UPDATE (3.12.20)
The information below is not correct – Horsham District Council deferred it’s decision. For more information, see my post here
A few days ago, the West Sussex County Times reported local ‘anger’ over plans by Hilaire Belloc’s grandson [sic], who lives at the author’s Kingsland home, to convert the windmill there into a two bedroom house. You can read the report here.
The decision on whether or not to grant planning permission was put before Horsham District Council yesterday, and by the looks of this report it has been granted – on condition that financing ‘for the ongoing maintenance of the windmill’ is obtained within the next three months.
By way of a correction, I believe that Charles Eustace, referred to in the West Sussex County Times report as Belloc’s grandson is actually his great-grandson.
My interest in Hilaire Belloc is principally in his life and times so I don’t have an opinion on whether or not Kingsland’s windmill should be kept in its original state or converted. I do hope, however, that if it is turned into a home, as much as possible of its original character will be maintained.
