Horsham Drill Hall latest: Two years for the community to ‘come up with ideas’ to save venue

Since the announcement that the 93-year-old hall, in Denne Road, could close, there has been a wave of public support calling for it to stay open.

But a report to a meeting of the district council’s cabinet said closing it and opening a new community centre in Highwood could save £110,000 per year.

Reacting to the public support, though, which saw more than 5,800 people sign an online petition, the council offered a little breathing space.

Jonathan Chowen, cabinet member for leisure and culture, said: “We have got two years before decommissioning so there is a real opportunity for the community to come up with ideas which can be included in all our deliberations going forward.”

Calling on other members ‘not to pre-determine any project yet’, he added: “We will see many interesting and exciting projects come forward. Some will be wonderful but probably not able to be delivered.

“But it will be certainly an interesting and exciting time for the community of Horsham town and the wider district to engage with these projects.”

Members agreed that an independent report would be commissioned to look at the current and future community needs of both the town and the district.

And they committed to plans to build Highwood Community Centre, complete with a 240m² hall and a nursery.

The Drill Hall was described by Mr Chowen as ‘well-maintained but old-fashioned’ and only in use 10 per cent of the time.

While the meeting was told the office side of the Drill Hall had an energy performance rating of D, the main hall was said to have a rating of F – the lowest is G – which did not fit in with the council’s aims for carbon neutrality.

Phillip Circus (Con, West Chiltington, Thakeham & Ashington) said: “The reality is that the status quo, which I’m sure a lot of residents would like to maintain, is simply not an option.

“If you look at the direction of travel of environmental legislation, it will not be long before, with these sort of figures, we will not be allowed to hire out the facilities at the Drill Hall.

“That’s something we just have to come to terms with.”

Should the Drill Hall close, the site would be used by the council’s affordable housing company, Horsham District Homes, to build 20 one and two-bedroom homes.

Tricia Youtan (Con, Itchingfield, Slinfold & Warnham) said she was disappointed by the apparent lack of interest in the company, which has already approved business cases for three affordable homes in Billingshurst and one in Slinfold.

She said: “The thought of being able to have a facility in the middle of Horsham which would give 20 one and two-bedroom residences – which our register shows us is the most desirable – is just wonderful.”

Reacting to comments from members of the public, she added: “It has been suggested that as council members we have a responsibility to serve and benefit the community.

“I would suggest that, were this hall to be decommissioned, and it were to be turned into 20 much-needed affordable units by our newly formed housing company, that would be serving and benefiting the community.”

Karen Dunn , Local Democracy Reporting Service