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This year’s War Graves Week is fast approaching. Tours will be held at St Mary’s Church in Easebourne on Saturday 16th May at 11am. Tickets are free and are available to purchase here – CWGC War Graves Week Tour 2026 – Easebourne (St. Mary) Churchyard Tickets, Multiple dates | Eventbrite
All Parishioners should be aware of the upcoming local elections. Please follow this link to the West Sussex County Council website for more information Local elections – West Sussex County Council
We’re pleased to confirm that the Planning Application to convert an un-used portion of Easebourne Primary School into a multi-use Community Hub have officially been submitted to Chichester District Council.
The plans are now with a number of statutory consultees for comment and can be seen in full by visiting the SDNPA website and searching for planning application number SDNP/25/04865/FUL
The Parish Council have secured considerable funding for the project already although further fund raising will be required in order to make the project a reality if planning is granted. We have shortlisted sources of additional grants and applications will be submitted as soon as we have approval. We’d also be really grateful to hear from any local residents who would be willing to help with fundraising events in the village.
There will be opportunities in the coming months to view plans in person and discuss the project with your Parish Councillors. The first of these is expected to be at the Annual Village Meeting which will take place towards the end of May.
If you have any questions or suggestions about this incredibly exciting project in the meantime, please contact parishclerk@easebourne.org.
Three years ago today, we all awoke to the news of the devastating fire on North Street, Midhurst. In one terrible night, we lost several businesses and residences. The four months that followed were a nightmare for everyone in the area, with North Street completely closed to traffic and daily gridlock on the alternative local routes. Eventually, the scaffolding was erected and the road re-opened, albeit minus a pavement on that side.
Since then there has been very little progress at the site, other than the occasional Surveyor and the erection of the display on the hoardings.
Easebourne Parish Council has written to the SDNPA and Historic England today to express support for the position taken by Midhurst Vision Partnership, Midhurst Business Partnership and local traders – that the remains of the site should now be delisted, demolished and redeveloped. However, this must be carefully managed to ensure that there is no disruption to traffic flow through Midhurst. You can read the letter here.
The Council is hopeful that this will be the final push to reach a resolution that all parties are satisfied with.
We’re very pleased to confirm that a new 40mph buffer zone will be installed on the A272 as you head towards the village in the coming months.
The new zone will stretch for approximately 400m, beginning to the east of the Cowdray Golf Club entrance and continuing to the current point where you enter or exit the 30mph zone.
We hope this will calm traffic speeds as you enter and leave the village and make access to the Golf Club safer.
In other Highways news, we are continuing to work with the WSCC Highways Team to see what improvements might be possible to reduce traffic speeds on the A286 within the village and improve pedestrian safety. More news on this in the coming months.
As many will already know, the Roundhouse at Easebourne Park was significantly damaged by vandals last Autumn, causing damage which ran to thousands of pounds. The race was on to get the repairs done before the Carols in the Park event, due to be held in mid-December. Thanks to the hard work of the team of Councillors responsible for management of the park and various contractors, the work was completed in time and the event was a huge success.
Special thanks go to Artizans of Wood for making time in their busy schedule to prioritise the repair and to S Chandler Contracting for a very kind donation of wood.
The Parish Council currently has 2 vacancies for new Councillors.
You don’t need to have been involved in local Council before and you don’t need any specific experience. It’s more important to have a willingness to be part of your community and want to make a difference.
As a Parish Council we get involved in a variety of areas, including local planning applications and longer term strategy, highways improvements and of course budget setting. We also look after Easebourne Park and as you might have heard are now working on an exciting project to create a Community Hub.
If you’d like to find out more about what’s involved and how you could help, please get in touch to arrange an informal chat.
Email parishclerk@easebourne.org or mike@easebourne.org
Easebourne Parish Council are progressing this community initiative after the Christmas break.
Following a successful pilot last year, local charity Greenheal are now taking orders for their fruit tree scheme.
The project has been expanded this year, with more trees to choose from – peach, plum, pear, cherry and apple – at a subsidised price of £21.50 each.
Trees can be ordered via the Greenheal website (link below), with a final delivery date to be confirmed, but expected to be during March.
Easebourne Parish Council awarded a grant of £250 to Home-Start Chichester & District in October 2025 and has received a lovely report from them on how the funds have been put to use directly supporting families in Easebourne.
This Charity matches trained volunteers with families in need of practical and emotional support, who then visit them at home weekly. They also run a support group in Midhurst for the families that they assist and organise tea parties, picnics and day trips. As a direct result of their work, these families are less isolated, parents and children have improved wellbeing and parents have improved parenting and family management skills.
Well done to everyone at Home-Start for making a difference in our community!
