Sussex golf club proposes building 800 homes

A golf club in Sussex has outlined plans for building 800 homes on its land – and still operate as a golf facility.

Horsham Golf Club, comprising an 18-hole course and nine-hole academy course, along with a clubhouse and driving range, was recently subject to a 50 percent acquisition by property firm Generator Group, which wants to convert the facility into ‘Horsham Golf and Fitness Village’.

The site is also home to Horsham Football Club, with a stadium and training facility, and is set to become the home of The Golf College, an educational facility for 50 sixth form age students seeking to pursue a career in golf.

‘A retained and modernised golf offering, including the retention of nine holes of golf, alongside a training course, mini golf facility, a state-of-the-art driving range and a new clubhouse,’ would be built according to the plans.

This would allow space for the creation of a new 800-home ‘village’, that would have sports facilities, a shop, cafe, community hub and ‘co-working space’ for residents, along with allotments, community orchards, gardens and parkland ‘to create a network of green corridors to enhance biodiversity.’

Generator Group has been seeking public views on its proposals which would see the 137-acre site become a ‘sustainable home for sports and leisure clubs alongside educational and charity provision in an established location.’

It aims to provide a permanent new home for Horsham Hockey Club and a new home for the charity Warren Clark Golfing Dreams, as well as The Golf College.

Generator Group says that it estimates there would be 13,000 visits a year to the Warren Clark Golfing Dreams site.

“The scheme will come at zero cost to the public purse,” it says.

The company says it aims to submit a formal planning application on its proposals to Horsham District Council later this year.