Martlets Shopping Centre redevelopment in Burgess Hill reaches new milestone, says Mid Sussex District Council
Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) has announced that the planned redevelopment of the Martlets Shopping Centre in Burgess Hill has reached a new milestone.
MSDC revealed on Wednesday, December 10, that the council has signed a conditional agreement to form a partnership with shopping centre owners NewRiver REIT plc (NRR).
An MSDC spokesperson said: “The agreement means that if key conditions are satisfied, the redevelopment will commence during the summer of 2026. This agreement has been achieved in the face of tough commercial conditions in the construction and retail markets.”
People can find out more at www.midsussex.gov.uk.
The redevelopment of the shopping centre has been proposed for years but it has been delayed and changed several times amid residents’ complaints about the area feeling empty. The Martlets Hall was demolished in 2019. In August 2025, MSDC District Planning Committee approved amendments to a plan to redevelop the shopping centre. This new application was related to a previously approved application and sought to amend approved drawings to ‘improve the viability and deliverability of the scheme’.
Robert Eggleston, the leader Mid Sussex District Council, said on Facebook on Wednesday: “This agreement has conditions but, providing they are fulfilled, MSDC will move into the joint venture with NRR via a Limited Liability Partnership (equally owned).
“The fulfilment of these conditions will be demanding and time consuming and will be concentrated during January to March next year. If all the conditions are satisfied, the JV will be formed, and it will begin the redevelopment during the spring/summer of 2026. However, we should not underestimate the continued complexity of this project and the work needed to get it across the line.”
NewRiver also confirmed the conditional agreement to form a joint venture with MSDC, saying they aim to deliver the ‘shared ambition’ of a ‘mixed-use regeneration’ of the shopping centre.
The company said the proposed regeneration aims to ‘transform the outdated 1970s centre into a modern and vibrant retail and leisure destination in the heart of the town, and create new homes and jobs’. NewRiver said the proposed development has planning consent to deliver 172 new homes, a 102-room hotel, and 50,000 square feet of new retail, including a 21,000 square foot food store and ‘enhanced public realm’.
NewRiver said: “The Joint Venture will be formalised once a series of conditions have been realised including the sale of the residential site which is under offer, and pre-lets of the food store and hotel for which the legal negotiations are well advanced. It is anticipated that the Agreement’s conditionality will be satisfied by the end of March 2026, with construction due to commence summer 2026 and completing in 2028.”
Allan Lockhart, chief executive at NewRiver, said: “This conditional Agreement represents a major milestone for the delivery of a flagship town centre regeneration and the creation of a high impact and transformative partnership. We have worked with Mid Sussex District Council over the years to deliver a capital light and commercially viable strategy to regenerate The Martlets. We look forward to working together to deliver this exciting regeneration project that will create lasting value for the Burgess Hill community and our shareholders.”
Kathryn Hall, chief executive at MSDC added: “This Agreement provides the structure for an ambitious joint venture that brings together our respective strengths across public and private partnership. The regeneration of The Martlets forms part of Mid Sussex District Council’s long-term masterplan for the region which has already seen significant investment and progress. We will now focus on satisfying the conditions and we look forward to moving into the next phase of delivering this important regeneration for the Burgess Hill community and wider area which will bring about lasting long-term prosperity.”