Future of the Estate

In 1973 the estate was leased to the then newly formed Mid Sussex District Council to manage and maintain for a period of 21 years. This lease was renewed in 1995 for a further 40 years. It was extended to include Ashplats Wood, which was designated as a local site of nature conservation importance.

It was recognised by the company's Council of Management that the estate had suffered under funding and investment since its inception as a public park. This was reflected in the condition of the estate. In 2000 the company, in partnership with Mid Sussex District Council, engaged a consultancy, Parklife, to examine the estate and produce a Master Plan. This Master Plan could be used as the basis for a bid for lottery funding to bring the park up to modern standards expected of a facility of its size almost in the centre of the town. However, such a grant would only pay a proportion of the estimated cost and neither partner had sufficient funds to pay for the rest of the work, which was not grant funded. The only solution will be to sell off part of the estate so that the improvement work could be undertaken. This idea was not new because Alfred Wagg envisaged a similar sale in 1947. He included the suggestion in the prospectus for the company and repeated it in an article written for "Country Life" of 31 January 1947. The article also included a plan of the then rather ambitious suggestions for development of the site.

Matters have moved on since the Parklife master plan of 2000. Mid Sussex District Council in consultation with the company has produced a pamphlet "East Court - Realising the Masterplan ", which sets out suggestions and priorities for the future. The District Council has also set up "The East Court Estate Steering Group*. The War Memorial Company is represented on it together with local councillors, the Ashplats Conservation Group and local residents. With agreement of East Grinstead Town Football Club and East Grinstead Target Shooting Club, the company has decided to sell the land currently occupied by the two clubs for housing. Both clubs will be relocated within the boundaries of the town, if possible or very nearby. The money raised will be used to improve the East Court estate and to provide both clubs with state of the art facilities to governing body specifications. The Company is seeking suitable sites, which will be acceptable to the clubs and the local planning authority as a future site or sites for relocation. This will be put before the Inspector who is currently looking at representations to MSDC's "Small Scale Housing Allocations Development Plan Document", later this year.

* Anybody interested in joining the Steering Group should phone Mid Sussex District Council, Outdoor Business 01444 477439/477386 for details.