Save Ecclesbourne Glen
Before
After
Stop the development of RocklandsCaravanPark on the East Hill.
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The once unspoilt Ecclesbourne Glen has been ruined by developments at the Rocklands caravan park which sits at a prominent position in the glen. Since 2009 many of the trees and vegetation that used to shield the caravan site from view have been destroyed. Car parks and roads have been built which can be viewed from Ecclesbourne Glen. New caravans have been installed and many trees removed to allow the caravan site residents sea views. No planning permissions were sought for any of these developments. The removal of trees , landscaping and installation of extra caravans were not allowed under the terms of previous planning conditions.
A new 2 storey building is being built, this building dominates the views from the East Hill and Ecclesbourne Glen. It replaces a smaller single storey building which was previously invisible from the CountryPark as it was shielded by mature bushes and trees. The new two-storey building dominates the skyline and mars the views from the East Hill and Ecclesbourne Glen. Local people do not understand why planning permission was granted for this building. A previous near identical application was rejected on the 19/07/2012 on the grounds that it would be detrimental to this part of the High Weald AONB and contrary to local development policies.
A catastrophic landslip occurred in early 2014. The landslip started within the lower grounds of Rocklands directly below the end of the new road and the new terracing for caravans. This landslip has destroyed a large swathe of woodland in Ecclesbourne Glen.. The source of this landslip lies just below where substantial developments have been made in the Rocklands caravan park. Many local people are suspicious that the large scale disruption of drainage patterns caused by tree removals, car park extensions, road building and terracing at Rocklands are the underlying cause of the landslip. Hastings Borough Council have commissioned an investigation into the causes of the landslip.
Uncontrolled commercial developments have destroyed what once was one of the most beautiful spots in the South East. This is a scandal and will surely impact on tourism in the area.
The glen remains closed until at least October. The people of Hastings have had a wonderful natural asset stolen from them. It is to be expected that the destruction of Ecclesbourne Glen and the closure of several footpaths will have a negative impact on tourism in the town. The only clear winners in this sorry story are the owners of Rocklands who now benefit from having very marketable open views in all directions seawards.