Demolition gets underway at Oakhurst Business Park in Southwater, new pictures show

The demolition of three buildings in Oakhurst Business Park is well and truly underway, new photos show.

The pictures, sent to Sussex World by photographer Eddie Mitchell, show demolition work commencing, with at least half of one building already reduced to rubble.

It’s the first stage of works approved by Horsham District Council in June last year. The application, first submitted in 2022, sought permission for the destruction of three buildings on the business park site, and the construction of three more buildings, intended to provide flexible industrial and storage and distribution floorspace in the area.

It’s hoped that, once finished the three buildings will have a positive effect on both Oakhurst Business Park, and the wider Southwater area.

"It will deliver genuine economic benefits and job opportunities for local people almost immediately,” a planning statement submitted alongside the rest of the application reads.

"The Proposed Development will provide a modern suite of buildings designed to meet the operational needs of the sector, both now and in the future. The design and landscape proposals ensure that the Site is fully and efficiently utilised, whilst mitigating the visual and amenity impact of the development through sensitive planting and façade treatments.”

Despite the projected positive impact, many residents wrote to Horsham District Council to express their concerns about the project, believing the construction period might cause do much disruption in an already busy area;.

One resident wrote in to challenge the developer’s initial request for a 24-hour working period, adding that it would be “totally unfair and against all that has been agreed previously for other buildings in the same area.”

Another resident had similar complaints, writing in to say: “We have to endure noise coming from the estate already without. It would also set a precedent for all the other units to have the same hours. I love living where I do

and it would be a nightmare to have constant noise.”

When they eventually did approve the works, Horsham District Council stipulated that work could only take place between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 1pm on Saturday, and not at all on Sundays or bank holidays.

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