Storrington nursery will have to close if permission for home refused

The last breeder of dahlias in Britain has said he will have to close down and sell up if he is not allowed to build a house at his nursery to deter thieves.
Ryecroft Nursery in StorringtonRyecroft Nursery in Storrington
Ryecroft Nursery in Storrington

Philip Godsmark, who grows the blooms at Ryecroft Nursery, in Storrington, submitted an application to Horsham District Council, having lost equipment, plants and other property to thieves over the years.

He said: “I find myself coming up here in the night at 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning because I’m paranoid that these scumbags are going to break in again.

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“It certainly does get to you after a while when you see all the work we’ve put into it.

“It’s our lives really and they think they have the right to come along and take it.”

In January, members of the planning committee were keen to support Mr Godsmark – but officers wanted the application refused, saying there was no evidence the house was needed or that the business was viable.

The situation is due to be looked at again by the committee on Tuesday (April 21) but the recommendation is still to refuse.

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Mr Godsmark said: “We’ve done everything that they’ve asked us to do plus an awful lot more besides. We can’t see where we’ve missed anything out.

“It really demoralises you after a while.”

Mr Godsmark said that since the Covid-19 lock-down began, the nursery has been supplying three or four times as many customers as usual – but without the council’s help there will be no happy ending.

He said: “I told the people that I’m very sorry but this will probably be the last year if I can’t get to live here.

“It’s been so bad. That will be the end of the business.

“We’ve planted a lot of stuff – I’ll probably continue until Christmas, then I think that will be it.

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“I can’t go on not knowing whether the stuff’s still going to be here in the morning when I turn up after all the break-ins we’ve had.”

To view the application, log on to public-access.horsham.gov.uk and search for DC/18/2402.

It will be considered at a meeting of the planning committee at 2.30pm on April 21.

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