HurstSoc

13/10/2026

Soon be Christmas...😜

Join us on Saturday 28th November from 2pm for a festive fun filled day for all the family! Hurstpierpoint High Street. Come along & enjoy the fun!! 🎄

20/09/2026

Love this, we are definitely not short of filthy signs around Hurst just now!

11/09/2026

Thank you, Hurstpierpoint. You responded in force.

The Hurstpierpoint Society has now submitted its detailed response to the latest proposals for the Mid Sussex District Plan, representing the interests of our 1,300 members and the wider community.

We recognise that Mid Sussex needs more homes. But new development must come with infrastructure that is clearly identified, properly funded and delivered at the right time.

Across Hurstpierpoint, Sayers Common and Albourne, the Plan now proposes up to 5,936 new homes - almost 6,000 - equivalent to around 145% of the existing housing stock of the three villages combined.

Our response raises serious concerns about the cumulative impact on:

* Hurstpierpoint High Street and surrounding roads
* Schools, healthcare and community facilities
* Sewerage, drainage, flood risk and water resources
* The local gaps that protect the separate identity of our villages

Too many of the proposed infrastructure commitments remain vague, uncosted or dependent on funding that has not been secured.

This is not simply about opposing housing. The question is what, where and when.

Any new development must be supported by the infrastructure it needs, particularly where existing problems... such as traffic through Hurstpierpoint High Street... are already very real.

Read the Society’s full response here:
https://hurstpierpointsociety.org.uk/2026/09/07/our-response-to-the-latest-district-plan-proposals/

07/09/2026

There are a few more hours to get your responses to the District Plan ,(11.59 tonight) if you haven’t done so already.

However we are delighted with the village’s response to our call for action and the number of people who have submitted their views on the quite overwhelming scale of development proposed for Hurstpierpoint, Sayers Common and Albourne in this latest round of the District Plan Review.

25/08/2026

Nearly 46,000 vehicle movements through Hurstpierpoint High Street in just seven days...🚗 🚌 🚛

That is one of the key findings from a new independent traffic survey commissioned by local parish councils and community groups, including ourselves at Hurstpierpoint Society.

Traffic was monitored for a full week across nine locations in Hurstpierpoint, Sayers Common, Albourne and Twineham. The results reveal:

• Nearly 46,000 vehicle movements through Hurstpierpoint High Street in seven days
• Average weekday traffic of approximately 6,700 vehicles a day on the High Street
• Mean speeds below 18mph from 8am to 7pm, indicating congestion throughout the day, not only at peak times
• More than 58,000 vehicle movements a week on the B2118 near the A23
• 81% of vehicles recorded exceeding the speed limit at Coombe Farm in Sayers Common
• Significant numbers of heavy vehicles already using Hurstpierpoint High Street

The assessment recommends that:

• The cumulative impact of proposed developments is properly modelled before further sites are confirmed
• Assessments look beyond individual junctions to include village centres and rural lanes
• Queue-length surveys are conducted at known pressure points, including Hurstpierpoint High Street
• Any necessary mitigation is identified, costed and shown to be deliverable before development proceeds
• The effect on road safety, the environment and residents’ quality of life is properly considered

This is not guesswork. It is seven days of local evidence showing why future development must be supported by infrastructure that can genuinely cope with it.

Read the full Community Traffic Assessment here:

https://hurstpierpointsociety.org.uk/2026/08/24/our-community-traffic-assessment-cta-is-here/

14/08/2026

🏠 WHO KEEPS OUR VILLAGE COMMUNITY GOING - AND WHERE WILL THEY LIVE?

Teachers, nurses, carers, emergency workers and the people working in our shops, cafés and local businesses all help our community function.

But being employed locally doesn’t necessarily mean being able to afford a home locally.

Almost 6,000 new homes are proposed for our area. The question isn’t simply how many homes will be built...it’s whether they will be the right homes for the people who live and WANT to work here.

- Will the proposals deliver genuinely affordable homes?
- Will local workers be able to stay close to their jobs?
- Will younger residents be able to build a future here?
- And who will keep our schools, care services and high street running if they cannot...?
- Do the authorities even know how many new key workers will be needed?!

Affordable homes won’t appear by magic. Ask the Planning Inspector how these proposals will meet genuine local need.

📅 Respond by Monday 7 September 2026

Our community needs homes that work for the people who keep it working.
Have your say!

12/08/2026

Have your say on proposed developments in just 5 minutes:

1. Follow the link below and view the proposed sites.
2. Note the modification numbers relevant to your area.
3. Explain, in your own words, how the proposals could affect you or the community.
4. Email or post your response before 11.59pm on 7 September 2026.

Hurstpierpoint sites:
MM60, MM72, MM73, MM74, MM75 and MM76

Albourne and Sayers Common sites:
MM79, MM80, MM81, MM82, MM92, MM93 and MM94

Respond here: https://midsussex.inconsult.uk/districtplan_main_modifications

Email: [email protected]

Post: Planning Policy, Mid Sussex District Plan, Mid Sussex District Council, Oaklands, Oaklands Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 1SS

Please include the relevant modification numbers in your subject line so that your response can be validated. Thank you.

12/08/2026

What could thousands of additional homes mean for our countryside?

Large-scale development could mean the loss of greenfield sites, wildlife habitat and the landscape and village character that make Hurstpierpoint and the surrounding area we live in so special!

This isn’t about opposing all new homes. It’s about making sure development is in the right places, at an appropriate scale, and takes proper account of its impact on our countryside and communities.

The Planning Inspector wants to hear residents’ views. You do not need to be a planning expert: explain, in your own words, how the proposals could affect you, your family or the local area.

The proposals are not yet final.

Respond by 11.59pm on Monday 7 September 2026.

How to have your say: https://midsussex.inconsult.uk/districtplan_main_modifications

Please share this post with other local residents. Whatever your view, this is the opportunity to make it known.

11/08/2026

What could thousands of additional homes mean for Hurst High Street?

More development would inevitably affect traffic levels, parking availability and pedestrian safety...not only in Hurstpierpoint, but across Albourne, Sayers Common, Hassocks and beyond.

The Planning Inspector wants to hear about residents’ own experiences. You do not need to be a planning expert - just explain how the proposals could affect you, your family or your community.

Respond before 11.59pm on Monday 7 September 2026.
How to have your say: https://midsussex.inconsult.uk/districtplan_main_modifications

Please share this post with other local residents.

10/08/2026

Nearly 6,000 additional homes are proposed for our local area - but the Planning Inspector is still listening...

These proposals could have significant implications for:
🏫 School places
🏥 GP surgeries and healthcare
🚗 Traffic, parking and Hurst High Street
💧 Water, sewage and drainage
🌳 Our countryside and village character

The proposals are not yet final. Local residents have until 11.59pm on Monday 7 September 2026 to respond.

It only takes around five minutes, but you must include the relevant modification numbers for your response to be validated.

See the proposals and find out how to respond here: https://midsussex.inconsult.uk/districtplan_main_modifications

Please share this with neighbours, friends and local groups. Whatever your view, this is the opportunity to make it known.

Hurstpierpoint Society
Registered Charity No. 263520