Burgess Hill town centre regeneration plans to be submitted

The news comes as Lidl prepares to open its new store today [August 1].

NewRiver says the application follows its programme of work over many months to ready the town for redevelopment, which included the construction of a new Lidl store on the Leylands Road site. The site was officially handed to Lidl, following the removal of the gasholder.

The project team are thanking those who gave their time to feedback on the proposals, which helped to shape the revised scheme ahead of submission.

Whilst the principle change within the £65million scheme remains as the reduction of retail space and increase of space for leisure providers, additional changes have been made in line with the feedback received:

- The addition of a changing places toilet. It has been agreed with West Sussex County Council (WSCC) to revise the layout of the library to accommodate a Changing Places toilet

- Space for independent retailers. The size and configuration of the retail units has been revised to allow more units that are suitable for independent retailers alongside national operators

- Changes to the design proposal, to add a more contemporary feel to the design yet still incorporate traditional materials such as brickwork.

Justin Thomas, Director at NewRiver, comments: “We are really pleased with the response that we have had to these revised proposals. In line with our commitment to work with the local community, we have worked hard to incorporate feedback and are delighted that we have been able to include a number of suggestions from residents.

“There have been a number of suggestions regarding meanwhile uses as works begin to the town centre, and we are pleased to be in communication with Table Tennis England around the possibility of creating a dedicated space for table tennis in an empty unit for use by members of the public.

“Our vision for Burgess Hill is to create a revitalised and sustainable destination that will meet the future needs of the local community.”

Further information on timings will be available when the planning application has been determined.

The new Lidl store opened on Leylands Road today, having relocated from The Martlets. The news marks a key milestone for the proposed wider regeneration in Burgess Hill, as the next phase of work is now able to begin in the town centre. NewRiver will be keeping the local community informed as these works progress.

Lidl GB’s Regional Head of Property, Paul Mason, comments: “We would like to thank all those who have played a part in improving our Lidl store in Burgess Hill. It is great for us to be able to create more jobs and investment opportunities in the area, and we can’t wait to start serving our multi-award winning products to the local community once again.”