SOUTH WAY / DACRE ROAD 1950 & 2009

I used to go to a pre-school play group at Christ Church with a lot of other children. I disliked going there as I was only 3 when I started. My mother got me in there as she needed more time with my younger brother who had epilepsy. I also started school a year early and I didnt think much of that either. I can remember falling into a paddling pool once and having to wear horrible navy blue school shorts for the rest of the day. Funny the things you remember. We had to go for a lie down on canvas camp beds every afternoon. My wife can remember having rattan mats to lie down on at her school in Coventry. She is very envious of Our Newhaven as there is nothing like this there. Keep up the good work, it's much better than television.

Well, the "new" police station didn't last long. What a waste of money!

Anybody know what's going up in its place? Affordable housing for our youngsters, I hope.

I noticed the ongoing demolition this morning. I was thinking "More flats, more cars to go along an already difficult Chapel Street."

The 'new' Police Station did last quite a while, Ian. Are you perhaps thinking of the 'new, new' police station/fire station/ ambulance station in Meeching Road? Or were you thinking it was new in 2009 when the photo was taken?

Hard to pin an exact date on the 'new' one's construction but the old Police Station in Dacre Road was demolished in the mid 1970s, not long after the construction of South Way. I'd imagine that it was built around the same time, so it's probably lasted almost 50 years. Alas, for the past few years it's been either part time or empty.

I wonder if there will be more of an excavation this time to see if they can find any more roman remains. Apparently, they found evidence of Roman occupation when they demolished the old infants school as part of the South Way build and had some artifacts in a showcase in the Police Station. Does anyone know any more of this ?

To answer your question - Rob Pattern;

I asked Cllr James MacCleary to look into whether there may be an excavation. Apparently the builders have been asked to dig a trench. If nothing is found they may continue with digging out for foundations for the flats.

James MacCleary found this information from the LDC planning website I believe.

I also requested to know what was due to happen to the Victorian flint wall. We know it’s Victorian by the photographic evidence held at Newhaven Museum.

Cllr MacCleary replied that the wall is planned to stay with a new pedestrian opening.

although the hundreds of tons of rubble from the demolished police station appears to be pulling the wall inwards currently.