Work on Burgess Hill town centre redevelopment ‘could begin six months after planning permission is granted’

Revised £65million regeneration plans were submitted in October last year but are still yet to be heard by Mid Sussex District Council’s planning committee.

NewRiver’s first application to transform the shopping centre was approved by the district council back in 2016, but the plans were revised to include more space for commercial leisure and more units for independent retailers and residential units.

The plans include a ten-screen Cineworld cinema, a 63-bed Travelodge hotel, and space for a bowling alley.

Martlets Hall, which closed in July last year, has already been demolished as part of the scheme.

Justin Thomas, director at NewRiver, told the Middy this week: “We are hopeful that our proposals for Burgess Hill Town Centre will be granted planning permission in the coming months.

“Work could begin approximately six months following a permission.

“In the interim period, preparation will continue to appoint the contractors who will carry out demolition and subsequent construction.

“We look forward to the determination of our planning application and delivering this step-change for Burgess Hill.”

Robert Eggleston, leader of Burgess Hill Town Council, said there was still a lot of uncertainty around the development but it was ‘positive that NewRiver was still working on bringing the project forward’.

“We all know that high streets continue to struggle and, the recent report that footfall in UK high streets fell by 7.8 per cent in February, due to the bad weather doesn’t help,” he commented

“There is still a lot of uncertainty around the NewRiver development and, as I said not long ago, I thought it was 50/50 whether it would go ahead.

“That view hasn’t changed but it is encouraging that NewRiver is still here and still working on their plan.

“Everyone in the town wants the development to happen, and to happen soon.”