In contradiction to Chrissie Coyle's assertion that only a small number of local residents are unhappy about Cardinal Newman School's plans to develop BHASVIC field (Letters, July 3), more than 300 signed a petition objecting to this extensive development, despite only a few days' notice of the planning committee meeting.
The principle at stake, however, is not whether Brighton and Hove Hockey Club in particular should be prevented from building a large clubhouse and two artificial, floodlit hockey pitches on a beautiful, open piece of land.
It is that no one should be allowed to destroy this urban green space, enjoyed and widely used by the local community and a large variety of wildlife.
If Chrissie Coyle lived nearer to this field, she would probably feel differently about the council allowing a private organisation to fence off public land.
This development would prevent local children from using the field and allow a minority to establish an exclusive sports club which would take up more than a third of the entire field.
Not very democratic.
-Katherine Ladd, Hove
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