In 2013, a number of Burwash residents became aware of plans for an oversized house in Brightling at Phoebes Wood, Fontridge Lane. This building would have ruined the daytime skyline for Burwash residents living on School Hill and along the ridge overlooking the Dudwell Valley. It would have lit up and destroyed the beauty of the night sky with its enormous coloured glass windows.

 

Many in Burwash objected. The application was turned down by Rother District Council, and the developer’s appeal was dismissed. This served as a wake-up call to many Burwash residents, that vigilance was going to become necessary to protect the High Weald area from more inappropriate developments, particularly within their own parish of Burwash.

It wasn’t long before another inappropriate planning application followed in Burwash Weald. In 2014, plans to develop Judins Field were lodged. A group was formed with a handful of Burwash residents to marshal arguments to oppose it. The Burwash: Save Our Fields group was formed and has since grown into a well- established organisation with participants and supporters covering the whole of the Burwash Parish.