Your Committee
Your Committee for the current year has been: Terence Chapman (Meetings), Natalie Cropper (Planning Advisor), Vernon Kitch (Treasurer), Joyce Cooper, Michael Tanner, Dick Waller (Chairman). Your Committee meets quarterly but in addition are very active from day to day, not only about Ilex Avenue and the trees in Sea Lane Goring, but also for other threats to the local environment.

2001 Membership Subscriptions
Subscriptions to support the work of the The Ilex Group are now due. We invite existing members to renew for 2001, and welcome new members. Subscription is £1 per household. Additional donations are always welcome.
It would greatly assist us if these are paid to any of the above addresses.

 
Name ..................................

Address ...............................................................................

Interpretation Boards
Big excitement this year has been the placing of four Interpretation Boards, three along the Ilex Avenue, and one of a different design on the sea wall. The boards were funded by the Jubilee Fund, West Sussex County Council, and the Goring Gap Preservation Trust, but the major contribution came from artist Jenny Hawksley, and our committee member Michael Tanner who project managed the whole exercise.

Cycle Path along the sea wall
We have had a significant success in protesting against the cycle path along the sea wall. It was originally planned that work should start immediately, but now WBC plan to start at the Lancing end, and will publish a detailed report on the Goring stretch in 2005. We believe that the existing cycle route along Marine Drive is quite adequate, and that a shared-use cycle and pedestrian path along the sea wall would seriuously detract from the whole nature of the greensward.

The Ilex Avenue
After an inspection by WBC tree officer Peter Whish and members of your committee, very extensive pruning was done along the Ilex Avenue. The Avenue is inspected twice a year, but major work is only undertaken every three years.

Housing at West Durrington
The public inquiry ended last May, and the Inspector's report reached up just before Christmas. The developers held an exhibition of revised plans at Durrington Community Centre just recently. Together with our colleagues at Goring Residents' Association, and the Worthing Society we raised objections to the revised plans on the grounds that they encroached the green access for birds and wildlife between the Goring Gap and the Downs. A Planning Application will be submitted about June this year, and we shall be studying this with care to see if they have listened to us.

The South Downs National Park
We have had su=ome success in modifying the boundaries of the proposed South Downs National Park which now included Highdown and down as far as the A259 Littlehampton Road and including some of Titnore Woods. We are still submitting that the park area near Castle Goring should be included. There will be a Public Inquiry and we shall watch this with care.

Conservation Area Statement
Ilex Avenue is held in trust by Worthing Borough Council for the benefit and quiet enjoyment of the public in perpetuity. The part within Worthing is a Conservation Area. Arun is expected to finalise similar status in their part shortly. Trees within a conservation area must not be pruned or tampered with without planning consent. The trees in Sea Lane are managed by West Sussex Council highways department and are also protected.

>> Previous Annual Report

The Mayor and Mayoress with members of the Ilex committee

Dick Waller, Artist Jenny Hawksley, and Mayor Eric Mardell

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