Uckfield Town Council and Uckfield Chamber of Commerce have requested an urgent meeting with Wealden District Council (Building Control) and East Sussex Highways to obtain a detailed update on the situation, but more importantly to consider all of the options to improve traffic management within the upper section of the High Street.
We recognise by improving traffic flows within the town, it will reduce travel times at peak times, and alleviate pressures currently placed on High Street trade and deliveries.
We keep a regular eye on traffic flows, and your posts on Facebook. We report issues with the temporary traffic lights to East Sussex Highways when they are out of sequence and when they appear to be failing. We are listening and frequently reporting your concerns.
The challenge is that we as a Town Council have no jurisdiction for dangerous structures (i.e. legislation under the Building Act) or highway management.
How you can help!
Please continue to support local businesses. Uckfield is a fantastic rural town with a vast range of services and retail which we are very fortunate to have right on our doorstep. We have local bus services, rail services locally between Buxted and Crowborough and free car parking across the full extent of the town (on and off-street).
We will be raising a number of your suggestions to the above authorities, so thank you for these.
In the meantime, Uckfield is still very much open so keep supporting your local business community!
Initial plans have been scaled down – Uckfield High Street remains open!
Sadly the former Maidens Head building at the top of the High Street (past Church Street) was deemed unsafe on Thursday 20 March 2025 following reports of multiple vertical cracks to the front of the building.
Due to the height of the building and close frontage onto the pavement, any falling debris would pose a risk to both pedestrians and passing motorists.
To secure the building and ensure the safety of the public, scaffolding has been erected to support the building on the right hand side. The base of this will be wider at the bottom (a raking shore), and will be wider than the footway.
This support has meant a partial road closure (with only the western side of the road and pavement affected).
Four-way temporary traffic lights have been put in place to ensure the safety of motorists around the scaffolding, and manage traffic flows at the four way junction of Church Street/High Street and Hempstead Road. Please bear with the relevant authorities whilst the traffic movements are managed, as this was dealt with under emergency legislation, and other road works were already scheduled in town.
Having a partial closure rather than a full closure means we can continue to support and easily access businesses at the top of the High Street, as well as providing bus services and emergency services with better access, so a much better solution for all.
We will await further updates and official announcements from both Wealden Building Control, and East Sussex Highways with regards to the building, and road diversions, in due course.
The Former Maidens Head building is part of Uckfield’s history and this news is incredibly sad. I hope you will join us in allowing the structural engineers to carry out the necessary work required to get scaffolding up and make this building safe.
Many thanks for your patience and understanding,
Town Clerk.
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