Angling club in hot water over fishing at lakes near Horsham

Members of Slaugham Angling Club have been fishing in the lakes at Stonehouse Farm in Plummers Plain for the past five years – but did not realise they needed planning permission for the ‘change of use’ of the lakes.

The club is now seeking retrospective consent from Horsham District Council to carry on fishing at the farm.

In a statement to the council, agents for the club – S J M Planning – say that the lakes were originally created in 2008 to form part of a sustainable drainage system for a new dairy unit at the farm.

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But the dairy plan was abandoned and the farm owner offered the angling club a 25-year lease for use of the lakes. The club agents say in their statement: “The proposal provides a reuse of the lakes that were constructed and would have been mothballed.”

They say that the angling club has planted more than 200 trees since it took over the site and the lakes have now become a haven for wildlife.

Slaugham Angling Club was first formed in 1957 and previously used another site – Furnace Pond in Slaugham.

The club maintains that there are rarely more than a couple of people fishing at the Plummers Plain lakes during the week and the number at weekends rarely exceeded 10.

It says it operates its waters for its members only and does not sell ‘bank tickets’ to members of the public.