Council throws out plans for 69 new homes in heart of Horsham

Housing association Saxon Weald was hoping to gain planning permission to demolish its properties, mostly bungalows, in Winterton Court and build 65 new flats and four new homes from Horsham District Council.

But members of the council’s Development Control North Committee rejected the scheme on the grounds of overdevelopment and its effect on the nearby properties, particularly the Victorian terraced houses in the New Street area.

While councillors agreed with redeveloping the site for affordable homes,

Christian Mitchell (Con, Holbrook West) felt the new block of flats ‘look like a prison complex’, while David Skipp (LDem, Roffey North) described proposals as ‘social engineering gone wrong’, referencing the large amount of affordable housing planned in one part of the town.

David Holmes (LDem, Horsham Park) questioned if the proposed development along with the nearby recently completed Standings Court affordable housing development would create a ‘balanced community’. He added: “Having carefully considered the available information I believe that what is proposed is too big.

“It would be sited next to the recently built social housing development of Standings Court and the cumulative effect of these two developments in this highly congested area of Victorian housing is unacceptable.”

Concerns were also raised about traffic, road safety and parking in the New Street area, pressure on school places, and the scale and design of the block of flats.

More to follow.