We should plant some trees in Eastbourne instead of building new houses

Since the government (of whichever party) is committing to planting many millions of trees to help address the climate crisis, perhaps our local council/authority will reconsider its decision to build hundreds of new houses on the beautiful Mornings Mill Farm and University playing fields next to Eastbourne Road, Lower Willingdon, and plant trees instead.

Woodland there would have many other benefits to our town; no additional cars on the already busy road, less traffic pollution so cleaner air (Breathe it in, Eastbourne, as the posters say), no need to build new schools or surgeries in that already stretched area and a much more attractive outlook; healthier and climate-friendly. Anyone who uses that road knows that more traffic is the last thing it needs. Let’s allow trees to do what they do best – uplift our spirits and absorb CO2.

New housing should be built on a less environmentally vulnerable area, not on flood plains and should incorporate solar panels and effective insulation as part of the construction.

I’d like to be optimistic but tell me I’m not in cloud-cuckoo land!