Cash aid for bowls club?

Even though extra chairs were brought into the functions suite at The Mermaid, many whose homes surround the historic open space in Knole Road had to stand in order to take part in last Thursday's meeting.

More than 150 signed a petition opposing development.

The site was once the home of the Cantelupe Croquet Club. Gullivers Bowling Club has occupied it since 1952. But the clubhouse is now so old and dilapidated that it is almost impossible to insure. A rebuild would cost an estimated 500,000. The club has long planned to move to land at Turkey Road near Bexhill cemetery.

But development plans for 30 flats and houses at Knole Road would mean the loss of the last remaining open space between the town centre and Galley Hill.

An informal group of worried neighbours called the public meeting to coordinate opposition to the development.

But it swiftly became apparent at the meeting that club members - many of whom were at the meeting - and objectors to the development share the same goals.

Both would prefer the club to stay where it is.

A number of councillors were present as the platform party - David Adams who chaired the meeting, estate agent Brian Hell and surveyor David Foster - explained the situation.

David Foster said the strength of the opponents' case was included the fact that an historic open space would be lost for all time and that the new homes would be "back-land" development surrounded by existing housing.

Cllr Stuart Earl won applause when he suggested trying to "turn a negative into a positive."

He suggested the opponents should approach a body such as Old Town Preservation Society, a charity with a brief to assist with town conservation.

Such a body could act as "vehicle" for residents to purchase the Knole Road site and lease it back to the club, he suggested.

Other speakers backed the idea. One resident said it would probably be cheaper for neighbours to contribute to a scheme to safeguard the loss of open space than to suffer the drop in property values that loss of the view and amenity would cause.

The meeting agreed that a pressure group should be formed. Suggested names for the committee formed at the meeting to consider include Gullivers Action Group, though there was some concern that the acronym GAG implied the reverse of the group's intentions to be both open and democratic.

At the request of the platform, the committee includes a member of the club.

The group is not only formally objecting to development as a body, it is encouraging the public to do so. It is writing to Earl De La Warr to ask that he does not release the family estate's restrictive covenant preventing development of the land.

Among other suggestions the new committee will examine is the group submitting its own planning application for a limited development on the Knole Road frontage to fund a new club house.