Horsham Police on Facebook said on October 12: “Unfortunately we have had to close Church Street in Storrington due to a sinkhole near to the barber shop. Although on the surface this looks like a small hole, underneath the road there is a void measuring roughly 6ft by 6ft. West Sussex Highways are aware, but the work required means they cannot look to fix it until Monday.”
Pictures show that the road is still closed with the sinkhole still there two months later as some nearby businesses begin to express concern.
Matt Betts, who runs MB Shoe Repairs on Church Street, described the sinkhole as ‘ginormous’ and said he is frustrated because his business has been ‘seriously affected’.
Matt said: “It’s the seventh week now of me not taking money because the road is shut. No one can park outside or drive here. No one is coming to Church Street anymore.”
A West Sussex County Council spokesperson said: “After careful investigations, we have identified that the sinkhole on Church Street in Storrington was caused by an unmarked private drainage pipe which services a number of properties located in the carriageway. This pipe does not currently connect to an existing sewer, which has complicated the situation.
“To determine the cause, the sinkhole had to be excavated, which has further increased its size. We understand how disruptive this has been for residents and local businesses, particularly in the run-up to Christmas, and we are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. The road remains closed for safety reasons, but access to businesses is possible from either end of Church Street. We encourage visitors to continue supporting local businesses while we work to address this issue. We are in the process of clarifying the responsibility for the private drainage pipe and coordinating the necessary amendments and repairs, with support from Southern Water.
“While we cannot provide a definitive timeline at this stage, our goal is to complete the required works and safely reopen the road as soon as is feasible. Safety remains our top priority, and we are in close communication with the Parish Council to minimise the impact on the community and provide regular updates.”
The road was briefly reopened to single file traffic in November and was open for the Storrington Remembrance Parade on Sunday, November 10.
1. Storrington sinkhole
A sinkhole was reported in Church Street in Storrington in October and has still not been repaired Photo: Eddie Mitchell
2. Storrington sinkhole
A sinkhole was reported in Church Street in Storrington in October and has still not been repaired Photo: Eddie Mitchell
3. Storrington sinkhole
A sinkhole was reported in Church Street in Storrington in October and has still not been repaired Photo: Eddie Mitchell
4. Storrington sinkhole
A sinkhole was reported in Church Street in Storrington in October and has still not been repaired Photo: Eddie Mitchell