Horsham Forum - The Horsham and Southwater Commmunity Forum

I was indifferent about Horsham FC coming to the area until I read the literature. Now that I have read it I find myself inclined after due consideration to say yes to the club coming . Surely there are several advantages:

1. The current Holbrook Club is unsustainable. It's not used by enough residents and when I visited it I found it unremarkable and inclined to shabbiness. I didn't join although I am a member of another club some three miles away. New sports facilities at this site would be a fantastic amenity for the area.

2. Horsham FC need a new home to expand and this is a good site for them. They don't get big crowds and neither are they ever likely to since they are a minor league club. The town needs a club 

3. Everytime a new develoment is suggested the issue of house prices crops up. Do you remember the fuss over the local pub's change of use a few years ago? House prices continued to rise. There is a severe shortage of affordable homes in this part of Horsham and that is what will keep the house prices high.

4.  The effect on local businesses will surely be beneficial especially for fast food outlets and supermarkets . The retail busineses have struggled recently with several closing. The new stadium will boost the local economy

5. The issue of car parking is a real one. It's not great now but I understand the new plans are likely to include substantial parking spaces within the Holbrook Club area.

6. I also can't see how a small stadium will change the character of the area. Its all ready happened anyway. I remember as many will when this area was meadows and farmland. The area's character is still developing .

7. I'm perplexed by the loss of amenity arguement as well. The plans are to replace inadequate facilities with better ones.

8. The long term nature of the holbrook site is likely to be change anyway. It's a substantial space and Horsham is struggling to find brown field sites to build the houses needed for the expanding community and required by central government.

9. The literature used by your group is going to annoy people since I don't believe I am the only one who felt it was over the top. I attend over twenty games a year at a ground in South London holding 30 000 people. I've never seen anyone peeing in residents gardens. Sure there is detritus after a game but it's soon claered up. 

10. My last point is that it looks as if the Hornets are coming in some form or another so I suggest working with them to get a suitable compromise.

Incidentally the Coolhurst Ground which is owned by Horsham Rugby Club has a problem that is relevant. They own the land but can't afford the much needed new facilities. Their club is continuing to grow with more young people than ever applying for membership. Why not build the new stadium on the site of the present facilities (there is all ready ample parking) and allow the two clubs to share the new facilities.

I’ve been following the Hornets for a long time and a friend gave me one of the leaflets.  I look upon it as something to think about and I’m going to check out the facts before I respond.

There was something in the County Times last year from someone near the Holbrook ground who’d been told the value of his house would go down – I can’t remember the details.  If it’s true then it's certainly worrying for those living adjacent / near to the Holbook site – I can’t afford to lose thousands of pounds when I come to sell and I'm pretty sure they wont.  I just hope I’m not too near!  I guess the best way to find out is to ask an estate agent.

I haven’t seen inside the Holbrook club but from what you say it could do with being improved.  Is that what Horsham FC intend?  All I can see in the planning application is that a football pitch used by the Holbrook club will become a football pitch used only by Horsham FC players (I presume supporters wont be able to have games on it and nor will Holbrook Club members).  On the other hand, as well as the football pitch the Holbrook Club will lose 3 tennis courts (to become a car-park) and I’m told, a children’s play area is where the stand will be.  I don’t play tennis and my children are grown up so that doesn’t worry me.  Will the reported 2,700 Holbrook members have the same opinion?  

Well, I can’t agree it’s a good site.  After all, it is in the middle of a residential area.  The leaflet states the crowds at QS have been bigger than Horsham FC have said and, looking at the fixtures list, that seems to be correct.  On top of that, as you rightly say, the club wants to expand.

As you say, car parking will be a real issue but you are wrong about the number of spaces.  QS has parking for about 100 cars (for players and spectators).  The Holbrook Club has 66 (and they’ve just applied for more at the industrial unit opposite).  Horsham FC applied to have 102 spaces – the same as at QS.  It's obviously not enough because they’ve been going around asking to use car parks at the local church and community hall.  Where else in Holbrook could excess vehicles be parked other than on already crowded roads?  I went to visit someone in Drake Close on Saturday afternoon and couldn’t find a single free space - had to park along Amundson Way.

I don’t understand your point about the need to build houses. How is that relevant?  One of our councillors said it was a Greenfield site and couldn’t be built on.  Don’t get me going on houses.  There are too many people already.  Society can’t go on expanding like it is – it’s too much for the planet let alone Horsham.  If there weren’t so many people then there would not be so much pressure on house prices – then perhaps everyone would have an affordable house!  I’m all for beneficial change but don’t see that concreting over ever more of our green spaces is a net benefit.

There’s a post on the Hornets website about peeing – it was a quote from an independent organisation set up to help clubs build stadiums.  Like you I haven’t seen anyone peeing in residents gardens, but they obviously have.  Perhaps we’ve led a sheltered life?

As for cleaning up the detritus: who’s going to pay for that?  My rates are already too high and have gone up, yet again, by more than inflation.

Couldn't agree more about getting together to discuss and move forward but the Football club don't appear to want to do that.  They said they'd do so but admit, in their planning application, that they haven't. 

My last point, and I’ve made it to Horsham FC, is that we need a solution that benefits everyone.  Is it luck or fate that the Hop Oast site is back on the market?  Failing that then the Coolhurst Ground may indeed be a good solution.