Funding for ‘fantastic’ projects including playgrounds, skate park, and nature reserve improvements

Seventeen new schemes will share more than £3.5m in Horsham District Council’s capital programme for 2019/20.
Friends of Warnham Nature Reserve celebrate new discovery hub. The project is one of those to receive funding in Horsham District Council's capital programmeFriends of Warnham Nature Reserve celebrate new discovery hub. The project is one of those to receive funding in Horsham District Council's capital programme
Friends of Warnham Nature Reserve celebrate new discovery hub. The project is one of those to receive funding in Horsham District Council's capital programme

Playgrounds, a skate park, car parks, bins and a nature trail are among the projects which will receive between £25,000 and £1.2m.

The news was announced by Brian Donnelly, cabinet member for finance and assets, as he presented the council’s budget for 2019/20 for approval last week.

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Mr Donnelly said: “There is a fantastic scattering of projects throughout the whole district that are going to be financed by our balanced budget.”

The projects include £1.2m to build a community centre in the new Highwood development, near Horsham.

The centre, which will be part-funded by Section 106 money, will receive another £800k in 2020/21, taking the cost to £2m.

It was originally lined up for £1.5m.

There will be £445k for improvements to rural car parks in Storrington, Billingshurst and Steyning, while number plate recognition cameras will be replaced in Swan Walk, Piries Place, Hurst Road and the Forum, at a cost of £350k.

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Horsham Park will be fitted with new rubbish bins, which were described as ‘less accessible for pests’, at a cost of £25k.

The Warnham Discovery Hub will receive £363,240 to help pay for a new hub and trails at the nature reserve.

Some 80 per cent of the project will be externally funded.

Playgrounds will be replaced in Horsham and Rudgwick, for which £75k has been allocated, and £250k will be spend at Horsham Skate Park replacing the plywood with concrete.

Ongoing projects in the capital programme include £2.7m for the Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre build, £3.7m for Piries Place car park, and £160k for the Horsham to Southwater cycling and walking route.

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Mr Donnelly added: “I am pleased that our balanced budget for 2019/20 and sound medium term financial strategy for the next four years allows us to provide the district with these great capital projects.

“Our provision of such assets, both in the past and in the future, is one of the reasons why Horsham District is one of the best places to live in the UK.”