VIDEO: Residents face ‘uphill battle’ to stop new Horsham homes

Hillread Homes is seeking planning permission from Horsham District Council to develop land north of Ringley Road, a small cul-de-sac of bungalows off Parsonage Road.

Speaking for the residents’ association Tim Everett, who has lived there since 2010, thought the houses were out of keeping and could ‘destroy’ the character of the area, and questioned the wisdom of proposed access arrangements through the quiet residential close.

He said: “There’s an issue of destroying the character of the current close by development that is completely different.

“It stops becoming a close and becomes a rat run.”

Mr Everett added: “We are not so against the idea of development, but we would like it to be done in a way that properly benefits the community and matches better with the existing houses.

“If they allow this we will get creeping development.

“What we are worried about is having the whole Parsonage Farm site being accessed through Ringley Road.”

While the proposed strip of land is currently empty, part of the adjacent site referred to as Parsonage Farm or Searle’s Yard, is currently used by several businesses.

It is one of several brownfield sites mooted for housing development by campaigners as an alternative to proposals for 2,500 homes and a new business park north of the A264.

John Peers, who has lived in the road since 1987, said: “They [councillors] need to come down and have a look.

“This is a very quiet road and we do not want it to change.”

Another resident added: “It’s an uphill battle, but we think it’s in everyone’s interests that it’s turned down.”

Residents are also worried about whether there are adequate safeguards to deal with the potential removal of asbestos and carcinogen benzopyrene from the land.

HDC’s planning committee is set to debate the application on Tuesday February 4.