Mid Sussex teenagers hand in Christmas card at Number 10

A delegation of Mid Sussex teenagers, accompanied by Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert and Mid Sussex MP Nicholas Soames, presented a petition against the proposed Mayfields new town at 10 Downing Street this week.

The petition, organised by Twineham girl Imogen Watson (16), took the form of a Christmas card with nearly 200 signatures from local young people.  The card urged the Prime Minister to ‘Protect Our Countryside for the Future'.

Imogen Watson said: "We feel very strongly that we have to protect the beautiful English countryside that is threatened by the proposed Mayfield new town development of 10,000 new houses.  The countryside is full of amazing wildlife, ancient woodland and rivers, and it must be protected for future generations."

Nick Herbert said: "It was a wonderful idea to present a Christmas card to the Prime Minister signed by so many young people who are concerned about this new town.  We were delighted to take the girls to Downing Street so that they could hand in the card personally."

Nicholas Soames said: "The girls were so clever to think of sending the card, and quite right about this appalling idea for a new town.  It's a reminder that local people across all generations care about the countryside and want to protect Mid-Sussex from unsustainable development."

ENDS

1. A report on the MPs' opposition to Mayfields can be read here: http://www.nickherbert.com/news.php/478/mps-reiterate-opposition-to-west-sussex-new-town

2. A transcript of the House of Commons debate can be read here: http://www.nickherbert.com/media_centre.php/662/proposed-mayfields-new-town-in-west-sussex

3. For more information about LAMBS (Locals Against Mayfields Building Sprawl) please see their website www.lambs.org.uk.

4. For more information about the proposals from Mayfield Market Towns please see their websitewww.mayfieldtowns.co.uk.

5. In June Nick Herbert MP and Nicholas Soames MP wrote to Mayfield Market Towns to object to their proposals and the way in which the company was promoting them.  For further information please see http://www.nickherbert.com/news.php/455/sussex-mps-slam-mayfields-new-town-plan.