There is no benefit to co-locating the surgery with the hall. The greatest expense to using Court Meadow for a new combined hall/surgery is the vast groundworks needed for that combined building extending down the slope of the meadow. Rebuilding the hall on its current footprint and re-purposing the Fire Station as a surgery makes both financial and environmental sense. It also deals with the serious and dangerous traffic problems created by adding surgery traffic to the three schools, the scouts, the village band, anyone using Court Meadow, general village parking, and hopefully again soon, the hall.
“The PC keep stating that criticism of the current project is from a minority. This is irrelevant. Save Court Meadow comprises a small working group representing a much larger and now growing group of parishioners. For the last six years, we have tried to create discussion to achieve the best possible outcome for the Parish of Mayfield and Five Ashes – a new surgery and a new hall, whilst safeguarding Court Meadow for future generations’ enjoyment. Our concerns are serious and well informed. There is a vital lack of debate within the current PC on this important topic. One plan after another is presented by the PC as a fait accompli. The majority of the current parish councillors were elected in 2023 to ‘Save Our Surgery’. The focus of this effort should be ‘where is best to locate the surgery with best use of public money?’ Using the Fire Station site for a new surgery fulfils this and ensures it remains a community benefit.”
Thomas Treherne, resident of Mayfield, member of Save Court Meadow
It would seem there is considerable concern over the plans and anyone who would like to find out more or make their thoughts known should approach the Parish Council or WDC.
