Redevelopment near castle ruins approved

A bid to convert the derelict Castle House, off Broadwater Lane near the Sedgwick Castle site, into a five-bedroom house was approved by Horsham District Council’s Development Control North Committee on Tuesday August 2.

Applicant Robin Nugent explained that the existing property, built to provide storage facilities and to receive day visitors to the castle grounds, had seen 15 arrests for criminal activity and more than 200 responses from the 999 services in the past 11 years.

He said: “My wife and our two adjacent neighbours are on our own from time to time living in close proximity in total darkness to active criminality.”

But Gina Dixon, speaking on behalf of Nuthurst Parish Council, said they saw ‘no reason to allow building in this unique place’, and converting the building would exacerbate the existing harm to the character of the park and the scheduled monument.

Toni Bradnum (Con, Nuthurst) felt it was a ‘great pity’ the original building was approved on appeal around 40 years ago, but common sense told her they should try and bring the building back into use.

Peter Burgess (Con, Holbrook West) agreed and said it was a ‘matter of balance’, but Leonard Crosbie (LDem, Trafalgar) was ‘a little taken aback’ by the acceptance that conditions and approving the application ‘flies in the face of all the decisions that have been taken before’.

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