Councillors asked to deliver an enhanced new community centre

At a Horsham District Council Cabinet meeting on 23 January 2020, councillors will be asked to approve a business case for the construction of a new purpose-built community centre at Highwood Village in the new development there.

The Council has a commitment under the Land West of Horsham Masterplan 2008, to build a new community centre in Denne ward at Highwood Village on land to be transferred to the Council by Berkeley Homes, the developers of this site, but is set to agree plans for a larger and more flexible facility than originally envisaged.

This follows a review to establish how existing Council owned community facilities in Denne ward are currently being used, in particular the Drill Hall. Analysis shows that most current users of the Drill Hall could be accommodated at the proposed Highwood site in an enhanced purpose-built facility.

The review also identified that the Drill Hall is currently under-used by local residents. The building is old, poorly designed for modern needs, with high running costs, and its energy efficiency is very poor. It would require a major a reconstruction programme at a cost in excess of £1m to continue in use.

It is primarily being used by commercial dance companies who could move to Highwood and  other casual users, including the Council itself, could either also move there or make similar use of other buildings for events, in particular the ground floor at the Council’s Parkside offices.

The Council looked at alternative uses for the Drill Hall and in line with the Council’s 2019-2023 Corporate Plan objectives, it believes the site  can be converted to build more much needed affordable homes in the town centre.

Commenting on the proposals under consideration, Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture Cllr Jonathan Chowen said:

“I consider this to be an exciting opportunity for us to create a modern, multi-purpose new facility for the benefit of the growing Horsham community.

Not only will it be more fit for purpose and flexible for the benefit of the wider community, but it will also be more efficient to manage and therefore ultimately much kinder to the  environment.

“At the same time, the nature of this particular business case enables us to free up a site which can contribute significantly to providing more affordable homes in the town centre and reducing the problem of homelessness.”

The proposed new centre will have the scope to accommodate most of the existing users at the Drill Hall and will be attractive to new users.

It will have the capacity and facilities to house a new daytime nursery and a meeting place for a local scout group, and would provide a long term home for the Horsham Amateur and Operatic Dramatic Society.