Letter: Objecting to plans to build new homes on Ifield Golf Course

I am writing to strongly object to the proposal to build a huge number of houses on Ifield Golf Course. My objections are laid out below.

1)Loss of surrounding countryside and public footpaths.

2)Loss of wildlife including deer, pheasants, Canada and Egyptian geese, buzzards, many species of other birds and many species of fish in the various ponds

3)Biodiversity net loss. Some 15 years ago the Forestry Commission planted 8,500 trees on Ifield Golf course, Boris Johnson wants to plant millions of trees to help climate control. Homes England want to chop them down.

4)Loss of established oak trees on Ifield Golf course, many of which are over 100 years old.

5)Increased pressure on Crawley/Ifield roads.

6)Increased pressure on schools and G.P. surgeries.

7)NHS Hospitals locally are at breaking point, so any increase in population is catastrophic and will bring even more misery to patients waiting treatment.

8)Increased pollution to any area that already has poor air quality.

9)Threat of increased flooding in the area which will be caused by concreting over undeveloped land that acts as water soak.

10)The current water/sewerage processing plans in both Crawley and Horsham are currently working at 115% capacity, how will they cope with further development.

11)The availability for golf in West Sussex has suffered with the closure of West Chiltington and Burgess Hill golf clubs. A reduction in the number of holes available to play at the following courses. Hassocks nine holes, Mannings Heath nine holes with a plan to close a further nine holes, Cottesmore nine holes and Horsham Health and Fitness plan to close nine holes. There are plans to close Rookwood, Hollingbury and Waterhall 18 holes golf courses. That would mean Sussex have lost or are about to lose 133 holes of golf.

12)The requirement to build a Western Relief Road is imperative to alleviate the current traffic problems between Horsham, Crawley and Gatwick; let alone coping with traffic created from another 10,000 homes. Before this proposed development is even considered, this relief road must be built

13)On Ifield Golf course the families of past members have placed 20 memorials for their late relatives.

I would be most grateful if you could support my objections with Horsham District Council and Homes England

Mr J P Ormsby

Forestfield

Horsham