Concerns over Horsham land plots being put up for sale

Some fear that it could mean a number of local ‘greens’ facing development.

Three patches of land edging School Close, off Lambs Farm Road, are on offer for £5,000 each in an on-line auction to be held on May 25.

And land and roadways at Southwater forming part of College Wood to the west side of Woodlands Way is also going under the hammer on the same date with a guide price of £2,000.

The plots are being marketed by Auction House London, and are being described as having “potential for a variety of uses (subject to obtaining all relevant consents).”

The auctioneers add about the College Wood site “Purchasers are deemed to rely on their own enquiries with regard to any possible development potential for this individual plot.

"All or part of this Lot may comprise adopted highway. All interested buyers should rely on their own enquiries with the local authority.”News of the new auctions follow a battle currently being fought by residents in Collingwood Road, Horsham, to stop houses being built on a green near their homes.They found out only by chance that their patch of green - used by generations of children as a play area and by adults for community events - was up for sale.It has now been sold for £56,000 and a planning application submitted for three houses to be built on it.

Cliff Comber, a trustee of the Collingwood Green Association, said that Collingwood Road was originally built by Federated Homes “who consciously left the green as is, with no houses” and he said that Horsham District Council had indicated it to be an ‘amenity area.’

He said residents had started fundraising to buy the land themselves to stop it being built on after discovering by chance that it was up for auction.

The land initially had a price guide of £5,000 but was sold for £35,000 and has now sold again for £56,000.

Cliff added: “At no stage were any of the residents contacted, either by the auction house or the seller. We only discovered by accidental means and feel that the environment and the residents who have lived here over many years have been ignored by those seeking a fast buck.”

The Collingwood Road battle echoes that of another Horsham road - Cootes Avenue near Merryfield Drive - where 18 months ago residents successfully bought a similar patch of green land to protect it from development when it was also put up for auction.

Members of the Cootes Farm Community launched a campaign to buy the land and rallied support from nearby neighbours who clubbed together to raise enough money to buy it at auction - for £33,250.

West Sussex County Council has been approached for comment.

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