Rookwood Golf Course is one of nine large sites for which the Draft Local Plan makes a “strategic housing assessment”. Horsham Labour Party recognises the need for new homes, but this is not a good place to build them. Any development will adversely impact Warnham Nature Reserve which is tightly connected to the golf course. There are also several well used public footpaths crossing the course.

Much of the site is in the floodplain of the Boldings Brook, so protecting a development will create flooding issues downstream. We have just had many major flood issues nationwide, we do not need to add to this risk. The site is over 30 minutes’ walk from the nearest railway services and there is little prospect of creating more safe direct cycle links to either Horsham or Littlehaven Stations.

With little potential to provide, jobs, shops and other services, the development would become another dormitory settlement on the outskirts of Horsham, with residents heavily dependent on private   cars for access to all facilities.

In view of the significant level of opposition to the plans to develop housing on this site the council has made a few revisions to those plans but these are not enough to address all concerns. This is not sustainable development, so Horsham Labour Party opposes this plan.