Could this downland site house eco resort?

The old Shoreham cement works at Upper Beeding. Picture by Eddie Mitchell

A fortnight ago, it was revealed that plans were underway to convert the disused works, in Upper Beeding, into an eco resort. Plans for the OffGrid project include 600 pods for holiday lets on the 118-acre site and have been drawn up by award-winning architects ZEDfactory.

The company’s director, Bill Dunster, said the steep, chalk banks shown in the picture would become a thing of the past if the scheme was realised. “Instead of seeing vertical chalk cliffs that look rather like a moonscape, it will be entirely green, vivid, with trees. It will look stunning,” he added.

The scheme comes after the cement works was included in plans by the South Downs National Park Authority to create three major development sites.

Photographer Eddie Mitchell took the aerial view of the site using a drone-mounted camera. He had to complete a Civil Aviation Authority-accredited unmanned aircraft pilot course to fly the drone legally in urban areas, with six months hands-on training. Eddie said: “It can be a dangerous piece of equipment in the wrong hands and should not be flown in public places without having a licence and very specific aviation insurance.”

• What do you think of the plans? Email your views to [email protected]

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