Plumpton Parish Council

Our Parish Council has the responsibility to ensure that all parishioners have a voice on issues great and small that affect them individually, and the parish as a whole.

Additional Housing Targets for Lewes District

Night Time Road Closure

East Sussex Highways are going to carry out works on the B2116 from the junction at the Half Moon towards Lewes. They will be carrying out high friction surfacing works. The Work will take place from 4 to 9 July 2022. B2116 Westmeston/Plumpton will be closed to through traffic between 7pm and 6am each night. Traffic will be diverted via Beacon Road, Ditchling Road, A27, A277 Brighton Road, A275 and vice versa.

Further information regarding these works, including the maps of the area we will be working on can be found on their website via the below link:https://www.eastsussexhighways.com/highway-schemes/b2116-high-friction-surfacing

Plumpton and East Chiltington Good Neighbours

A good neighbours scheme operates in Plumpton and East Chiltington. Our aim is to provide support and practical help to residents in need, whether temporary (for example as a result of an operation) or ongoing, because of age, disability, or living alone. We offer befriending if you’d like a cuppa and a chat, prescription collection, and pet walking. We can put your bins out or change a lightbulb.

If we can help you in any way please contact our coordinator on 07478 524152 for a chat.

Our volunteers are all DBS checked and insured to be in your home. However, we are not medically or professionally trained and we cannot take on care duties or administer or prepare medication.

If you are interested in joining us as a volunteer please contact Gina Hawthorne on 07595 894425. You would be very welcome.

Joint letter to Michael Gove, Secretary of State

Plumpton Parish Council has recently received a response to the joint letter sent to Secretary of State Michael Gove on 8th of January.

Despite the planning policy changes suggested in the Queen’s speech on 10th May, it remains the case that the standard method is the starting point for need, which is hugely contentious being purely a statistical device that is based on historic data rather than current and future and does nothing to achieve the truly affordable homes required to sustain rural communities.

We remain unclear what is meant by phrases like “We would emphasise that Local Housing Need does not set a target for the number of homes to be built. Local authorities decide their own housing requirement once they have considered their ability to meet their own needs in their area.” as it contradicts the preceding statement that the standard method defines need, and there is clear ministerial advice that the standard method is a minimum that planning authorities are free to exceed. It is the standard method that is forcing Lewes District Council to have to consider large developments on greenfield sites such as the Eton College land in East Chiltington.

Response from Secretary of State

Letter to the Secretary of State

Plumpton Full Fibre Broadband

Have you ever wondered whether you could get a better broadband service in Plumpton? With full fibre broadband being rolled out across the country it’s now possible to upgrade to a much faster and more reliable service for the village. Under the Community Fibre Partnership scheme every household in the village is eligible for vouchers to help meet the cost of installation. The more people who commit to joining the scheme the better the chances fibre can be fully funded.

Please see more details here:

Plumpton Full Fibre Broadband

PPC broadband FAQ v1.1

Update for Residents from Plumpton Parish Council on Additional housing targets for Lewes District Council (LDC)

Update 8th September 2021

The LDC Issues and Options consultation period has now expired. Please see the final Parish Council response here:-

Lewes DC Issues & Options consultation: Plumpton Parish Council response

LDC have also issued a document to help explain what ‘local housing need’ is and justify (in their view) why the new higher housing need number is being used as a basis for the new Local Plan. The paper is available here:- 314415.pdf (lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk)

Pavilion Refurbishment

We’ve just completed the Pavilion refurbishment, which has given us a substantial upgrade of the facilities.

The refurbishment was part-funded by a LEADER grant from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (£49k), and the remainder from our New Pavilion Fund (£28k) and the Parish Council (£7.5k).

With many thanks to Des Lambert, who helped us navigate the grant application process, and to parish councillor Emma Elford, who led renovation programme, got the grants, liaised with everyone involved.

The refurbishment has included:

removal of the old kitchen to open up the space
re-positioning of a new kitchen and utility room into the old committee room
recovering of the floor throughout
reconfiguring of the changing rooms
increased storage facilities
substantial replacing of rotten timbers throughout the infrastructure
replacement of multiple doors
replacement of window glass
part installation of new composite cladding and sofits
substantial re-plastering work throughout
roof repair.

Steve Bodsworth was the contractor. We owe him many thanks for doing a fantastic job to a very high standard and completing on time.

As with all building jobs, we found some unexpected problems along the way that Steve responded to quickly, which allowed us to keep on schedule.

Now the work is complete, it has highlighted other parts of the facility that are looking a bit tired. Plumpton Parish Council will be costing further work to maintain this valued facility within a long-term preventative maintenance programme. We’ll provide further details in due course, later this year.