Visit pop-up shop to hear about plans for Horsham’s future

 The Horsham Blueprint Neighbourhood Plan attracted much interest last weekend at the pop-up shop in Swan Walk, with the public keen to show an interest in the future of their town.

Horsham Blueprint Neighbourhood Forum was established by the three Neighbourhood Councils – Denne, Forest and Trafalgar – together with representatives from local organisations, including the Horsham Society, Horsham Town Community Partnership and Horsham in Bloom in order to create a Neighbourhood Plan for the un-parished area of Horsham.

After extensive consultation and engagement with residents and businesses the ideas put forward have been formulated into the policies in the draft plan which is out for comments now.

Unlike the Horsham District Council local plan, the Blueprint Neighbourhood Plan does not allocate sites for development but concentrates on ensuring that any development in its area provides the type of housing that residents have said they want.

It will also ensure that the design of any development enhances the character and heritage of our town as well as being environmentally friendly and energy efficient. 

The plan will help protect much loved green spaces in Horsham including Horsham Park and Chesworth Farm, while preserving the small pockets of green which line many streets and ensuring green corridors are maintained for wildlife. The plan also has policies to safeguard community facilities, leisure and cultural activities and to ensure that provision is increased as the population of the town continues to grow.

The plan aims to make Horsham an age-friendly town, accessible and welcoming to all generations and people of all abilities.  

The draft plan can be viewed in full online, or at the council offices and Horsham library or can visit the pop-up shop in Swan Walk by the swans statue on Saturday March 14th and Sunday March 15 10am-4pm.

There will be an opportunity to discuss the plan and to fill in a questionnaire with your comments or people can complete the online survey anytime.

The consultation closes on March 24 and comments will help to improve the plan before it is assessed by an independent government examiner.

Once approved all residents and businesses in the un-parished area will be able to participate in a referendum.

If agreed the document will become  a statutory planning document that will sit alongside Horsham District Council’s Local Plan and be used to determine planning applications.