Rewilding criticised in Burgess Hill after photographs and video show site in poor condition

Linda Cowell, 71, of Pinehurst, sent the Middy a photograph of the rewilding area on Greenlands Drive that shows it in a shabby condition. This newspaper’s own photographer verified the site’s poor appearance this week.

Linda said: “It seems ludicrous that you’ve got a site that's meant to be there to encourage wildlife and it you can see the state of it.”

But Mid Sussex District Council said it is trying to balance sustainable economic growth and environmental protection. The Greenlands Drive site features a Blue Campaign plaque, which says the area will encourage native plants to re-establish themselves.

Linda called it ‘a joke’, saying that there is a new homes site right next to the rewilding area. She also said the district council had approved 260 homes nearby off Keymer Road and Folders Lane. This site, she said, is ‘full of all the things on that little blue plaque that they say they are trying to encourage’. She added that the ground on the rewilding area looks damaged too.

“For me it’s the council paying lip service to ‘everybody’s gone green’,” said Linda. “They put a postage stamp sized piece of ground, let the grass go long and call it rewilding.”

An MSDC spokesperson defended the scheme, saying: “Our district is home to more than 500 ha of land across approximately 600 green spaces and we take the protection of our environment very seriously. We have 40 areas that are designated to support the BLUE Campaign’s ‘Rewilding Britain’ nationwide initiative and last year’s report highlighted that we recorded over 35 different species of wildflowers at some sites, as well as lots of insects, birds, and wildlife.

“The Greenlands Drive Open Space was selected for rewilding because of its wildflower potential, it’s location near to woodland, and its size. The philosophy behind the Blue Campaign is to let nature take its course and see what plants begin to grow naturally. It’s recommended to wait a season or two to see what plants establish and let nature select those that grow. Given that this location is on its second season, we would be waiting to see what happens this year, as a minimum, before we make a determination on any long-term plans.”