Four ‘contenders’ want to take on Horsham’s Drill Hall

Proposals by Horsham District Council for affordable flats on the ex-Army hall site in Denne Road provoked a storm of opposition in early 2020.

An independent report was then commissioned by the council to assess the current and future needs for community facilities in the town and district.

According to the cabinet papers, this review is nearing completion and ‘will help inform wider decision making on the Drill Hall and Highwood community centre’.

The Drill Hall, along with the Broadbridge Heath running track, was including in a cabinet report under the heading ‘potential decisions to close the budget gaps’.

At last week’s meeting, Conservative Peter Burgess suggested there were ‘three contenders’ wanting to take over the Drill Hall.

But cabinet member for leisure and culture Jonathan Chowen said that they now had four expressions of interest and all of these were ‘credible’.

He added: “It’s going to be a real discussion about what we do with the future of the Drill Hall.”

Meanwhile on the running track, he said: “There’s no plans to do anything radical there until we have had further discussions within the council.”

Cabinet supported the 2021/22 budget, which will go to full council this month.

HDC’s share of council tax would rise by 3.28 per cent, equating to £5 a year extra for a Band D property.

Paul Clarke, cabinet member for finance and assets, explained how lost income in 2020/21, such as from parking and leisure services, had been partly offset by staff savings made in the autumn, while they had received an ‘unexpectedly generous’ settlement from the government for 2021/22.

However there were ‘major imponderables’ beyond 2021.

These included the possible end of the New Homes Bonus and the decarbonisation action plan, as the cost of making the council’s buildings and vehicles carbon neutral ‘is likely to be substantial’.

There was also the ongoing impact of Covid-19 and uncertainties around Brexit.