Developers in fresh attempt to build 73 more houses south of Horsham

Reside Developments have submitted a new application to Horsham District Council for planning permission to build the 73 houses at Woodfords in Shipley Road, Southwater.

But scores of objections are being made by local residents, along with Southwater and Shipley Parish Councils.

A previous application to build the houses was turned down by the district council and Reside also lost an appeal against the decision.

But they have now submitted an amended application for the 73 homes – 47 of which, the company says, would be ‘market housing’ and 26 ‘affordable home ownership.’

However local residents are concerned that Southwater cannot cope with more housing. Many say there is insufficient infrastructure for an influx of new residents.

In a statement to the district council, the developers say: “The proposals put forth will help reinforce Southwater’s function as the second largest settlement in the district and will help further support its local facilities, services and employers.”

But residents maintain: Enough is enough. One objector said in a letter to the council: “The village doctors are not taking any more patients and it’s hard enough for the existing patients to get appointments as it is.

"The local pharmacy can’t keep up with the volume of prescriptions … Local dentists are not taking on any more patients either. The local schools cannot cope with the volume of local kids.”

Another simply said: “This development is not wanted and is not needed.”

Others have raised concerns about increased traffic, pollution and the destruction of wildlife habitats if the development goes ahead.

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Another application has already been submitted to the council by another developer to build an 800-home ‘village’ on golf course land to the north of Southwater and south of Horsham opposite Hop Oast.

The developer says the existing golf facility would be ‘retained and modernised’ to provide facilities ‘better suited to promoting the inclusivity and diversity of golf and encouraging a new generation of participants’.

A new facility is also proposed for Horsham Hockey Club, comprising two full size pitches and a training pitch, alongside changing, classroom and clubhouse facilities to enable the club to become a regional talent centre.

No decisions have yet been made by the council.