Plans to deliver a roundabout joining Diplocks Way, South Road and Ersham Road in Hailsham have taken a step closer to being realised.
An application made jointly between Wealden District Council, Hailsham Town Council and East Sussex County Council was needed to deregister the current land and exchange it for designated common land. This application was a requirement to facilitate the construction of the roundabout, which has been approved by Secretary of State.
Conservative county councillor for Hailsham, Gerard Fox, says: "The re-designation of the Ersham Triangle required approval from the SoS. With a new site for the village green agreed, both these hurdles have been cleared. The recent local consultation around junction design is in the process of being completed, which will then clear the way for the delivery of this much needed project."
The works will reduce the environmental problems caused by slow or static vehicles waiting on the approaches to this junction.
The land being used to help the infrastructure redesign is known as ‘The Triangle’. This triangle of land is mainly used by residents as a cut-through because of its undesirable location and size. Located at the junction of South Road and Ersham Road, it is the only undeveloped land available for highway improvement works.
Wealden are working together with the application partners to deliver the much-debated enhanced roundabout. Ann Newton, leader of Conservative-led Wealden District Council said: “The ability to improve the junction has been years in the preparation and promised to residents of Hailsham for some time.
"Having already earmarked funding for the project, we are delighted that this decision meets the next key project milestone enabling the delivery of key infrastructure for Hailsham.
“We will continue to work with our partners to ensure delivery on the ground as quickly as possible. We are confident that this change will make the road less congested for traffic entering and leaving the town, which currently is a cause for concern,” adds the Conservative councillor.
