APPLICATION SUBMITTED TO RELOCATE HISTORIC LIVESTOCK MARKET

Plans to move the iconic cattle and livestock market from its current location have been submitted by the developer. A new location on the A22 close to Knockhatch Adventure Park has been disclosed in the application.

It comes on the back of the news in 2021 that McCarthy Stone wants to build a retirement village on the current site in Market Street. But it’s not the developers who are pushing the Cattle Market out of town — the market must move from the site for animal welfare issues and a new market must be constructed to comply with them.

The application suggests the entrance from the Diplocks roundabout will be redeveloped to ensure two HGV’s can pass — currently, it’s a single lane which is used by Knockhatch Adventure Park customers.

Colin Jaggers, Managing Director, Knockhatch Adventure Park wrote in a statement: “We have 350,000 visitors a year visiting Knockhatch Adventure Park, Knockhatch Ski School and the independent Snow Lab. A newly aligned Knockhatch Lane with three additional one way entry/exit junctions will cause considerable hardship for our neighbours, employees, visitors and businesses in the surrounding area.”

The new site falls outside the Hailsham boundaries and is within the parish of Arlington. It’s believed the change would need to be agreed by The Royal Family, as the Royal Charter was given to Hailsham in 1252 by Henry III. However, some officials have told Hailsham News this isn’t necessarily correct.

Marc Fallon, Centre Manager for Bushy Wood Activity Centre, which sits on Ancient Woodland nearby said in a statement: “We are very disappointed that having sought engagement with South East Marts on several occasions in recent years to share our concerns over this development that we are only now seeing the full scale and impact of it, we had hoped to work with them constructively, but our approaches were met with silence, and we are now presented with an application that barely ever mentions that we exist.”

He added: “The market may need a new home, we acknowledge the importance of agriculture to the rural economy, but leisure and tourism are fast-growing elements of our rural economy locally, and as the only non-profit, low-cost, youth residential centre in the area we are a keystone of that economy, the many groups visiting us from all over the UK and abroad use multiple local tourist and retail venues, if we lose trade so will they, the impact will be deep and long-lasting.

There’s been an array of comments from members of the public on Wealden’s Planning portal online since the plans were revealed. More than 150 comments have been made, whilst some agree that the market does need a new lease of life, there are worries about disruption to the scout camp and access to Knockhatch.