MAKE SURE BETTER MASTERPLAN IS CHOSEN, DEVELOPER URGES RESIDENTS

Countryside Properties, which will be jointly developing the land west of Horsham and south of Broadbridge Heath, says that while Horsham District Council had selected a Preferred Approach Masterplan ( Option 1), at recent public exhibitions many visitors expressed a preference for the Alternative Approach Masterplan (Option 2).

The exhibitions were attended by relatively few Broadbridge Heath residents and the company felt it was important that all of them understood the consequences of each of the options.

It says that it is essential to choose the most appropriate option, which will create a safe village environment and help residents of the existing village gain easy access to new facilities, while ensuring any rat-running through Broadbridge Heath and the surrounding area is not increased as a result.

Both Horsham District Council and Broadbridge Heath Parish Council have said they consider it important to maintain a village atmosphere to integrate the new development with the existing community.

The company agrees with this objective but believes that Option 2 would be the better design of the two and would be more likely to deliver the best long-term solution.

The main difference between Options 1 and 2 is that part of the existing bypass would be removed in Option 1 but kept and downgraded in Option 2.

In addition, Option 1 includes a dual carriageway through the new section of Broadbridge Heath village, which would need to have wide verges, earth bunds and acoustic fencing to contain traffic noise.

Closure of part of the existing bypass in Option 1 would also drive all traffic down on to a new bypass and on to the A24 at a new junction.

For full story see West Sussex Gazette October 31