Call for action over '˜eyesore' cottage

A new call for action has gone out over an '˜eyesore' building that has been plagued by vandals for years.
Derelict groundsman's cottage at Horsham Cricket and Sports Ground SUS-170524-123532001Derelict groundsman's cottage at Horsham Cricket and Sports Ground SUS-170524-123532001
Derelict groundsman's cottage at Horsham Cricket and Sports Ground SUS-170524-123532001

The derelict building is a former groundsman’s cottage on the edge of Horsham Cricket and Sports Club that has been empty for more than 15 years.

Since then there have been many pleas for something to be done about the cottage which is boarded up but is regularly daubed in graffiti and has tiles missing from its roof.

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Now nearby resident Chris Lever, who lives in Chesworth Lane, is again campaigning for action. “The time has surely come now for something to be done about this derelict cottage which is blighting the beauty of the surrounding area,” he said.

“Visitors to the area, including many who attend the sporting events, must be very disappointed and surprised that this eyesore belongs to such a beautiful town.

“I don’t know how it has been allowed to deteriorate over the years with nothing being done about it.”

Discussions about the future of the cottage have been ongoing between the sports club, a charity organisation run mostly by volunteers, and Horsham District Council, but so far no resolution has been found.

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A spokeswoman for Horsham Council said: “The property in question is not owned by Horsham District Council, it is owned by Horsham Cricket Club on a 250 year lease.

“There is nothing the council can do to force the owners to improve the cottage, but it is working with the Cricket Club to support them in achieving this objective.”

And club chairman Chris Wassell said: “We have been trying to resolve this issue for a long time.”

He said a number of projects had been put forward for the cottage site, but none had come to fruition, and one had failed to gain planning consent from the council.

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“We are still working on a solution,” he said and described the cottage as a liability for both the council and the club.

He said he understood the frustration over the state of the cottage but added: “I am confident that we will start resolving the issue this year.”