Head of church is'being a hypocrite'

Archbishop Dr Rowan Williams, who is chairman of the Church Commissioners, made a speech about climate change, and called for an end to unsustainable air-freighted food to be replaced by home-grown food.

These comments have incensed Bognor residents who are fighting to stop farmland owned by the commissioners north of Chalcraft Lane being turned into 2,500 houses.

Marion Wolgar, 58, of Marlborough Court said: 'This land to the north of Chalcraft Lane has been growing crops and in particular vegetables and salads for the last 50 years that I have been in this area, and he's going to cover that in bricks and tarmac, the same time as telling the rest of us to grow vegetables.

'I thought '˜what a hypocrite'.'

Dr Williams said: 'God cares for what he's made, human beings share in that duty of care, likewise we find in parts of the old testament the idea that the land belongs to God, and not to us, therefore we use it with respect and care because it's on loan to us and it's not a possession.'

Bersted district councillor Ann Smee said: 'It's not that we don't want the houses, it's the fact we have the environmental health secretary saying we have to grow more food, the archbishop is telling us the same and we have this one arm of the church saying we have to build on it.

'He is turning a blind eye to the Church Commissioners who he is chairman of and saying make more of prime farm land '“ it doesn't sit well.

'It's very hypocritical. He should be practising what he preaches because he's saying grow your own food.'

A spokesman for the Church Commissioners said: 'The Church Commissioners are major agricultural landlords, owning some 112,000 acres of farmland.

'There is no conflict between this development project and '˜unsustainable' air-freighted food gradually being replaced by home-grown produce from thousands of new allotments.

'The scheme aims to meet local housing needs while also providing real benefits in relieving Bognor's traffic problems.

'It has been carefully planned to ensure it is matched with adequate school provision and other local facilities, creating stronger communities and providing the town with the sort of development local people can be proud of.'

Meanwhile, residents in Aldwick have voted overwhelmingly for their parish council to help fight against the plans on the 375-acre site.

Aldwick Parish Council called the meeting to gauge residents' views before its planning committee meets to decide its stance on the plans on Monday.

Council chairman Carol Wiseman said: 'The representatives of the Church Commissioners and landowners were invited to the meeting but declined to come.

'The opinion of residents is valued and will help the council to make this very important decision.'

Residents also voted unanimously in favour of the parish council spending its savings on getting legal advice on tackling the plans if need be.