Horsham residents fear new developments are a ‘death-knell’ for small town-centre communities

I have followed the work you have been doing on the Rookwood debacle and how you have focused public attention to the over development threatening Horsham, an issue we face in our neighbourhood, writes Nigel Hillpaul, of Norfolk Road, Horsham.
By Letter by a Reader
Published 5th May 2021, 16:31 GMT
File picture of housingFile picture of housing
File picture of housing

I know we are urged to look at each case on its individual merits (and appreciate the financial straits HDC finds itself in), but I cannot help but feel that this is used on occasion as an excuse to ignore residential over-development in the town centre, and it sounds the death-knell for long-established small town-centre communities in the rush to accommodate big business who have no interest other than profit.

Where Norfolk Square is situated there is (or will be the potential for) development of the RSA building, the North Street frontage surrounding Horace Fuller, Norfolk House, Sussex House, Park North and constant rumours about the BT exchange, as well as smaller developments such as Norfolk Lodge and along Chichester Terrace where, if added together, will provide over 500 residential units in under a 500m-long strip, with the attendant traffic and parking problems that the developers and HDC will leave to users to muddle along with.

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The Norfolk Lodge development has just won its appeal against resident, HDC and Denne Neighbourhood Council objection despite being contrary to HDC’s own district planning framework (local plan) especially with regards parking (where we already have 65 properties chasing 55 slots).

There is no action group, just concerned residents who fear being surrounded by over development, but if you wish to explore this further, I am happy to talk and introduce you to other residents who would be happy to expand on this.

Related topics:HDCRookwood