Hadleigh Farmland Protest

A LEIGH campaign group dedicated to saving historic farmland from development has urged landowners to clarify that they do not intend to build on the site.
The Save Hadleigh Farmland group (SHF) was formed to support the communities of Hadleigh and Leigh in opposing the proposed development of thousands of homes on the Salvation Army’s (SA) green belt farmland.
Since its formation, thousands of people have signed a petition backing the group’s aims, and it has received support from council leaders and political representatives across the county. This followed the Salvation Army putting forward the land to be considered for development as part of Castle Point Borough Council’s Local Plan for housing in the coming decades.
Campaigner Keith Murray said: “Since the Salvation Army offered the farmland for consideration for development, the proposal has been resolutely rejected by local residents.
“It has been rejected by Castle Point Borough Council, which did not include it in its Local Plan, and similarly rejected by Leigh Town Council, Southend City Council, Dame Rebecca Harris MP and David Burton-Sampson MP.
“Every political party in Castle Point and Southend is united in opposition to any development of this iconic landscape.”
Recently, it was confirmed that the council had excluded the much-loved green space from its Local Plan, prompting campaigners to seek clarity from the SA about its intentions.
A letter sent to the organisation states: “Since Castle Point excluded the land from its plan, we as a local community have repeatedly tried to engage with the Salvation Army to gain reassurance that any plans for development would be abandoned, but to no avail.
“This lack of clarity is making the Salvation Army unpopular and is creating suspicion within a community that has always supported and embraced it.”
Mr Murray and fellow SHF campaigners are now encouraging local people to write to Mr Paul Main, SA Commissioner directly, to press for a clear response on whether it intends to pursue development at Hadleigh Farm.
“It would therefore be a good time to remind them of the strength of local feeling about the potential building on this land,” he added.
Picture: the group protest on site in the summer Pic SHF
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