Security and police move in to evict Combe Haven Defenders protestors from Base Camp

Activists from the Combe Haven Defenders set up a protest camp, dubbed Base Camp, on December 21, close to Adam’s Farm in Crowhurst, occupying tunnels as they try to disrupt construction of the £94 million Bexhill-Hastings Link Road.

Security guards and bailiffs, as well as police, started moving in just before 8am.

The eviction began around 8.15am with more than 30 bailiffs on site, according to the Combe Haven Defenders’ blog.

By 9am it was no longer possible to access the camp via the access road to Adam’s Farm.

According to Patrick Nicholson, a spokesman for Combe Haven Defenders, two protestors were removed from a treehouse at the camp and arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass by police this afternoon.

On the group’s Facebook page, it was reported that by 4pm three other treehouses were still occupied and a tunnel held by remaining activists.

Councillor Peter Jones, leader of East Sussex County Council, believes the link road will enable the building of up to 2,000 new homes, bring in 50,000 sqm of business park space and create more than 3,000 jobs, as well as bring economic benefits worth £1 billion.