Better Billingshurst Community Fund and Investment Programme
Better Billingshurst is an investment programme to assist with the delivery of improvements to infrastructure and community facilities in Billingshurst.
Billingshurst needs additional investment because some of the infrastructure and facilities have not kept pace with residential and commercial development in recent years.
Horsham District Council is committed to building thriving local communities and wants to provide improvements to the public realm and community facilities in Billingshurst.
Public Consultation
The Council has been working with Billingshurst Parish Council, a range of local community groups and the local schools to create a shortlist of facilities and improvements to include in our community-wide consultation.
The resulting shortlist of potential improvement projects includes:
- Improved community meeting facilities
- Improved playing pitch surfaces
- Better facilities at Jubilee Fields such as a new pavilion and changing facilities
- Sustainable travel improvements for pedestrians and cyclists
- New and improved recreation and play spaces for children and young people
Horsham District Council wants your views on which improvements you would like to see as part of this Better Billingshurst Community Fund and Investment Programme
The consultation will be open from 23 June to 21 July 2025, available at Horsham.gov.uk/consultations
Project timescales
An evidence base is being prepared by officers and includes an assessment of the existing services and facilities. This reflects recent feedback from local community groups and schools in Billingshurst, helping us to develop a shortlist of potential infrastructure improvements.
| September-October 2024 | Parish and community groups consultation: Completed |
|---|---|
| October-November 2024 | Students, parents/carers consultation via the Billingshurst schools: Completed. |
| November 2024-March 2025 | Preparation of the Evidence Base detailing projects and priorities, with additional projects being assessed as a result of survey findings: Completed |
| February 2025 | Full Council agrees to create an infrastructure development fund for Billingshurst as part of the Council’s Budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy: Completed |
| June 2025 | Cabinet meeting to consider and agree Governance Arrangements for spending the infrastructure development fund. |
| 23 June 2025 | Launch of a community-wide consultation. This closes on 21 July 2025. |
| July 2025 | Full Council meeting to consider and agree Cabinet recommendations. |
| Autumn onwards | Consultation feedback and evidence report published. The Council will work with and assist the Parish and local community groups in developing and delivering agreed projects to achieve a “Better Billingshurst”. |
Further information
Billingshurst has experienced, and continues to experience, large-scale development and for some time the Council has recognised that investment in some supporting infrastructure in the Parish has not kept pace with the rate of residential and commercial development.
This makes Billingshurst distinct from other settlements in the District that have also experienced large-scale development but have benefited from improvements in their facilities and services.
Around £1.5m has been collected from developers (known as Section 106 Contributions) as housing developments have progressed. Horsham District Council has earmarked a further £1m to spend on infrastructure, creating a total overall fund of around £2.5m to invest in Billingshurst.
Other organisations, such as West Sussex County Council and the NHS, are responsible for a range of different facilities and services, including education and healthcare facilities, major highways and public transport infrastructure improvements, libraries, and large open spaces such as country parks. As a result, the Council is unable to deliver improvements to these facilities directly as they are reliant on other providers.
Nevertheless, there are improvements that the Council can directly influence. The Council has therefore identified potential improvements to infrastructure in Billingshurst across five key themes:
- Community Facilities
- Green Infrastructure, Open Space and Recreation
- Sports Facilities
- Sustainable Travel and Movement
- Village Centre Parking and Public Realm Improvements
The survey will not act as a referendum, but feedback will be an important part of a wider decision-making process. The Better Billingshurst report that is currently being prepared will complement existing evidence-based documents for Billingshurst. Whilst some potential improvements included in the consultation may not be deliverable at this time, the information gathered in this process will help to shape future decision making.
In order to spend the £1million fund, clear and robust governance arrangements for the prioritisation of projects for investment have been drafted and will be taken to full Council for approval in Summer 2025. Funding for projects from developers’ contributions will follow the usual process detailed on the Council’s website.
Once the governance arrangements are agreed a Spending Panel formed of representatives from Horsham District Council, Billingshurst Parish Council and Billingshurst Community Partnership, will meet to decide which projects will be taken forward for investment.