Day of Action shows countryside is a priority 

CPRE Sussex column written for The Argus, 29 April 2026

In April, communities came together as part of a national Day of Action for Nature, Parks and Green Spaces. More than 220 community events were held nationwide – and right here in Sussex. 

Co-ordinated by the Community Planning Alliance, the events aimed to demonstrate that people everywhere care deeply about nature, parks and green spaces and want to see them protected and restored. 

Sussex events 

In Henfield, more than 500 residents gathered as part of an ongoing battle to protect the village from speculative development.  Organised by the Campaign to Protect Rural Henfield (CPRH), the day raised awareness of plans to build more than 1,000 new homes fields and green spaces.  

 In Seaford, campaigners formed a protective ring around Chyngton Field. The field is a designated Habitat Network Expansion Zone and forms part of the gateway to the South Downs National Park and to the Seaford Head Nature Reserve. However, it has been put forward for development as part of Lewes District Council’s Local Plan despite widespread objections. 

Democracy under threat 

The Day of Action was planned to coincide with the upcoming local elections. However, it also feels timely because of the extent to which local democracy is under threat.  

Draft changes to the National Planning Policy Framework are removing local councils’ ability to lead the way on sustainability and risk massive new schemes being built in precious countryside. The disastrous Planning and Infrastructure Bill has stripped protections for nature. Proposed changes will see local authorities lose the right to decide on schemes of more than 150 homes.  

Local voices are being lost and the countryside is more under threat than ever. But the events in Henfield and Seaford demonstrate just how passionate local people are about the countryside and green spaces on their doorstep. And they are not alone! 

Election pledges 

At CPRE Sussex, we believe local people should be able to shape the places where they live. We have written to all candidates in the upcoming local elections asking them to commit to 6 pledges: 

• Support councils, housing associations and community land trusts to deliver genuinely affordable homes, especially for social rent.  

• Build on brownfield first, through prioritising the over 1,200 acres of brownfield land in Sussex for new development.  

• Resist central government control on planning policy and push back on their sledgehammer housing targets.  

• Invest in nature recovery, through properly protecting and resourcing Sussex landscapes.  

• Champion a community-led clean energy movement through supporting local groups.  

• Hold water companies to account and use planning conditions to ensure new developments can only be built if there is enough capacity in the sewerage system. 

We have also launched a petition calling on all candidates to help shape a greener future for Sussex. You can sign the petition at: actionnetwork.org/petitions/a-greener-sussex-for-us-all-ask-our-council-candidates 

Read more on these issues in our latest column for The Argus here: https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/26042124.communities-defend-sussex-countryside-development/