1,000 extra new homes for Horsham

This comes on top of the 11,500 homes already set out in the council’s original draft 20 year housing strategy published in July 2013.

But Claire Vickers (Con, Southwater) cabinet member for living and working communities at Horsham District Council, stressed that there was no intention of adding them to the 2,500 dwellings already proposed for the controversial North Horsham site.

“The latest census information suggests there may be a requirement for around 1,000 more homes over the 20-year plan period. The final figure however is yet to be calculated,” she said.

“However, there is no question of us increasing the number for North Horsham by 1,000 homes. We believe that the Neighbourhood Plans across the district could absorb much of this number.”

According to the updated census figures the extra housing could equate to around an additional 50 homes a year which could be spread wherever neighbourhoods identified a need.

For the full report buy today’s West Sussex County Times (Thursday January 16).