Go-ahead given for new Horsham care home despite residents' objections

Horsham District Council gave the go-ahead for a derelict house – known as The Copse – to be demolished and for the care home to be built in its place in Worthing Road, Southwater.

The care home is to include medical and beauty rooms, a cafe, cinema, library and landscaped gardens. Specialist nursing care is to be made available 24/7, with each resident’s room having an en suite bathroom.

Vehicle access to the site would be provided by widening the existing access onto Worthing Road and a pedestrian footway is to be built along the north side of the access road.

Southwater Parish Council put forward objections to the proposals saying that the development would be outside of the village’s built-up area boundaries and maintained the care home would constitute ‘an unnatural extension of the village which would harm the identity of Southwater and would not relate sympathetically with the built surroundings.’

It also said the care home would be considerably taller than other buildings in the area and would blight the entrance to the village.

A total of 21 objections were made by people living nearby and in neighbouring properties. Residents said the care home would amount to a significant development in Southwater without the addition of extra local services.

They also said that the development would involve the loss of a large number of trees, would harm wildlife and would increase noise and air pollution.

Other concerns were raised over a lack of road improvements and an increased parking demand at Southwater shops.

But the district council maintained that the care home would have on-site facilities which would mean that it did not need to be close to other services in the village.

It also pointed out that the existing building on the site, The Copse, was an eyesore and the proposed care home development would improve the appearance of the entrance to the village.