The 176-hectare site has capacity for 3,080 new homes and is a strategic priority in the recently adopted Mid Sussex Council district plan.
The site has been identified for more than 10 years as a key location for housing delivery. However, due to the complexities of the different land ownership and the need for upfront works to build a link road through the site, landowners and promoters agreed to dispose of their interests to Homes England.
Now that it owns the whole site, Homes England will submit an outline planning application later this year and bring forward early release of the first phases of new homes alongside investing in infrastructure to unlock the site for development.
The Burgess Hill development will include the construction of two new primary schools, a secondary school and a range of leisure facilities to help build a community.
Homes England executive director Stephen Kinsella said: “Homes England’s reinvigorated land role is seeing us step up and intervene to unlock residential sites to help increase supply of homes where they are desperately needed. This acquisition at Burgess Hill shows how we can step in to ensure that complex sites in areas of acute housing need can be brought forward for early delivery through our intervention.”
He added: “It is a huge statement from Homes England, demonstrating how we can now intervene and invest to unlock the largest sites. We will now work quickly to achieve an early start on site and ensure the site deliver a great place to live.”
Elsewhere, Homes England has also recently completed the acquisition of Coypool in Plymouth. More than 400 homes will not be built on a former 32ha china clay works near Marsh Mills.
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