Mid Sussex District Council has welcomed the Government’s announcement making £700 million available to help unlock major strategic development sites across the country.

The Strategic Sites Accelerator, launched on November 2 2026, will provide technical support and expertise to help major industrial and commercial sites overcome barriers to development, alongside a national package of finance for selected sites.

Burgess Hill has been identified as one of the potential sites for the programme.

Delivery of a Science and Technology Park in Burgess Hill is already a key priority in the Mid Sussex Growth Deal between Mid Sussex District Council and West Sussex County Council. The five-year Deal, covering 2025 to 2030, sets out how the councils will work together to attract investment, support local jobs and innovation and strengthen the local economy.

The Science and Technology Park is a long-term ambition for the area, intended to support economic growth and attract businesses in science, technology and other knowledge-based sectors creating opportunities for skilled employment supporting regional economic growth.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: "Britain’s potential is everywhere, but we hear the same old arguments all too often – outdated infrastructure, insufficient access to finance, and problems with planning.

"These are barriers that hold back investment, block new jobs, and shackle our potential, and we need to do more to empower our local leaders and help drive the growth their communities deserve and expect.

"This programme will get the ball rolling for up to 10 of the UK’s most important potential sites, attract billions in investment, unlock tens of thousands of good-quality jobs in the years ahead, and bring good growth to every postcode."

Leader of Mid Sussex District Council, Councillor Robert Eggleston, said: “We are encouraged to see Burgess Hill recognised as a potential strategic investment site and welcome the opportunities the Strategic Sites Accelerator could bring.

“Delivery of the Science and Technology Park is a key priority and an important Council ambition to support sustainable economic growth in Mid Sussex. We want to build on the opportunities to attract investment, support innovation and create high-quality jobs for local people.

"Achieving a regionally significant Science and Tech Park is a priority for all members of the District Council.”

The Strategic Sites Accelerator is being delivered jointly through the Office for Investment and National Wealth Fund, with £700 million available nationally for six to ten sites expecting to receive investment over the course of this Parliament.

No funding for the Burgess Hill Science and Technology Park or any other potential sites identified as part of the Strategic Sites Accelerator have been confirmed at this stage.