Angry residents in pavement protest

West Sussex County Council informed residents by letter last week that the work was due to start on pavement resurfacing in Richmond Road from St Christopher’s Close to Wimblehurst Road, Horsham, yesterday.

But angry residents have called for the works to be halted. Grandmother Andrea Holmes said: “It’s a nonsense. They shouldn’t be doing it in a conservation area. There is nothing wrong with the slabs.”

She said she feared that if the re-surfacing work went ahead it could damage the roots of nearby trees.

The tree-lined roads, which are a mix of Victorian and Edwardian houses, were designated a Conservation Area by Horsham District Council in 1990.

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said that no previous consultation over the proposed resurfacing had taken place with residents.

A West Sussex County Council spokesperson said: “Discussions are ongoing as to whether or not we go ahead with the work in Richmond Road and Gordon Road. The talks include Horsham District Council’s conservation team.

“The proposed resurfacing is within a works programme that aims to protect the most vulnerable in the community from slips, trips and falls on uneven surfaces. As Richmond Road and Gordon Road are within a conservation area, we discussed the matter with Horsham Council’s conservation team during the planning stages, and they gave their approval to the work and choice of material.

“Unfortunately the letters informing residents of the work were delivered late, for which we apologise. The work was planned to start on Monday but, if it goes ahead, will now start next week to give residents more notice. We have instead started work today within two nearby roads, St Christopher’s Close and Angus Close, which are not within the conservation area.”