SPORTS COURT CONSULTATION

Laughton Parish Council is currently looking into the feasibility of building a single tennis and multisport court on the Pelham Field. [We have been in contact with the Earl of Chichester and have his support for the project.]

The court, which would be primarily sized and set up for tennis, would also be marked out for basketball and five-a-side football. It would be for the benefit of the community and owned by the Parish Council. The court would be made available for Laughton Primary School to use on set week days.

The Parish Council intends to raise the capital funds to build the court by fundraising, grant applications to Sport England, Wealden DC and others, and by appealing to local businesses.

A small annual fee and booking charge would be necessary to run an online booking facility and to ensure the ongoing maintenance of the court. It would be run on a not-for-profit basis and any surplus funds would be put back into the community.

The Parish Council would like to know what residents think of the idea. Are you in support? Do you have any comments on the multi-use nature of the court? Would you like to see any other facility on the Pelham Field- for example a pétanque pitch - so that a wider range of ages are catered for?

Please let us know what you think by emailing our clerk, Lyn Kemp on

Statement from Laughton Parish Council – June 2024

Councillors from East Hoathly with Halland Parish Council and Laughton Parish Council met with representatives for the proposed Oakleigh Garden Community this week. We were given a presentation regarding their proposals and were provided with an opportunity to ask questions. 

In accordance with guidance from the Society of Local Clerks it is important to state that this meeting was held with the purpose of learning more about the proposed developments and its implications, not to form a view or make a decision. 

In brief, the proposed development covers a 324 hectare site and proposes 4441 houses (to include 35% affordable), 7-10 hectares of employment space, 1 secondary and 2 primary schools, 2 or 3 large care homes/villages, 100+ hectares of green space, a new community centre with space for shops, dentist, GP surgery, restaurant/pub/takeaway and a community meeting space. A sports hub is also proposed that could provide outdoor cricket, tennis, rugby, football and tennis facilities. 

The landowner is keen that the development is community driven and so intends to communicate fully with local residents - what is being presented is very much a first concept. It is intended that there will be a full programme of public engagement to include workshops, exhibitions and a website. 

It is important to state at this stage that this proposal has been put forward in response to the first phase (Reg 18) of consultation on the draft Wealden Local Plan. The proposal does not form part of the draft Local Plan, and in the coming months it will be for officers at WDC to consider and assess the site, and the proposal, and to respond. For avoidance of doubt this is NOT a current planning application and is still in very early stages of discussion. 

As further information, together with timescale becomes available, we will share this with Parishioners. In the meantime we have consent to share the Vision Document which can be found below.

Laughton Parish Council 

June 2024