I recognise the need for more housing but together with local residents, am concerned about the impact the development for Lower Hoddern Farm would have on local infrastructure issues, particularly access to school places, GP surgeries and the impact on the local roads.

I have been contacted by many local residents about the issue of traffic on the A259. This is something that I have been working on for a very long time and I have raised constituents’ concerns frequently with all our local Councils. It is also one of the many issues that I always discuss when I meet with the Chief Executive Officers from East Sussex and Brighton & Hove. I was pleased to meet the new CEO of Lewes District Council recently together with the Council Leader Councillor Andy Smith to discuss this very important issue.

Please note that the developer has put in some amendments to the above-mentioned planning application. I have contacted Brighton & Hove Council for clarification regarding existing objections and they have said that if people have already objected to this application, it is now necessary to object again following these amendments. 1 have already sent in my new objection. I believe that this proposal for 45 houses is wrong for this site and have often said the Council needs to be looking at brownfield and town centre sites, where infrastructure is already available, long before considering greenfield sites such as this one.

Saltdean Lido is the country’s only Grade II* listed lido situated by the sea. The Lido was built in 1937 and the site has a very interesting history. It was used as a training ground in World War II and hosted church services before Saltdean had a church. In 2010, a group of local residents formed Save Saltdean Lido with a vision to bring the site back into use as an all year round community and tourist destination. They set up the CIC and have worked so hard to secure funding for the project including £2.3 million from the Coastal Communities Fund, £440,000 from Social Investment Business, £50,000 People’s Millions Winner, £546,000 from the Heritage Lottery Funding stage 1 and £4.2 million from the Heritage Lottery Stage 2 which is to be confirmed subject to the next stage bid submission. The CIC have also raised £100,000 from their own fundraising efforts.

I worked hard over the last five years to make Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven a better place to live, work, and raise a family. I am proud of my record, and there has been considerable progress on many fronts, with unemployment falling, crime rates down, and a fantastic £480 million investment in the redevelopment of the Royal Sussex County Hospital. Whilst this is fantastic, I know that there is more to be done.

I am delighted that the final business case for redevelopment of the Royal Sussex County Hospital has been approved by the Treasury. The Hospital put forward an outline business case for £420 million which was approved by the Government last year. Following this, due to an increase in the costs of the scheme I lobbied both the Chancellor and the Health Minister at the time for an additional £60 million for the redevelopment.