Concerns new housebuilding will turn Horsham into an ‘urban zoo’

Thousands of people have already signed a petition opposing plans to allow housebuilding on Rookwood Golf Course.

There are also fears that land at Warnham Nature Reserve could be affected.

The sites are among several that have been pinpointed for possible development across the district and put before Horsham District Council for consideration in its Local Plan. However, no decisions have yet been made.

Members of the watchdog group, The Horsham Society, have already denounced building on the golf course as ‘totally unacceptable.’

Society chairman David Holmes said: “There is great concern that Warnham Nature Reserve and the Site of Special Scientific Interest would be adversely affected.”

Two new protest petitions have now been launched in a bid to protect the nature reserve.

Organiser Morag Warrack said: “We only have till next week to respond to plans to build nearly 1,000 dwellings right next to the reserve.

“It has been suddenly thrust upon us, almost fully formed. It’s urgent, in these urgent times.”

In the petition, she states: “Land that was bought by Horsham District Council with the proviso that it would be used for public leisure is now threatened with being turned into five storey flats with communal gardens.

“An executive housing estate has already been built on this promised land, and with 1,000 dwellings right next to our beautiful nature reserve, it will become an urban zoo.

“Let’s reject these plans to build on Rookwood Golf Course and choose to re-home wild nature there instead.

“If our small reserve became ‘housing locked’, it would not be able to host such a diversity of wildlife.

“Last year, for example, we saw tens of wild deer trapped in a residential area in Horsham. We know that simply being surrounded by nature is of benefit to us all in terms of physical and mental wellbeing, and this should not be underestimated as a way of maintaining and improving health and happiness locally.”

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/community_petitions/horsham_district_council_protect_warnham_nature_reserve_in_sussex/?emUnxDpb&utm_source=sharetools&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition-890433-protect_warnham_nature_reserve_in_sussex&utm_term=UnxDpb%2Ben

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/protect-horsham-s-finest-nature-reserve?bucket=&share=7c67bf34-ba91-4927-a6f8-b524f732b01e&source=facebook-share-email-button&time=1584026180&utm_campaign=&utm_source=facebook