New fencing for Haywards Heath bowling green

A further £13,000 will be spent installing electronic access gates to the tennis courts.

The gardens, in Haywards Heath are part of a charitable trust – of which Mid Sussex District Council is the trustee – and it had to ask permission to use trust money as the work will cost more than £10,000.

A report to a meeting of the council on Wednesday (June 30), explained why the 1.2m bow-topped fencing was needed around the bowling green.

It said: “Currently the green has no formal fencing around it, meaning that members of the public, dogs and other animals are able to get onto it when it is not in use by the bowls club.

“In the past we have received reports and witnessed people riding bikes, playing football and letting their dogs run around on the green.

“This damages the delicate surface of the green to the detriment of the bowlers and gives rise to increased repair/ maintenance costs for the council.”

Maintenance already costs around £7,500 per year.

The access gates to the tennis courts will form part of the council’s move to a new online booking system – ClubSpark – which went live in October.

After booking a court, users will be sent a code which will allow them to get through the gates.

A report to the meeting said electronic gates had already been installed at the John Pears Recreation Ground, in Ashurst Wood, and were working well.

Having secured funding from the Lawn Tennis Association, the council will add gates to the courts at Victoria Park, Haywards Heath, and St Johns Park, Burgess Hill, in the autumn.

The work at Beech Hurst Gardens will be added to that list.