LETTER: ‘New town’ may be preferable

Firstly with the new runway at Gatwick seeming likely, a minimum of 20,000 new jobs will be created in the local economy that in turn will create an overwhelming demand for new housing and a new secondary school.

Secondly, and many will say it’s long overdue, the A24 will be finally upgraded and rebuilt to avoid the notorious danger spot at Hunt’s Bridge.

Thirdly, it allows for the possibility of the upgrading of the railway from Dorking to Horsham that could include a parkway at Warnham that will ease the parking around some of Horsham’s stations.

And fourthly, and probably of most benefit, it will negate the need to build unsuitable developments within the borough that include North Horsham and at Southwater.

The major downside would be loss of English countryside but I believe a large scale development of up to 10,000 houses (in reality a new town) and appropriate infrastructure is preferable to the continual chipping away of agricultural and green space land that so depress many people.

The population of this area is about to expand hugely and we have to be prepared to offer a solution that allows for compromise and that allows local people to have a say.

The proposed development has the added benefit of a partnership with the Mole Valley authorities. The alternative is to have the government impose a plan.

In conclusion, subject to the appropriate feasibility studies, this development should be examined further.

G. BURGESS

Primrose Copse, Horsham