High ropes course to bring ‘wow factor’ to Horsham Park
Horsham District Council’s Development Control North Committee approved DC Leisure’s plans for a ten-metre high facility at the Pavilions in the Park leisure centre.
Several Conservative councillors spoke enthusiastically about the scheme which will consist of a series of obstacles suspended on ropes from steel cables, interspersed with wooden platforms.
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Hide AdOne of the local ward members Josh Murphy (Con, Horsham Park) said: “I think this application does have the wow factor. It could be a great attraction for Horsham.”
This was backed up by deputy leader Helena Croft (Con, Roffey North), who added: “It’s going to be something that draws people from across the district and perhaps beyond.”
However Frances Haigh (LDem, Horsham Park) felt that the park was not the right area for the scheme, and somewhere different like Southwater Country Park might be more appropriate for a larger facility.
She explained: “This proposal looks penny pinching and half baked.
“Horsham Park is not the area for this facility.”
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Hide AdMrs Haigh raised questions about whether there was enough parking, and noise during the evening as the facility could be open until 10pm.
Christine Costin (LDem, Trafalgar) added: “For me this application does not go far enough in what it wants to offer.
“There must be other places similarly close to the town where the whole caboodle could be there and they could really really enjoy themselves.”
A motion to refuse the scheme was soundly defeated.
John Chidlow (Con, Southwater) said: “There’s always reasons to prevaricate on schemes like this but I do not see any substance to the objections that have been voiced.”