I wish to make the following comments against this proposed development.

1. I have always understood that the field in question lies within an AONB. What is the point of having this degree of protection if it is to be ignored?

2. It is a flood plain. During wet winter months there is a river running across the field to exit via a culvert in Broomham Lane. This winterbourne flows for a long period during wet weather and whole field becomes saturated,. There are photographs available.

3. The proposed number of houses would impact on the 'village' nature of the settlement and would make it a suburb of Hastings.

4. Catsfield does not appear to be 'tooled up' to accommodate such an influx of population. It has no gas supply, no reliable public transport system, and oversubscribed primary school, no doctor's surgery, no employment potential, a road network which is already saturated. At certain times of the day we have difficulty getting off our drive.

5.The field is a wildlife haven. As an amateur ornithologist I have observed nuthatch, blackcap, bullfinch, nightingale, two types of woodpecker plus numerous summer visitors.

6. At a public meeting several years ago the village was asked to see what the local demand for housing was: the answer was nil. Who will come to occupy the new houses and where will they come from?

7. Has Rother exhausted all alternatives for development?