Mid Sussex District Council produces list of 35 sites where more than 4,063 homes could be built

The sites were put forward following an examination of the District Plan 2021-2039 which took place in February and March – but no decisions have been made about which ones, if any, will be included in the Plan.

During the examination hearings, Inspector Jonathan Bore concluded that the council needed to look into increasing its housing target from 1,090 dwellings per annum (dpa) to between 1,200 and 1,300dpa.

The reason behind the suggested increase was to help cover the unmet housing targets of Crawley and Brighton.

The sites include: 750 homes on land east and west of Malthouse Lane, Burgess Hill; 700 homes on land west of Woodhurst Farm, Pease Pottage; 325 homes at West House Farm, in Sayers Common; and 250 homes on land east London Road, Albourne.

Robert Eggleston, leader of the council, said: “The housing requirement we are planning for is set by Government, not by the council. We are responding responsibly and pragmatically to the planning inspector’s request to try to find additional sites because we have no choice in the matter.”

The 35 sites will be assessed by the council via what is known as in-combination testing. This essentially explores the cumulative impact they would have on the 25 sites already included in the Plan, as well as the district’s infrastructure, protected sites and the environment.

This should be finished by the end of July. At that point, the council will send a report to the Inspector who will decide which sites should be included.

There will then be a six-week public consultation on proposed changes to the Plan – including the new sites and whether the Plan should run to 2040 rather than 2039.

What happens after that is up to the Inspector, who may decide to hold more hearings before making his final decision on whether the Plan should be adopted.

Mr Eggleston added: “We are acutely aware that the outcome may be difficult for some of our communities in Mid Sussex. However, our job is to make sure Mid Sussex has an adopted District Plan so we can retain as much local control as possible over where development goes and the infrastructure that comes with it.

“Getting the District Plan right is about planning for homes in the right places, with the right infrastructure, while protecting what makes Mid Sussex special.”

To find out more about the District Plan, log on to www.midsussex.gov.uk/districtplan .

The 35 sites:

• Land east and west of Malthouse Lane, Burgess Hill: 750
• 1-5 Queens Walk and 22-26 London Road, East Grinstead: 100
• Land at Brook House Farm, Turners Hill Road, East Grinstead: 45
• Land north of Hill Place Farm, Turners Hill Road, East Grinstead: 50
• Land east of West Hoathly Road, East Grinstead: 20
• Field rear of North Colwell Barn, Lewes Road, Haywards Heath: 9
• Land at North Colwell Farm, Lewes Road, Haywards Heath: 80
• Land to the north of Old Wickham Lane, Haywards Heath: 49
• Land at Lunce’s Hill, Fox Hill, Haywards Heath: 14
• Courthouse Farm, Common Road, Copthorne: 86
• Land r/o The Martins (south of Hophurst Lane), Crawley Down: 150
• Land west of Ockley Lane, Hassocks: 250
• Land east of College Lane, Hurstpierpoint: 75
• South of Hurst Wickham Barn, College Lane, Hurstpierpoint: 9
• Land north of Willow Way and Talbot Mead, Cuckfield Road, Hurstpierpoint: 150
• Land south of Hurst Wickham Barn, College Lane, Hurstpierpoint: 35
• Land northeast of Hurstpierpoint: 150
• Land off Snowdrop Lane, Lindfield: 50
• Land to the north of Lyoth Lane, Lindfield: 30
• Land north of Henfield Road, Albourne: 20
• Grange View House, London Road, Albourne: 10
• Phase 1 Swallows Yard, London Road, Albourne: 46
• Land east of London Road, Albourne: 250
• Land at Brambletye School, Lewes Road, Ashurst Wood: 25
• Area south of Redbridge Lane at junction with London Road, Balcombe: 20
• Land south of Oldlands Avenue (Vintens Nursery), Balcombe: 40
• Foxhole Farm Buildings, Foxhole Lane, Bolney: 20
• Land north of Foxhole Farm buildings, Bolney: 13
• Land west of Truggers, Handcross: 105
• Land at Pease Field, Pease Pottage: 196
• Land to the West of Woodhurst Farm, Old Brighton Road South, Pease Pottage: 700
• Land north of former Golf House, Horsham Road, Pease Pottage: 41
• West House Farm, Henfield Road, Sayers Common: 325
• Land east of Avtrade, Reeds Lane, Sayers Common: 75
• Land at Kingsland Lodge, London Road, Sayers Common: 75

TOTAL: 4,063