Fire walk at The World’s End pub in Patching

By Nicolas Pierce

Twenty-two sponsored daredevils took part in a fire-walk at The World’s End pub on Arundel road in Patching on Wednesday night.

Dozens of family and friends turned out to watch the feat, which required contestants to walk barefoot along a 500 degree path of hot coals before dunking their feet in buckets of cold water and earning eternal (well, for the evening at least) glory in the process.

Many of the participants, who had to pay £50 to enter, were raising money for Worthing and District Animal Rescue Service (WADARS), who are involved in the rescuing and re-homing of domesticated animals.

Denise Hodgson, 51, who took part in the firewalk and raised around £1200 for WADARS and Naomi House, a Children’s Hospice in Winchester, said: “I felt physically sick beforehand, and had visions of myself falling over, but it wasn’t as bad as I expected. I got a little bit of the embers in my toes, but you have to keep walking. I’m glad I did it.”

The participants felt the heat at 9pm, some of them in fancy dress, to a soundtrack of appropriately themed music, like 90s dance act Prodigy’s ‘Firestarter’ and tribal drumming.

WADARS, who are also heavily involved in the rescuing of injured wildlife, had erected a tent at the event in order to spread the word about their organisation.

WADARS employee Nikki Parsons said: “This is the first time we’ve done the firewalk here, so we hope it’ll be a success.”

Judging by the reaction of the crowd, the daredevilry displayed tonight is unlikely to be a one-off.

Onlooker Cindy Gray, 49, said: “I thought I’d quite like to have a go at doing it myself!”

Government Planning Policy puts Sussex countryside at risk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West Sussex Countryside

By Alex Oxborough

Environmental groups have warned that new planning policy guidelines, recently released by the coalition government, are a threat to the countryside, ancient woodland and the character of rural communities.

JUST one year after the establishment of the South Downs National Park, the Sussex countryside is under threat. Bringing to mind the adage “the best laid plans of mice and men” — often applied to actions that prompt unintended consequences — environmental groups have warned that a lack of clarity in the government’s recent review of national planning policy has left legal loopholes.

The most radical overhaul of planning policy for 20 years, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has rewritten the rulebook on development. Whereas in recent years planning policy mushroomed in an attempt to balance the need for economic and social development with the protection of the environment, the NPPF aims to streamline and modernise planning policy.

Reducing hundreds of pages of guidance, comprehensible only to professionals and the initiated, to a 59-page document was never going to be easy, but changes effecting long-established principles, such as the requirement for environmental sustainability, mark a shift in the protection given to the conservation of the countryside and the existing character of rural communities.

Woodland Trust Chief Executive Sue Holden said, “Ancient Woodland remains significantly threatened under this new framework. Although the NPPF retains phrasing from existing planning policy around the protection of ancient woods and trees, the wording that planning applications should not bring about the loss of these habitats ‘unless the need for, and benefits of, the development in that location clearly outweigh the loss’, leaves a dangerous loophole.”

By defining sustainability as, “ensuring that better lives for ourselves don’t mean worse lives for future generations”, the NPPF has arguably watered-down the environmental connotations of the term since it was defined by the Brundtland Commission in 1987, and cleared the way to put economic and social needs first. Brighton and Hove Green MP Caroline Lucas said, “Local communities rightly remain highly sceptical about whether the Government’s new framework will be up to the job of allowing truly sustainable development whilst providing enough proper protection.”

Chris Todd of Brighton and Hove Friends of the Earth said, “The NPPF sounds very good in places, but what do those expressions mean? Does it mean that if you create jobs and provide housing you can get away with damaging the environment?” Chris believes the change in the meaning of terms such as sustainability will result in expensive legal challenges. He said, “If developers, councils or individuals don’t like particular decisions, or believe things were taken wrongly or misinterpreted, then that could end up in the courts. Where there are elements of doubt or ambiguity then the whole process could take a long time to be sorted out while people struggle.”

Given that the 2011 draft version of the framework had included measures to speed the planning process in order to boost economic growth, the likelihood of lengthy planning disputes is a shot in the foot for the coalition government. The public mauling of the headlining “presumption in favour of sustainable development” when the draft framework was released resulted in a further source of potential delays in key planning decisions across the county.

Following fierce criticism from middle-England heavyweights The National Trust and the Countryside Alliance, the “presumption in favour of sustainable development” has been watered-down in the final Framework. Now development must comply with a local authority plan, but where none exists it must go ahead unless, “Any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly outweigh the benefits when assessed against policies in this Framework.” A leaked local authority briefing report notes this “effectively limits the local scope for manoeuvre” to reject poor quality planning applications against the best interests of the local community.

Sussex local authorities are now scrabbling to put in place up to date and robust development plans. Not a simple task when even figures such as Liz Peace, Chief Executive of the British Property Federation are saying “Urgent questions remain over how local authorities should determine how many homes and jobs they need, and what the guidance that underpins the NPPF should be.” The majority of local planning authorities are in the process of creating or updating plans to comply with the NPPF.  As the Framework’s grace period to put plans in place runs out in March 2013 many local authorities are still vulnerable.

Brighton and Hove City Council City Plan is currently awaiting examination by an independent Government inspection, prior to adoption. Toad Hole Valley, a green field site in Hove, has been allocated for a new industrial estate, in spite of opposition from local residents and Labour Councillor Brian Fitch who argued the suitability of a brown field site near Shoreham Harbour.  Councillor Fitch said, “I know you can hear the noise of the bypass in the distance, but it’s a lovely setting and the local public here have enjoyed it for a number of years.”

As a result of the NPPF local authorities will increasingly have their hands tied when it comes to identifying land for development. Councils will be obliged to allocate a five-year supply of land for housing based on projected population figures, plus an additional 5% buffer, to be updated annually, unless there has been persistent under-delivery in which case the buffer will be 20%. No definition of how “under-delivery” will be assessed is given so this will be open to legal challenge. For Brighton and Hove this is likely to leave them particularly vulnerable to challenge because of the historical reliance on ‘windfall’ sites,  freed up by change of use, in housing delivery in the city.

Though the aim of the NPPF is clear from the Framework’s Ministerial Foreword onwards—economic growth— the practical application of the Framework is currently a mystery. A lack of clarity in the use of terms, and the circumstances in which key caveats become active, means that, for now, planning will remain almost incomprehensible. A cynic might point out that now it is incomprehensible to professionals, too. What this will mean for the Sussex countryside remains to be seen.

Young People in East Brighton Urged To Reach £20,000 for Youth Projects

By Abby Rugg

Young people in East Brighton are being urged to bid for up to £20,000 to kick-start youth projects in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean.

Breaking news: Brighton & Hove Albion players charged with sexual assault and voyeurism

By Liam Dawes

Three Brighton & Hove Albion players and a Bournemouth player have been charged with sexual assault and voyeurism.

Parking charges in Brighton rocket to £20 per day

By Liam Dawes

Visitors to Brighton seafront will have to pay a staggering £20 per day for parking after new charges were introduced by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Brighton Pier to go dark for Earth Hour

Brighton Palace Pier's familiar lights will be switched off to mark Earth Hour tomorrow night.
Photo Credit : OLU

By Damien Murphy

THE familiar glitter and glare of Brighton Pier will vanish into darkness tomorrow night to mark the World Wildlife Fund’s annual Earth Hour.

The Pier’s new neighbour, the Brighton Wheel, will also turn of its lights, and the strings of bulbs that light the promenade will fall dark.

In the rare darkness, a torchlit procession will wend its way between the bandstand in Hove and the Pier as part of the largest environmental event in the world.

Earth Hour was set up by set up in Sydney by the WWF in 2007 to highlight the link between overreliance on electricity and climate change.

We’re going to need a bigger petrol tank

By Evie Purves

The army is being trained to deliver fuel to petrol stations after news of a possible strike by tanker drivers.

The army and police are now on stand by to make sure fuel deliveries do not grind to a halt, mirroring the same dire situation that hit Tony Blair’s government in 2000 which almost brought the country to a standstill.

Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office minister claimed that the country has “learnt the lessons” of the 2000 situation and the government is now “ready to act” if members of the Unite union walk out.

Unite union is balloting 2,000 of its members who work for seven major fuel companies, on industrial action after saying drivers’ terms and conditions have been under “unrelenting attacks”.

Monday the 2^nd April will see the vote closing and the strike could be held next month. This could result in the Easter weekend being taken over by industrial action, causing major problems for the public.

Mr Maude advised the public on Wednesday 28^th March to stock up on petrol “maybe a little bit in the garage as well in a jerrycan”. However his advice was criticised by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and the AA who warned that it was potentially very dangerous.

A jerrycan stores more than the legal limit for the amount that can be stored at home, holding 20 litres.

Since the minister’s advice, there has been widespread panic across the country, with motorists queuing for hours trying to fill up their cars before the possible strike.

Retail Motor Industry Federation has said that petrol sales rose by 45% on Tuesday 27^th March and diesel was up 20% amid talk of this strike bringing disruption to forecourt supplies.

Police were having to barricade off some petrol stations after they became dangerously busy, as well as causing huge tailbacks resulting in major delays to other motorists.

Esso said that “some sites may temporarily be out of one or two types of fuel”.

But Shell reported “business as normal” and Tesco commented that it was experiencing “an increase in sales in some areas” but reassured customers it was working hard to meet the demand.

A van driver from Brighton has described the situation as “ridiculous” and says he has been “greatly affected, not only because of the petrol, but also because of the hold-ups because of all the traffic”.

The minister has been accused by the Labour party as “panicking people all around the country which was completely irresponsible”.

BBC Two’s Newsnight was told by the roads minister Mr Penning that: “You can’t store that amount of petrol. It was a mistake by the cabinet minister. He didn’t understand the size of a jerrycan. He has apologised since

The Cabinet Office minister has made an appeal to the employers of fuel distribution companies and the Unite union to come to an agreement to advert industrial action. But plans are already in place that could see soldiers driving tankers to avoid major disruptions to fuel supplies.

Maude has recently said: “Widespread strike action affecting fuel supply at our supermarkets, garages and airports could cause disruption across the country.” He said that: “The general public should not and must not suffer from this dispute”.

However, many are feeling the pressure, including Mr Maurice, a taxi driver in Brighton, who said that the top up tax was “unnecessary grief caused by the government”, and described it as “irresponsible”. He says: “It was hard to find garages that actually let us in”. Mr Maurice revealed he is currently spending £200 a week on diesel. However, Mr Maurice also said that despite all the panic, he did not believe a strike will happen

The chairman of the Petrol Retailers’ Association, Brian Madderson has said he does not believe the government is equipped for a strike: “We have had no word from the Department of Energy and Climate Change whatsoever.”

The result of the strike on the fuel industry will affect the emergency services as well as motorists, which would potentially cost lives. Maude has said: “we are ready to act to minimise disruption, particularly in the emergency services in the event of a strike”.

Acas, Conciliation service is trying to convene talks between Unite and seven companies involved in the dispute.

An Acas spokesman said: “We are in urgent discussions with the parties involved on an individual basis. It is normal for us to do this to establish the format for talks.”

However, a Downing Street spokesman has said there is no need for strike and insists that forecourts are being replenished; mirroring Mr David Cameron’s message that a strike of any kind would be “unjustified” and said talks will continue to avert industrial action.

Brighton smokers feeling the pinch of 2012 Budget

By Paul Lacey

Smokers in Brighton are already feeling the effect of the increase in tobacco duty with decreased sales and ‘brand flipping’.

Only eight days after the Chancellor announced a 5% rise above inflation on tobacco duty in the 2012 Budget, Brightonians have already started to change their smoking habit.

Price rises have yet to hit customers of smaller retailers due to their stocks of pre-pricemarked cigarettes but larger stores have already reported a slight decrease in sales.

Steven Paris, 25, from the Co-op convenience store in St. James Street said: “Customers complain about the rises and many have switched to rolling tobacco or just buy 10 instead of 20.”

This early indicator may vindicate the Chancellor George Osborne when he said: “There is clear evidence that increasing the cost of tobacco encourages smokers to quit.”

However, not everyone is convinced that the increase will deter smokers and even suggest that the real reason for the duty rise is to gain more revenue by unfairly targeting the less affluent.

Phil Knight, 45, from Brighton, said: “It [the rises] selectively penalises poorer people because it’s a greater portion of their income.”

He added: “If you want to raise more money for the country, you should be taking it from the richer part of the population.”

Other Brightonians however agreed with the rises and thought that paying another 37 pence per packet of 20 was a good move by the government.

Morgan Keef, 24, said: “It should be more expensive as if it’s too cheap, it encourages more people to smoke, although hardcore smokers will always find a way to fund their habit.”

Sussex a UK hotspot as temperatures continue to rise

By Catherine Roberts

Sussex is one of the top hotspots in the UK today with temperatures set to hit 23C this afternoon.

The sizzling weather started last weekend when Brighton businesses saw an influx of locals and tourists.

The Fortune of War pub on Brighton beach took over £11,000 in their busiest weekend of the year.

Usually open March-October, seafront traders between the piers agree that business start dates are creeping earlier and earlier.

This year most traders opened on February 27.

John and Judy Butcher’s seafront ice cream shop has been in the family for two generations. Judy Butcher said: “It’s definitely unusual for March.

“We just open when the sun comes out.”

Following the 2011 spring-time heat wave, it looks like summer is arriving sooner for the seafront business owners.

Although temperatures will take a dive next week, Brighton traders are bracing themselves for a second wave of tourists during the Easter break.

Next week will see temperatures drop by 9C and the sunshine will be replaced by grey cloud.

Brighton’s cycling accident black spots uncovered

By Mathew Beech

Two safety conscious cyclists riding along Brighton seafront. Credit: Mathew Beech

Hundreds of cyclists have been injured and five killed on Brighton’s roads over the last five years as new figures reveal accident black spots in the city.

Figures published by the Office of National Statistics show there have been 850 accidents between 2005 and 2010, with the palace Pier roundabout proving to be the most dangerous section of road.

This junction sees Marine Parade, Madeira Drive, Grand Junction Road and the A23 converge, and caused 129 accidents, 23 resulting in injuries to the cyclists.

Ian Essex, chairman of the Brighton Excelsior Cycling Club, told the Argus: “From my experience on some of the roads in Brighton the figures don’t surprise me but it is still shocking.”

The second most dangerous spot for bike-riders is the Lewes Road/Coombe Road junction, where 18 people were injured in 83 accidents.