Battle Youth Hub
If you came to the youth session at Robertsbridge Youth Centre in March more are planned. In the meantime you may be interested in these fortnightly sessions in Battle run by the Youth Service.
Have you told your friends and family?
/in News/by Assistant ClerkPlease help us spread the word that our new website has a news page where you can subscribe for updates.
Go to our homepage salehurstparishcouncil.gov.uk to sign up for a weekly email with all news added to the website each week, plus occasional emails of urgent local news.
Have Your Say on East Sussex Local Government Changes by 15 June 2026
/in News/by Assistant ClerkA Government consultation is now open on proposed changes to local council arrangements in East Sussex. Government plans include moving areas including Peacehaven, Telscombe, East Saltdean and Falmer into Brighton & Hove City Council which is already a unitary council, and creating a single unitary authority for the rest of the county. This is a revised version of the One East Sussex proposal https://eastsussexcouncils.org/the-proposal/ which was drawn up by all the councils in East Sussex, which suggested a new unitary council should cover the whole county of East Sussex. All residents are invited to give their views on the consultation website https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/modified-proposals-for-local-government-reorganisation-in-east-sussex-and-brighton-and-hove/modified-proposals-for-local-government-reorganisation-in-east-sussex-and-brighton-and-hove
Please clean up after your dog
/in News/by Assistant ClerkDog fouling is a serious health risk and must be cleaned up to prevent the spread of infection and distress to residents.
You must clean up after your dog in all publicly owned open spaces and highways except woodlands, marsh and agricultural land. Please read the Public Spaces Protection Order (No 1) (pdf) for details. Dog owners who fail to comply can be prosecuted (maximum fine £2500) or issued with a fixed penalty notice of £100.
Dog waste can be disposed of in dog bins, street litter bins and at home in your black household waste bin.
Works on Brightling Road – Friday 8th May
/in Instant News, News/by Assistant ClerkOn Friday 8th May East Sussex Highways have planned 3 way traffic control near to Knelle Road on Brightling Road from 9am til around 4pm. This is so that Highways can replace the broken metal railings at the junction of Brightling Road and Bishops Lane. This repair is necessary for safety reasons.
Local Elections Thursday 7th May
/in News/by Assistant ClerkLocal Elections – Thursday, 7th May is polling day for the County Council Elections, Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. Don’t forget you must take photo ID to vote in person at Robertsbridge Village Hall
A bonanza of food bins
/in News/by Assistant ClerkWe have a collection of unwanted food waste bins if anyone is still waiting for one to be delivered.
Contact the Parish Office if you want one to collect your food waste.
Gaynor joins our team
/in News/by Assistant ClerkGaynor Leeves was co-opted as our new Parish Councillor at our March meeting. She joins us after a career working in insurance. In her own words: “Although I had two Welsh parents, I am a Sussex girl. I was born in Rotherfield, later moving to Mayfield, Burwash and I’ve spent the last 23 years in Robertsbridge. I’ve recently embarked on the next chapter in my life and have moved to the High Street, with my dog, Billy. I’m proud to be a Robertsbridge resident and feel the time is right to give something back. I believe I have acquired skills in my working life and personal life that will transfer to my role as a Councillor. No doubt I’ll have plenty to learn but I’m looking forward to adding value to the Parish Council and working alongside an already committed team”.
New Community Speedwatch Group
/in News/by Assistant ClerkWe are looking for volunteers for a new community speedwatch group in the village. Could you play a key role in helping to keep your community safe and reduce casualties on the roads? Please contact the Parish office for more information.
Final chance to comment on appeal for 41 homes on Bishops Lane
/in Instant News, News/by Assistant ClerkYou have until 23.59pm this Thursday 23rd April to submit your comments on the appeal online at https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/…/6005903 You have the opportunity to support our comment below against the appeal to build 41 new homes on this site, or submit any personal new concerns about the proposal. The appeal can be found at https://online.rother.gov.uk/planning/index.html?fa=getApplication&id=185904 which includes a statement of case with the planning history for this site.
Any comments you made when the planning application was considered by Rother last year will be seen by the Inspector who will decide whether the appeal is allowed or not. See below for the full comment submitted by the Parish Council today.
Appeal 6005903: Land near Bishops Lane, Robertsbridge TN32 6BX
Salehurst & Robertsbridge Parish Council wishes to submit the following written representation against this appeal:
We and the overwhelming majority of residents in our community remain fundamentally opposed to development of this site; our reasons are laid out clearly in our comments on this planning application and the large number of submissions made by local residents on the Rother District Council (RDC) planning website.
We have recently reviewed development sites in our rural village in the High Weald as part of the Rother Draft Local Plan 2025-2042 (RDLP) consultation which ended on 23rd March 2026. This site was NOT included in Salehurst & Robertsbridge Neighbourhood Development Plan (SRNDP), our local neighbourhood plan, and Rother District Council has NOT included it in the RDLP. Indeed, as recently as September 2025, RDC accepted our objections to the latest development proposals for the site at their Planning Committee meeting and rejected the application.
Furthermore, in our recent submission on the RDLP, as well as stating that we were pleased that this particular site was not proposed by RDC for development, we voiced our more general concerns on the proposed increase in housing numbers from 180 in SRNDP to 344 in RDLP in our Parish, and the capability of local infrastructure to support this level of development proposed for our village. Even without the Bishops Lane site RDC is proposing 344 new homes for our rural Parish within the High Weald National Landscape. WITH THE ADDITION OF DEVELOPMENT OF 41 HOMES ON THIS SITE OFF BISHOPS LANE THE TOTAL WOULD RISE TO 385 NEW HOMES, AN INCREASE OF AROUND 30% AS WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONLY AROUND 1200 HOMES IN THE WHOLE PARISH. We would point out that all the proposed sites in SRNDP and RDLP are in close proximity to the centre of this historic village.
The Parish Council is pleased that the Inspector has confirmed that they will visit the site as part of their consideration of the appeal. We believe an Inspector can only understand the historic significance of Bishops Lane within the High Weald National Landscape and potential impact of development on this site for view lines in Robertsbridge village by visiting the site. It would also be useful for the Inspector to visit Grove Farm site, the lower part of which is already in SRNDP (32 homes) and which RDC now proposes should be extended to include an additional 70 homes above the existing Grove Farm site. This would destroy the rural nature of the southern end of the village. By visiting both Bishops Lane and Grove Farm sites the Inspector would see that if development of both these green spaces go ahead there would be a huge cumulative adverse impact on the rural nature of our village.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this appeal.
General Enquires
Tel: 01580 882066
Address: The Parish Office, Youth Centre, George Hill, Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5AP
Parish Clerk: Karen Ripley
Assistant Clerk: Gill Colquhoun