by Jan Goody By the time you read this the protest camp at Titnore Woods could well be no more, and one of Sussex coastal plain’s last remaining ancient woodlands left to the bulldozers – of Tescos, and housing developers Heron, Persimmon Homes and Taylor Woodrow. The protestors have held out for almost four months with support from local residents in Durrington and beyond – people who have come with their memories of playing as kids in these beautiful woods, fields and ponds. The camp faces eviction following the loss of their appeal at the High Court on August 29th, despite legal representation from Green Party barrister Hugo Charlton. The development for 850 houses and a new Tesco hypermarket will still face opposition however, and is by no mean a done deal. The latest news from conservation group, the Worthing Society, is that a judicial review to the £70m scheme is a distinct possibility. Road wrangles, a 10% concession for community facilities yet to be agreed, and local protected species such as dormice, bats and badgers are all further hurdles for the developers to overcome. The woodland is indeed home to a rich diversity of wildlife, and as one of only two ancient woodlands surviving on the coastal plain - significantly, the other Binsted Woods at Arundel is also threatened by development – it is an environmental jewel. A report published by The Woodland Trust and the WWF shows that more than 100 of the country’s most important ancient woods are facing destruction. Campaigners at Titnore have vowed to keep fighting to the very end. For updates see: www.protectourwoodland.co.uk [1]