Plans to move the iconic cattle and livestock market from its current location have been submitted by the developer.
A new location on the A22 close to Knockhatch Adventure Park has been disclosed in the application.
It comes on the back of the news in 2021 that McCarthy Stone wants to build 80 homes on the current site in Market Street.
But it’s not the developers who are pushing the Cattle Market out of town – the market must move from the site for animal welfare issues and a new market must be constructed to comply with them.
The application suggests the entrance from the Diplocks roundabout will be redeveloped to ensure two HGV’s can pass – currently, it’s a single lane which is used by Knockhatch Adventure Park customers.
Colin Jaggers, Managing Director, Knockhatch Adventure Park wrote in a statement: “We have 350,000 visitors a year visiting Knockhatch Adventure Park, Knockhatch Ski School and the independent Snow Lab. A newly aligned Knockhatch Lane with three additional one way entry/exit junctions will cause considerable hardship for our neighbours, employees, visitors and businesses in the surrounding area.”
The new site falls outside the Hailsham boundaries and is within the parish of Arlington. It’s believed the change would need to be agreed by The Royal Family, as the Royal Charter was given to Hailsham in 1252 by Henry III.
Historic importance
In 2007, supermarket chain Aldi wanted to build on the current cattle market site. It was refused. In 2007, the BBC reported: “The NFU said the royal charter covering the market was 752 years old, and its status should be protected in line with the 1871 Cattle Market Act.”
In 2022, local resident, Professor David Younge, who represented 60 homeowners, presented findings from a report which found high levels of Zinc, Lead, Cadium, Arsenic, Benzene and Pyrene within the soil at the site in Market Street.
The plans can be viewed here.
