Opportunity to help shape future of Haywards Heath’s town centre

Mid Sussex District Council has prepared a draft masterplan for the town that sets out a framework to encourage economic recovery, inward investment and growth by attracting people to live, work and visit.

The plans look at improvements which will help the town centre evolve and continue to be a vibrant location meeting the current and future needs of the community.

The council is keen to hear the views of local people on the draft document and residents are invited to comment by Monday December 21.

Jonathan Ash-Edwards, leader of the district council, said: “Everyone knows that town centres and the way we shop have been changing for some time and the Coronavirus pandemic is accelerating many of those trends.

“Our town centres are at the heart of our local community and it’s vital that they remain vibrant and prosperous places for retail, leisure, business and community activities.

“We’ve updated the Haywards Heath masterplan to reflect the changing needs of our town centre and to provide a blueprint for our future economic recovery, growth and vitality.

“This masterplan will shape the long-term future of the town centre and it’s essential that residents have their say. The consultation also seeks residents’ views about community facilities, to help inform the council’s business case for the provision of a modern community facility in the town.”

The guiding vision and objectives of the Masterplan are:

- Attracting people to visit, work and live in the town centre

- Retaining and strengthening distinct character areas

- Providing opportunities for sustainable travel and improving public realm

- Exploring and providing opportunities to improve parking provision

- Protecting and enhancing the town’s significant green spaces

- Creating positive ‘gateway moments’ to define arrival into the town centre

- Providing a framework for enhancing opportunities to live in the town centre

The masterplan identifies a number of opportunity sites within the Town Centre that have the potential for regeneration and renewal, including The Orchards Shopping Centre, some car parks and the Clair Hall site on Perrymount Road.

The masterplan consultation is opportunity for residents to share their views on the future use of these sites.

Once the new masterplan is adopted, it will replace the masterplan adopted in 2007 and will help to make decisions on planning applications. The new masterplan has been informed by the aspirations outlined by Haywards Heath Town Council.

Social distancing restrictions and the current lockdown measures in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus mean it is not possible to host public exhibitions or provide hard copies of the masterplan as part of the consultation. Instead, the council is using digital technology to ensure that the consultation is visual, and map based.

The draft masterplan has been published online and features an interactive map, which allows people to view the proposals, find further information and submit responses.