Better Billingshurst Community Fund and Investment Programme
Better Billingshurst is an investment programme to assist with the delivery of improvements to infrastructure and community facilities in Billingshurst.
Billingshurst needs additional investment because some of the infrastructure and facilities have not kept pace with residential and commercial development in recent years.
Horsham District Council is committed to building thriving local communities and wants to provide improvements to the public realm and community facilities in Billingshurst.
Early-stage consultation and Evidence Gathering
The Council is co-ordinating the Better Billingshurst work, and we have undertaken early-stage consultation with key stakeholders, a wide range of community organisations and the local schools to understand what may be required.
The Council has identified five potential areas for improvements:
- Community Facilities
- Sustainable Travel and Movement (Walking, Wheeling and Cycling)
- Green Infrastructure
- Sports and Recreation
- Village Centre Car Parks
This survey has now been completed and the results are informing the overall investment programme, which will be presented to a meeting of full Council for agreement in 2025.
Project timescales
An evidence base is being prepared by officers and includes an assessment of the existing services and facilities, as well as liaison with representatives from local community groups and schools in Billingshurst to develop a shortlist of potential infrastructure improvements.
| September-October 2024 | Parish and community groups consultation: Completed |
|---|---|
| October-November 2024 | Students, parents/guardians consultation via the Billingshurst schools: Completed. |
| November 2024-March 2025 | Preparation of the Evidence Base detailing projects and priorities: In progress with additional projects being assessed as a result of survey findings. |
| Summer 2025 | Cabinet Meeting – To receive the Evidence Base Report and agree Governance Arrangements for spending the fund. |
| Summer 2025 | Full Council Meeting – To consider and agree Cabinet recommendations. |
| Early autumn 2025 | Community-wide consultation. |
| Autumn onwards | The Council will work with and assist the Parish and local community groups in developing and delivering projects to achieve a “Better Billingshurst”. |
Further information
Billingshurst has experienced, and continues to experience, large-scale development and for some time the Council has recognised that investment in some supporting infrastructure in the Parish has not kept pace with the rate of residential and commercial development.
This makes Billingshurst distinct from other settlements in the District that have also experienced large-scale development but have benefited from improvements in their facilities and services.
Funding is being collected from developers (known as Section 106 Contributions) as housing developments have progressed.
The Council has also committed to agree an additional level of funding to create a Community Fund and this will be based on the evidence gathering work that is currently being undertaken.
The allocation of the Community Fund will take into account the shortlist of potential improvements, the timescales for implementation, associated costs and the feedback from local community representatives.
Other organisations, such as West Sussex County Council and the NHS, are responsible for a range of different facilities and services, including education and healthcare facilities, major highways and public transport infrastructure improvements, libraries, and large open spaces such as country parks. As a result, the Council is unable to deliver improvements to these facilities directly as they are reliant on other providers.
Nevertheless, there are improvements that the Council can directly influence. The Council has therefore identified potential improvements to infrastructure in Billingshurst across five key themes:
- Community Facilities
- Sustainable Travel and Movement (Walking, Wheeling and Cycling)
- Green Infrastructure
- Sports and Recreation
- Village Centre Car Parks
If the fund is agreed at full Council, clear and robust governance procedures will need to be created to ensure the Council can prioritise projects and allocate funding for improvements.
It is anticipated that the Council will seek to establish a Spending Panel formed of different representatives, including Billingshurst Parish Council and the local Billingshurst Members, who will assess applications for funding. The details of this approach are still being developed and will be presented to Cabinet and full Council for approval this summer.