Major development plans for 1,000 new homes in West Sussex village
Major development plans for 1,000 new homes in a West Sussex village are moving further forward.
Developers Highwood Group have drawn up proposals for the housing, along with a new school, care home, sports ground, community centre and 88-acre country park on fields west of Billingshurst.
A public consultation on the new neighbourhood development – being called Newbridge Park – is now coming to an end before a planning application is submitted.
Along with the 1,000 new houses, it is also proposed to upgrade the village’s Jubilee Fields site to include a new indoor tennis centre; new outdoor tennis and padel courts; a new pavilion with a gym and exercise room; a full-size FIFA-standard artificial football pitch; a new first-team pitch and other upgraded facilities.
Highwood say that all the new houses would have large gardens with ‘infrastructure for garden offices and flexible spaces.’ There would be a mixture of rented, shared ownership and shared equity housing – “first homes to help people into home ownership,” say the developers.
They also plan to provide a retirement village/extra care facility open to all local residents, a country park with footpaths, cycleways, fitness trails, wildflower meadows, community orchard and allotments.
Provision would also be made, if planning permission is granted, for a gypsy and traveller site.
Newbridge Park is owned by local family company Arunway which, say Highwood, “is committed to ensuring Newbridge Park leaves a positive legacy for future generations.”
They add: “Newbridge Park will be a community based on sustainable, healthy lifestyles. Centred round the Jubilee Fields recreation ground, it is designed to connect with neighbours and the landscape encouraging a reduced carbon footprint and significant biodiversity increases.”