Rector spells out church centre plans

IN response to articles appearing in the Sussex Express (Uckfield editions) in two successive weeks I feel that I must now write to comment on issues raised about the proposed refurbishment of the church centre, Uckfield.

Everyone, of course, has the right to their opinion but it does seem that facts are being wilfully distorted and half-truths pedalled.

The fact of the matter is that these proposals have been the subject of the church annual meeting (at which Spire leaders and owners of neighbouring properties were present).

They have been discussed on several occasions in the church council in an open and transparent way.

Ultimately the church council has the responsibility of a listed Victorian school building which is deteriorating rapidly and which it now seeks to refurbish.

Over the years repairs have been carried out but it has now come to a point where a major refurbishment is necessary to ensure the long term future of the building.

Readers will be aware of the advice received from conservation officers about the state the building is now in.

The Rector and church council have to take account of such advice and would be the first to be blamed were there to be an accident having been warned of the state of the roof and flooring.

At the end of the day it is not in anyone's interest for a Dangerous Structures Notice to be served which would deny use of the centre by the Spire Pre School, the community or church users.

It is to fund refurbishment of the old school buildings thereby giving them a new lease of life that the present proposal has been put forward

The proposed housing is on land on the opposite side the churchyard to which Mr Lawson (Express, October 12, Uckfield edition) refers, well away from the families who come to tend the graves of those whose ashes are interred along the churchyard wall running along Belmont Road.

Moreover it could be said that the appropriation of car parking in Church Walk by Mr Lawson's own staff has given rise to concern.

It is hardly conducive to peace or to the feelings of mourners at services in the churchyard for car doors to be banged, and conversations carried on by clients and staff members entering Mr Lawson's office, as has happened on several occasions

Mr Chris Lawson is woefully misinformed that the costs of refurbishment are 100,000.

The costs are more like 500,000 which is the reason why having made investigations about grant funding it seems unlikely that such sums would be forthcoming in the time-scale needed.

Maybe Mr Lawson would be prepared to donate the first 100,000 to the project and spearhead a fund-raising group to find the remainder within six months.

He obviously does not read the Sussex Express. Had he done so he would have known that negotiations with the Spire Pre School have been going on for some 18 months, that the proposals incorporate rooms for continuing playgroup use.

Dr Martyn Stenning is well aware that the land in question has been previously built on with a Scout hut and a classroom for Holy Cross School, not to mention the possibility of a detached house being placed there some years ago.

It is, however, right to say that the church council had discussed the use of the vacant land for a Garden of Remembrance but had eventually decided that a more appropriate place would be around the walls of Holy Cross Church.

Proposals for the refurbishment of the church centre and for housing development are of course subject to the process of planning permission.

It is at that stage that everyone has the right to make their views known rather than conducting an emotive campaign through the columns of this newspaper.