Safety fears over new use of Horsham Scout hut by pre-school nursery

JPCT 051213 S13490265x Bishopric, Horsham. Scout hut access -photo by Steve Cobb

Safety fears were expressed over the possible use of a Horsham Scout hut by a pre-school nursery group at a council meeting.

During a Horsham District Council planning meeting last week officers argued that current use of the building meant that in theory it could be used as a casino, skating rink or cinema.

However, some councillors thought the application for a change of use for the hut, off the Bishopric, was unsafe considering the only access point was a narrow footpath.

Objections from neighbours centred around the increased noise generated from children playing in the garden during the day in a dense residential area.

The Development Control North Committee agreed a two-year temporary permission with conditions, after an earlier motion to reject the application was defeated.

Leonard Crosbie (LDem, Trafalgar ) was ‘very uncomfortable’ with the application, and raised the case of the Swindon Road Scout building where he said issues raised by neighbours had never been resolved satisfactorily.

He added: “Nobody objects to Scout activity.

“Even though they make noise and have their events in the gardens the neighbours never object because it’s the Scouts.”