Center Parcs want to build a new holiday village at Oldhouse Warren near Crawley, West Sussex.  Sussex Wildlife Trust believes this would be disastrous for the environment, as do the Woodland Trust, the RSPB, CPRE Sussex and the Sussex Ornithological Society.

Oldhouse Warren is an ancient woodland, part of the wider medieval hunting forest of Worth Forest sitting within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Whilst we have nothing against a new leisure facility in the South East, this is clearly the wrong location. This is irreplaceable habitat with a unique ecosystem of soil organisms, fungi, invertebrates, birds and mammals that have evolved together over centuries, even millennia. It must be protected and ideally restored to its full potential.

This site should not get planning permission: both ancient woodland and AONBs are highly protected under the National Planning Policy Framework and the Mid Sussex District Plan. Just two weeks ago, the Government pledged at COP26 to end deforestation by 2030 and enacted the new Environment Bill, which sets a target to halt the UK decline in species abundance by 2030.  Huge amounts of carbon would be released if the ancient soils at Oldhouse Warren are dug up for development - such destruction would be irreconcilable with our legally binding commitments to achieve Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions and to plant far more trees to absorb carbon and boost biodiversity.  

Please protect our precious environment and sign and circulate our petition urgently.