Your letters - May 14, 2010

Disgrace that convent could be concretedThe announcement of another outrageous planning application to provide 197 units of apartments and houses on the All Souls convent in Magdalen Road is just another example of the nibbling away of St Leonards distinctive sites with a blessing and support by Hastings Borough Council (HBC).

On viewing the planning details for the convent the developer's intention is to cram 66 units per hectare on a 2.80 hectare site of off the shelf "Legoland" styled town houses and apartment blocks ( up to seven storeys high) in linear rows. Twice the average recommended number of units per hectare.

Not without intending to demolish some of the fine old existing buildings just because they, unlike the chapel, are not listed and have no protection. This large development will be a large cuckoo sitting in a such a delicate nest.

HBC's planning department repeats its unbelievable lack of understanding yet again thinking, presumably, this is a clever location of "out of sight out of mind" behind those high walls of this quintessential site will go unnoticed.

Despite this being a designated a conservation area the same for the Archery Road, Burton St Leonards site proposal to pack in 168 units, does the word conservation have any connotation to this council at all?

There is a propensity and culture within the borough to allow a farrago of homes lacking quality in architectural design and spatial thought.

Another plot of open land covered with concrete and people. The history and undisturbed tranquillity of this site should stir your objection to the planning application. We should have a serious interest to keep this extraordinary and evocative place as it is.

As the old adage goes: "Is nothing sacred."

Richard Heritage

Archery Road

St Leonards

Majority punished for the crimes of minority

I feel that I must respond to the letter from Andrea Needham regarding all the road humps in Hastings and St Leonards.

While I agree that there are selfish drivers who show no, or little, concern for other road users. I also feel that the majority are being punished as usual by the powers that be for the sake of the minority. This I have found to be quite usual in Hastings and St Leonards and not just with road humps.

One futher point, I believe that the legal hight for these "obstructions" is 5ft and I am pretty sure that there are many in the borough that are much higher.

So with the imposition of more road humps, double yellow lines, road calming schemes (mostly where the roads are narrow anyway), one can be forgiven if motorists feel that they are not at all welcome in Hastings and St Leonards.

Michael McIver

St Pauls Road

Flats will destroy the visitors' pleasant view

Just as the council arranges for thousands of extra new visitors to visit town for the Jerwood Gallery, it seems about to destroy the view for those who will get to the Bohemia Road Gallery.

Instead of pleasant coastal greenery and the view to St Thomas' Church to appreciate, there will be tall blocks of mean flats to behold, on the convent's playing fields (the planning application manages not to point this out, as John's Place or Summerfields are '“ laughably '“ not defined as a key view). As there are thousands of empty flats in the borough already, there is no need for more '” especially of such a hopelessly pinched quality.

Why are these proposals of grotesque overdevelopment being made for a conservation area anyway? They are clearly not in the public interest.

These plans are wrong by every criterion except 'property killing', and are not the only real option for the site. Yet again, HBC planners seem intent on indulging the damaging of Hastings.

The council's deadline for comment and complaint about the convent plans (refs: 00206 and 00207) has been extended to May 28.

Bernard McGinley

Magadalen Road

St Leonards

Thank you for tributes to my husband Roy

On behalf of all my family, friends and myself, I would like to give a great big thank you to all who sent cards, letters of condolence, tributes, phone calls, visits, flowers, plants etc, following the death of my dear husband Roy Tucker.

Thanks to all who attanded Roy's funeral mass, crematorium and reception at the Royal Victoria Hotel.

A very special thanks must go to Christ Church and St Mary Magdalen Church who gave my Roy such a wonderful send off. In particular, Bishop Roger Jupp, his wife Sue, Father Tim, Father David, organist and choir members. Another special thanks to Arthur Towner's Funeral Directors for their professionalism and sensitivity throughout.

Also special thanks to Helen Bird, the Mayor and civic party for honouring Roy and thereby our family. Thanks to those who spoke words of tribute in the church, Hastings Sea Cadets and their commanding officer Alison, to the four standard bearers from the British Legion, RNA Bexhill, to PC Dicker, to the wonderful Bugler and excellent Piper supplied by Hastings Borough Council. They were both magnificent.

To the florist, Carolls in Ninfield Road, Bexhill and La colina Gardens, Norman Road, St Leonards, Thanks to all the banqueting staff at the Royal Victoria Hotel, especially Aaron and Debbie, who did Roy proud.

Anne Tucker and Family

(Honey says Woof Woof!)

Centurion Rise

Another stench filled summer

I'M writing a letter of complaint about the community of St Leonards and how when the weather starts to get warmer people start to burn rubbish in their gardens, which isn't very pleasant when the clouds of smoke drift in through old style windows.

The stench from the smoke is so bad we go to bed feeling queasy and to add to that the bed clothes stink as well also from the smoke.

We can't even open our windows to let in some fresh air.

I also feel for the elderly lady down in the basement of the flat who's not in the best of health because the smoke directly blows down into her flat which hasn't got double glazing either.

Also it's impossible to dry our washing because of the bonfires, which can be three or more at a time, because one seems to trigger off the others which also means we have to rewash our clothes. This costs money, which is hard with the recession is going on.

I'm not asking much but for people to be more considerate about others around them or for the council to put a ban on burning rubbish or having bonfires outside your home in built up residential areas.

Here comes another stench filled summer.

KAREN SMITH (AGE 13)

Pevensey Road

St Leonards

Michael should be made Freeman of the town

HOW sad that the deficiencies of the Government should have interrupted the long service which Michael Foster has given as councillor or MP for four decades to us all and in particular to the poorest, the most disadvantaged, the oldest and the most disabled of the people of Hastings and Rye.

It would be a nice gesture if Councillor Maureen Charlesworth, as her last act as mayor, were to recommend to the council that they should follow the suggestion I made in your pages over a quarter of a century ago when he retired from the Borough Council, that he should be made a Freeman of Hastings.

Derek Cole

Anglesea Terrace

St Leonards

Town being destroyed one building at a time

It seems that Hastings needs protecting from its own council which is intent on allowing developers to destroy the area's character one building at a time.

Travelling along The Ridge, by Chowns Hill, I recently noticed that where stone Victorian mansions used to stand, now a pile of rubble fills the spot, no doubt to be filled in by some characterless flats. All these buildings needed were a bit of tender loving care to allow them to be converted into flats.

The mindset of some of Hastings' councillors seems to be not that different from those who destroyed the Old Town all those years ago.

I think that the town now needs new conservation areas to protect areas that are away from the seafront.

A plea to Hastings councillors: don't allow Hastings' heritage to be destroyed bit by bit otherwise you'll end up with a boring dreary town.

Neil Georgeson

Hastings Road

Battle

Minority tried to spoil it but Jack went very well

AS ever Jack in the Green went very well and I would like to thank the people of Hastings for making it such a good day.

In particular Kevin Boorman and his team and Sussex Police. Hastings does these things very well and long may it continue, it's what we are known for and what puts the town on the map.

It is indeed a pity that a minority decided to try to spoil it when we had all gone home or were clearing up. This I feel is a symptom of a national culture among the young rather than anything to do with the event itself. Yes, we all enjoy a drink, but most of us also know how to behave ourselves.

I would also like to stress that Jack in the Green is not a pagan festival, the research shows it is a custom of the chimney sweeps going back to the late 18th century.

It was and is a secular celebration of spring, the first opportunity to have a party outdoors after the long winter. This inaccuracy causes us many problems with parts of the community where there should be none.

The event is simply fun and nothing else. Organisers come from many different walks of life and faiths and for the record, I happen to be a Christian and find this inaccuracy offensive not only because of my faith but also because I am a folklore researcher.

Keith Leech

Chairman Jack in the Green

Collier Road

Footpath through Speckled Wood is a complete let-down

I LIVE in Frederick Road but missed the 'opening' ceremony for the footpath in/through Speckled Wood.

Having read about it recently in the Observer and on a noticeboard I decided to take a stroll in to the wood to see what the fuss was about.

To be honest I could not believe what I saw. It's full of rubbish. I have read the draft community plan for the wood in which it is described as having a 'special character'. I would certainly agree with that. Junk. Rubbish. Everywhere.

The draft community plan is full of management speak and the 'right words'. But visit the wood and I think they will fade away before your eyes.

The footpath itself '“ there are lots of little paths '“ seems to go nowhere. If you stay on the flat bit you are met after a few minutes walk with a fence and a sign telling you you are not welcome any further. I scrambled up the steep bank several times trying to find where, if anywhere, the wood led to.

I did find two exits, one meant a good scramble up a steep bank, so unless you are willing to get stuck in there, there is no exit that way.

The only other exit I found was by crossing the stream, shortly after entering the wood, and taking a diagonally right turn uphill.

Manageable, true, but not really going through the wood to attain any real benefit, more a quick short cut to the shops in Ore.

It would be nice to know what was occurring on the land before nature re-invaded as there is much brickwork and fallen down buildings within the wood that may have been workshops or garden areas as some parts are seperated by what would have been hedges. There also seems an obvious row of trees on the left when entering from the Frederick Road end.

To its benefit there are several migratory bird species using the wood as well as the more native birds. But at the moment, it's just a mess that needs sorting out and managing properly.

GRAHAM BARKER

Frederick Road

Don't understand logic behind development

JUST before Christmas I moved to my 'first time buyer's flat' for which I've worked very hard. It is opposite the convent site and I simply love it.

Although it's a conservation area I have now learned that the term means almost zilch.

English Heritage is supervising the restoration of the historic buildings at the cost of a property company putting up a horrific development behind them on beautiful virgin land to 'pay' for this restoration, thus totally wrecking the local area, while making countless millions for themselves, above what is necessary.

Whoever this company is it has caused me and many good people in this area much hassle, anguish and wasted time, trying to fathom out how and why it is doing it, and trying to get away with it.

Why can't they be like most people, who just want to be content with a nice home, and don't go around destroying other people's environments first so they can make more and more money.

MAUREEN JARVIS

Magdalen Road

St Leonards

Loss of Michael is a devastating blow

WHAT a devastating blow to the future of Hastings to lose Michael Foster as the town's parliamentary representative, it would be impossible to find a more hard working and committed MP. Goodbye Michael Foster (1997-2010) you will be greatly missed over the coming years.

John McIver

Githa Road

We're lucky to have White Rock Theatre

HOW lucky we are in Hastings to have the White Rock Theatre providing us, on our doorstep, with the opportunity to see such a world class performer as Joan Armatrading.

What a fabulous evening, what a star.Thank you.

Lesley Jones

Deepdene Gardens