Former Billingshurst bank site to be replaced with homes

Plans to demolish an old Barclays Bank in Billingshurst and replace it with a shop and five homes have been approved.
The former Barclays bank site in Billingshurst's high street (Photo by Google Maps Street View).The former Barclays bank site in Billingshurst's high street (Photo by Google Maps Street View).
The former Barclays bank site in Billingshurst's high street (Photo by Google Maps Street View).

The application for the High Street site was considered by members of Horsham District Council’s planning committee south on Tuesday (June 18).

The site has been unused since the bank closed in 2017.

The council received 30 objections to the plans, with concerns including overdevelopment, the impact on neighbouring properties and a lack of adequate parking spaces.

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The latter was picked up by a number of councillors, who felt the nine spaces allowed for the homes and shop were not enough.

Paul Clarke (Con, Pulborough, Coldwaltham & Amberley) said he would have expected ‘at least ten’ parking spaces for five homes, not to mention the shop.

Citing a nearby hardware shop, which has five spaces, he added: “If you want the retail to function properly, you’ve got to provide parking spaces for the people using the shop.”

The application had originally been for seven properties, which was reduced to five.

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Kate Rowbottom (Con, Billingshurst) said she was still not sure there was enough parking included but accepted that was probably all they were going to get.

She added: “Certainly I have no problem with demolishing the bank. I think this is going to greatly improve the street scene, without doubt.”