People in part of Sussex have less access to green spaces than the national average. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said some 17,467 households out of 69,564 in Mid Sussex , around a quarter, do not have access to a green space of two hectares or more within one kilometre. This figure is higher than average for the South East, where 22 per cent of households are lacking green space access.
Additionally, only 39 per cent of Mid Sussex households meet the neighbourhood standard, meaning they have a green space of at least ten hectares within a 15-minute walk from home. Meanwhile, only seven per cent meet the local standard of having a green space of at least two hectares within a five-minute walk. Mike Childs, head of policy at Friends of the Earth, said: "While it is good news that the majority of people have reasonable access to green space, this still means at least one in five people don't, and previous research has shown that this 20 per cent of the population is disproportionately made up by people of colour.
READ MORE: White storks believed to be from Sussex spotted in Cornwall "Since Covid there has been a greater awareness of the importance of green spaces for both physical and mental health , as well as the critical role they play in cooling urban heat. "The goal must be to ensure everyone has access to green space, nature and the benefits they bring." The data comes amid the recent submission of planning applications which has sparked fury from residents, particularly in Angmering.
An application for 190 homes and a community development on farmland west of Bewley Road triggered the formation of an action group, which held a protest there last week. Protesters gather to oppose a planning application (Image: Protect Farmland West of Bewley Road) A Go Fund Me has also been set up to fight an application for 1,450 homes alongside infrastructure on land between Ansty, Cuckfield and Haywards Heath. A spokeswoman for Mid Sussex District Council said: “Mid Sussex enjoys lots of green and open space and almost 60 per cent of the district is in the national park.
“The council's district plan seeks to protect green spaces and the new draft district plan, which will be inspected by the government's planning inspectorate this autumn, continues this protection.”.
