There are fears developers might want to build "all over" a valley after plans for 101 homes were submitted. The proposed homes would be built on land north of Hangleton Lane as shown by plans which were submitted last week to Brighton and Hove City Council. Ex-Hangleton and Knoll councillor Dawn Barnett said the 101 homes "will just be the start" and feared other developers might want to "take every bit of land" from the wildlife.
The 83-year-old has fought for over two decades against building homes on Benfield Valley, calling for the land to be protected from development. "This is a foot in the door to try and build all over Benfield Valley," she said. “The wildlife has got to have somewhere to live.
They are taking every bit of their land." A visual representation of plans for Benfield Valley (Image: Benfield Property Ltd) Under the new plans, developer Hollybrook Homes said 40 per cent of the 101 homes would be classed as “affordable”. It also said that the land south of Hangleton Lane would be kept as “community parkland”.
But Mrs Barnett says that children who currently use the land for cricket and football are “not interested in parkland” and want it kept in use as sports pitches. Brighton and Hove City Council previously approved the building of 100 homes in the area in its City Plan in 2022. Hollybrook said it wants to create plans which would develop “a sustainable community living in harmony with nature”.
It added that 90 per cent of Benfield Val.