STOP PRESS
Guided Walk Led by Warden Sam Bayley
Saturday 23rd August Starts:10:00 Finishes:12:00 Location:Sandgate Park
Horsham District Warden, Sam Bayley will lead us around Sandgate Park pointing out the many interesting plants and species that the site supports. Sam is a real expert and his knowledge is second to none.
Welcome
Welcome to our website. We were established in the 1970s when local residents realised the potential danger of over-development to our unique local area of heath and woodland in the Parish of Sullington in West Sussex.
If it were not for the endeavours of these early visionaries the wonderful bluebell woodlands, heathland, streams and ponds, which now form Sandgate Park, would have been lost forever.
Once Sandgate Park, was saved from development, our members realised that work was needed to improve and enhance its wildlife and amenity value. This led to the start of our monthly Field Days.
As well as Sandgate Park, we have another site in the Parish which was also saved from development., This is Sullington Warren which has been in the ownership of the National Trust since the 1930s. This also needs management and for over 30 years we have been holding Field Days on this site too.
We don't own any land ourselves but we assist Horsham District Council, at Sandgate Park, and The National Trust, at Sullington Warren, to implement their management plans.
In addition to our Field Days we undertake two other very important types of activity. They are;
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Organising talks and visits to local places of interest so that our members can gain a better understanding of conservation.
- Commenting on planning matters so that the area can be further safeguarded from inappropriate development.
- To conserve the environment, mainly using volunteers, for the benefit of the public.
- To campaign to prevent inappropriate development.
- To educate the public in the principles and practice of conservation
Over the years, Sandgate Conservatiion Society has flourished and we are now proud to have a membership of over 900 households in Sullington, Storrington and beyond.
Our Objectives
The Society has three main objectives:-
Our Vision for the Future
The Horsham District Local Plan (adopted in 1997) includes a policy to safeguard the Sandgate Area to enable a country park to be formed in the future. This is a long cherished vision of the Society and will realise one of its main objectives when implemented.
