News
An Education in all things Apple!
Horsham Apple Day – Saturday 19th October 2024 – Horsham Unitarian Church on Worthing Road
Balancing recreation and nature recovery – A message from Horsham Green Spaces
| You may recall at our last quarterly meeting we circulated a draft survey, and spent some time looking at the questions to collect your views and feedback. The questions were then revisited and condensed. The survey is designed to gather views from local residents on nature recovery, what they value about our green spaces and what they think about the changes to mowing regimes in some areas, part of the Wildways project in the town. This is now live and can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HorshamGreenSpaces2024 Please take a few minutes to complete this, and please share this far and wide with your own green spaces contacts. We are keen to get as many responses as possible. If you have contacts with younger residents, we are particularly keen to gather information from this demographic. We have shared this with Collyers Sixth Form College. The survey will run until the end of September 2024. Responses are anonymous, and we will collate the data and will report back to the wider HGS forum in due course. Thank you Hils Parker Volunteer Coordinator |
| If you have any information relating to your green space that you would like to share with the wider group, please let us know by emailing horshamgreenspaces@gmail.com Please follow us on Facebook and share any of your events, photographs and items of interest. |
Trinity Church Players – Pantomine
HIGH WEALD WALKING FESTIVAL PROGRAMME
Join us from 7-15 September for a celebration of one of England’s finest landscapes
The packed programme for the High Weald Walking Festival 2024 is now live, with more than 40 FREE guided walks across Kent and Sussex showcasing the best of this beautiful and historic landscape.
This year the Festival will run from Saturday 7 to Sunday 15 September. It’s a great opportunity to walk with friends (or meet new ones!), discover places to explore or simply build your confidence at walking in the countryside. For most of the walks you can just turn up on the day and join the fun, but some will require booking in advance to secure your spot.
VIEW GUIDED WALKS PROGRAMME >>
Explore a breathtaking National Landscape
Step back in time and journey through ancient woodlands, winding lanes, country parks and great estates, as we celebrate the outstanding natural beauty of the High Weald National Landscape. From nature spotting to local history, with routes from 1 – 13 miles, there’s something for all ages and abilities.
This year we’re delighted to be working with some wonderful partners including:
- Gravetye Estate (William Robinson Gravetye Charity)
- Ashdown Forest Conservators
- RSPB – Broadwater Warren
- Forestry Commission – Bedgebury Pinetum
- Worth Abbey Estate
- Kent High Weald Partnership
- Hop Pickers’ Line Heritage Group
- Wealden District Council
- Battle Health Walks
- Buchan Country Park
- Tenterden Footpaths Group and Kent & East Sussex Railway
- Tenterden & District Local History Society
…Plus several local Ramblers groups, who co-host the Festival with the High Weald National Landscape Partnership.
What if I can’t make any of the dates?
Don’t worry! We also offer a range of self-guided, downloadable walks which are free to download from the Festival website during the month of September. Whether you prefer to walk solo or have other commitments during the Festival week, we’ve got you covered.
See you next month!
About the High Weald Walking Festival
High Weald Walking Festival offers FREE guided and self-guided walks for all, every September. Whether you’re a newbie, looking to graduate from health walks or a seasoned hiker, there’s a walk for you!
Now in its 7th year, the event is a collaboration between several local branches of the Ramblers and the High Weald National Landscape Partnership.
The Festival aims to help walkers of all abilities explore and learn about the historic and beautiful High Weald landscape. Participants are led by experienced and knowledgeable guides from a range of organisations with a passion for the countryside.
Learn more at www.highwealdwalks.org.
Springfield Park – The Wall
Background
Part of the boundary wall to the Springfield Park estate on North Parade collapsed at the end of 2023.
It is recognised that this is causing a significant degree of concern amongst residents, and real inconvenience, as access along the west side of the North Parade has not been available following the collapse.
There are several factors that impact upon the re-instatement of the wall including planning applications, design, tendering, contracting and construction timelines as well as how the work is to be funded.
The wall has a listed status which means that it must be re-instated and as far as possible, using the original materials. In addition, any new construction materials (e.g. mortar) must comply with specific requirements that match original materials specifications.
Over the course of the last few months, several activities have been ongoing. Firstly, a large tree needed to be removed and upon approval of the planning permission that was required, this has taken place.
A full survey of the site to assess how to reinstate the wall has also been completed and an outline design solution has been developed. This will include a reinforced retaining wall structure which would then be faced with the original stone wall materials.
Following the design completion, a planning application has been sought to approve the plans for re-construction and this application was approved on 9th July 2024.
Going Forward
There will now be a tendering process. Contractors will submit bids to undertake the work, and this will be followed by a selection and contracting process.
All of this will take time and the availability of contractors to undertake the work will also be a factor in determining the timelines for starting the work.
It is likely that the above processes and activities, coupled with some season dependant construction constraints, will mean that rebuilding is unlikely to commence before Spring 2025.
Regarding funding, the liability for the costs of the re-instatement work to the Springfield Park estate wall on North Parade is not the responsibility of Horsham District Council or residents other than the owners of the wall itself.
Anthony Frankland
HDC Liberal Democrate Councillor – Trafalgar Ward
London Hearts LAUNCHES NEW DEFIBRILLATOR SCHEME TO HELP SAVE LIVES ACROSS THE UK
Supporting local projects
Many will have seen through our newsletters that HTNC supports local projects and at our recent AGM, we were delighted to hear from residents in Milton Road. They shared with those present the results of their initiative for wooden planters to improve their street – not only has the project certainly done this, the planning and development brought the community together and HTNC were delighted to have played their part in helping to fund the resources!
Dealing with Doorstep Callers….
Community lunch – 14th July – Holy Trinity Church
Holy Trinity, Rushams Road, are hosting a community lunch on 14th July. All welcome. Full details on the attached poster and bookings can be made here.
Horsham Trafalgar Neighbourhood Council 