Petition to save town centre stream up for debate

The petition says residents need all the green space they can get

A council is set to debate a petition signed by 1,700 people to save a town centre stream.

The petition calls on Horsham District Council to drop plans to remove the stream and rockery from Bishopric West as part of a wider regeneration project.

The local authority wants to open up the area, which costs around £24k per year to maintain.

Petition organisers called it a "little oasis in the concrete jungle that is Horsham", saying it provides a haven for birds, cool shelter in hot weather, and helps to reduce noise from nearby roads.

They said its removal "would have a detrimental effect on the atmosphere in this part of Horsham," adding: "We need all the green spaces we can get."

After debating the petition, Horsham District Council says it could ask the cabinet member of planning and infrastructure to reconsider the changes or take account of any comments made during the debate.

Alternatively, no further or another form of action could be taken.

Projects to regenerate Carfax, Bishopric West and part of Worthing Road underwent consultation in April, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Another flashpoint has been a cycleway proposed through the town centre from Springfield Road to Worthing Road.

Some consultation responses described the idea of mixing pedestrians and cyclists as "dangerous".