NEWS RELEASES
Another Milestone In The Redevelopment Of Horsham Town Centre
17th May 2002
This column appears in the West Sussex County Times every fortnight, starting today. Horsham District Council will feature news about its work and projects throughout the whole of the district.
THIS weekend marks another significant milestone in the dramatic regeneration of Horsham town centre.
The closure of Blackhorse Way multi-storey car park on Saturday night clears the way for a new £16 million phase of redevelopment that will bring new shops, affordable homes, a modern bus station, better car parking and a new public square that has been described as ‘absolutely stunning’.
Yes, there is going to be a period of disruption, and some inconvenience during building works. However, a great deal of thought has gone into phasing the work and this is expected to be the least disruptive of the major town schemes that have highlighted the past 20 years.
Remember the refurbishment of the Carfax ? The roofing in of Swan Walk ? The creation of Piries Place ? The Albion Way extensions ? The building of Bishopric Square ? Upheavals, but they brought great enhancements to Horsham.
Work on the latest scheme, jointly funded by Sainsburys, Moat Housing and Horsham District Council, commences at Blackhorse Way next Tuesday, May 7. Some elements will be complete before Christmas, and the whole scheme is expected to be open by November, 2003.
In the interim, the priority is achieve a smooth transition. Already 150 long stay car park users have been moved to Denne Road and the council believes that there is enough capacity in existing car parks to cope through the summer. In time for the busy Autumn period, the Hop Oast park and ride scheme will be operational with 450 spaces, the Sainsburys car park will have been extended by 120 places and an enhanced Christmas shopping park and ride scheme using secondary schools will be in place.
Already 50 members of staff at Sainsburys have agreed to use park and ride, thus freeing up more town centre parking spaces.
The bus stand also closes on May 7 for temporary relocation to the Carfax. However, a new state-of-the-art bus station near the library will be operating before Christmas, complete with computerised timetable displays.
To follow during 2003 will be three large stores and six smaller shopping units, a scheme for 65 homes, some of which will be designed to attract key workers like nurses and teachers, and, of course, the centrepiece of it all, the magnificent limestone paved piazza with south facing views of Denne Hill, expected to become a new rendezvous for Horsham residents and visitors. This will have three water features, including a walk through fountain, and a bronze sundial by Lorne McKean, creator of the magnificent swans sculpture in Swan Walk. The admired weeping beech tree near the site will be retained and there are plans to provide outside heaters for winter comfort.
No name has been agreed yet for the piazza, and the public are invited to send in suggestions to Horsham District Council.
The Blackhorse Way area will not become a ‘no go’ area during the work. Pedestrian routes have been protected, access to library and Citizens Advice Bureau are maintained, there will be a new cycle route linking Carfax to Worthing Road and the West Walk access to Sainsburys will remain. It is very much business as usual.
The council began its People First programme in 1984 aiming to provide a town centre suited to the 21st century. It believes that many great strides have been made since then and that, with the continuing support of the public, this final part of the jigsaw will further enhance Horsham’s reputation as one of the most attractive towns in the South.
If you can suggest a name for the piazza or would like to suggest a topic for future columns, please contact Richard Morris on 01403 215549 or e-mail richard.morris@horsham.gov.uk
Written by David Briffett
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CONTACT: Richard Morris, Communications Manager (tel: 01403 215549