Plans for a new 70-bed Horsham care home

The application from Starbuild Ltd, for The Copse, in Worthing Road, just north of Southwater, will be considered by the planning committee on Tuesday (November 5).

The council received 20 letters of objection to the plans and one letter of support.

Southwater Parish Council also objected, stating: “The proposed development represents an unnatural extension of the village which would harm the identity of Southwater and would not relate sympathetically with the built surroundings.”

If the application is approved, The Copse – a detached building on the site – will be demolished and the care home built fronting onto Worthing Road.

It will be built on three levels, with rooms in the roof space. As the site slopes, part of the rear of the building will form a basement, housing staff and housekeeping facilities.

A design statement submitted with the application said: “The layout has been considered and designed to ensure that the development is sensitive and respectful of the local area and existing trees and planting bounding the site will be retained to provide privacy and shielding to neighbouring properties to the north.

“The architectural style of the proposal has been greatly influenced by the rich character of Southwater and Horsham and by considering this, a comprehensive proposal with an informed architectural style has emerged that is in keeping with its setting.”

To view the application, log on to public-access.horsham.gov.uk and search for DC/24/0622