The site was owned by Blue Circle Cement, who used it to manufacture cement powder, they sold it to Sussex based company The Hargreaves Group, who now lease it out to a number of small businesses. The site is now only used as a storage and light industrial area to the left of the A283, between that road and the river, and to the right of the A283 the site houses the disused cement works. The remaining land, which accounts for the bulk of the site, is the chalk pit created by the excavation of the chalk for cement production.

One of the companies who leases the land from Hargreaves, Dudman Group Ltd, have an Option on the entire site, this Option expires in May 2016, and Dudman Group have told us that they fully anticipate exercising their Option, and therefore expect to be the owners of the site from May 2016 onwards.

It is universally acknowledged that the site currently constitutes an eyesore, with the unused, antiquated and decaying buildings of the cement works dominating both the immediate and surrounding area.

The prevailing attitude towards the site is that “something should be done with it”. Whilst the opportunities and attractions of the site are self evident, with its potential for a large scale housing development and its many commercial, cultural and educational opportunities, the site must at the same time be sympathetically developed to acknowledge its location inside the South Downs National Park.

It is therefore vital that its development consider the impact on a multitude of inter-related factors, from strategic issues such as infrastructure, to conservation issues such as indigenous wildlife and the preservation of the South Downs Landscape.

Despite its current deserted and decaying state today, the site has the potential to do some rather startling things.

To the local communities, it could bring new home, new jobs, and potentially huge amounts of regeneration investment.

To the South Downs National Park, it could turn a problem into a golden opportunity to create a landmark community of over 2,000 new homes, a brand new South Downs National Park Visitor Centre, and a World Class exemplar of sustainable technologies.

Its location is also advantageous, with its proximity to a wealth of appropriate knowledge and expertise, from acknowledged experts in both the commercial and academic fields.

Sussex already has a number of world-leading businesses in sustainable technologies, as well as exceptional academic resource in the form of both Sussex University and the University of Brighton.

The Cement Works and the Chalk Pit have been identified by the South Downs National Park as a “Strategic Site’, and therefore an exemption from their standard Planning Policies.

This means that there now exists a chance to create a development that genuinely benefits all those who live in, work in, or visit, this region.

This truly is one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments, where what gets decided for this site could have a far-reaching effect on you, your family, and your livelyhood.

The purpose of the South Down Project is to successfully deliver the best possible outcome to developing this site. And we need all the stakeholders to help us do it.