At least 19,300 homes must be built in Horsham over the next 20 years - according to the Government
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That’s according to a new report which shows that the figure is the new minimum number of homes that the Government has calculated will need to be built in and around Horsham to meet housing needs from now until 2039.
In a report commissioned by Horsham District Council and Crawley Borough Council, consultants Iceni Projects say that the 19,300 homes will be needed to meet population growth.
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Hide AdIn Crawley, the report says another 15,040 homes will have to be bult there over the next 20 years.
The report says Horsham’s population is expected to rise from 141,717 in 2019 to 159,375 over the next 20 years - a 12.5 per cent increase.
The report - a North West Sussex Strategic Housing Market Assessment - has been produced to help Horsham District Council prepare its new Local Plan.
The council is in the early stage of developing the plan - a Government requirement placed on councils to identify where future housing developments will go in their districts.
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Hide AdHowever, a string of developers throughout the area have already put out proposals to build thousands of new homes which - if they were all approved - would mean 27,900 homes being built.
However, no planning applications, or approvals, have yet been given for any of the proposals.
Those proposals include 3,500 homes at West Grinstead; 10,000 homes on land between Horsham and Crawley at Ifield; 7,500 homes between Henfield and Wineham; 3,500 at Adversane; 2,200 at Billingshurst and 1,200 at Southwater.
Councillors will be asked at a Horsham District Council cabinet meeting on January 30 to agree to a draft of the Local Plan going out for public consultation.
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Hide AdCouncillor Claire Vickers said: “Some 500 potential housing sites have been put forward by developers and landowners for possible future housing and the council is required to look at each one.”
She said possible development sites would be listed but that none would be selected or removed until a later date after the council had heard the public’s views on them.