Second £18.5m bid submitted to Government for Burgess Hill town centre funding

PR2462/SB/MF - 21/09/2022

The sustainable revitalisation of Burgess Hill town centre is a priority and Mid Sussex District Council is leading an £18.5m bid to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund to support regeneration of the town.

The bid focusses on three key improvements:

1) Town Centre (Martlets) - £13.2m could unlock a further £20m of private centre investment and transform 2.46 hectares of brownfield land in the heart of the town into new and refurbished commercial floorspace, a hotel and 172 new homes. The project would also generate in the region of 650 new jobs.

2) Public Realm - £3.8m is required to enhance the public realm along Church Walk, creating an attractive area for investment and improving sustainable transport links.

3) Digital Hub - £1.5 million will deliver a Digital Hub within the town centre, accelerating the connection of local businesses to Full Fibre infrastructure and supporting local economic growth by bringing small businesses together in flexible workspaces.  

The Council was unsuccessful when applying during the first round of bidding for the Levelling Up Fund in June 2021. Since then, the Council has received positive feedback from Government officials, which noted the Mid Sussex bid scored highly when compared to other projects in the region. The Council’s latest proposal is ‘oven ready’, with work prepared to proceed immediately should funding be secured, and this is something the Government is looking for in bids for the second round of funding.

Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Leader of Mid Sussex District Council said:

“The growth of Burgess Hill is being carefully managed, with excellent progress being made on the delivery of Affordable Housing for local people on the housing waiting list, new employment spaces to provide job opportunities, improvements to sustainable transport links and new public facilities.

“Homes England is working closely with us on the Brookleigh development, formerly known as the Northern Arc and West Sussex County Council has supported the growth of the town by widening the A2300, delivering a new award-winning library and progressing with plans for a new ‘all through’ Primary and Secondary School.

“The one missing piece in the puzzle is the regeneration of Burgess Hill Town Centre, which could make such a difference to quality of life for local residents. NewRiver REIT’s revitalisation project is clearly lagging behind the others, and I know it’s a source of frustration for Burgess Hill residents, as it is for us as a Council.

“The District Council is determined to do what it can to support the regeneration of Burgess Hill town centre and this £18.5m Levelling Up Fund bid has the potential to kick start this much needed revitalisation project.

“We believe we have built a strong bid that demonstrates how this investment would unlock the potential of Burgess Hill Town Centre. Our submission takes on board the valuable feedback we have received from central Government following our first bid and has the full support of our local MPs Mims Davies and Andrew Griffith.

“Burgess Hill is a growing community that deserves a town centre to match the fantastic improvements that are being made in other parts of the town. I hope the Government will give serious consideration to our funding bid because it has the potential to transform Burgess Hill into a thriving economic hub that will benefit residents and visitors alike.”

ENDS