Homes England has taken control of the delivery of more than 3,000 homes north of Burgess Hill.

The Government body, previously known as the Homes and Communities Agency, has acquired land at the strategic site known as the Northern Arc.

The area is allocated in Mid Sussex District Council's local plan, but bringing the site forward has been made complex by land being in a number of different ownerships.

As the landowner for the whole site Homes England will be able to speed up the rate at which new homes are built and also invest in infrastructure such as new roads up front.

The announcement, which represents one of the Government agency's biggest ever deals, was made this morning (Monday July 2) and was hailed as a 'vote of confidence' in both Burgess Hill and Mid Sussex.

Sir Edward Lister, chairman of Homes England, called the move 'enormously significant'.

He said: "This is the first major acquisition by Homes England of land where we are taking a much more aggressive stance in the land market. We are in the process of buying land in other places but this is the first big one.

"It's important because it's 3,000-plus homes, we will put the infrastructure in, we will break it into plots and we will then bring in developers to create housing at scale.

"Up until now we have only done this on Government-owned land, but we are now buying land or taking options."

The benefits of Homes England taking control would be 'speed of delivery' and the speed of putting the new infrastructure in.

Sir Edward added: "We will do all those things, we will make sure the infrastructure goes in parallel with the housing so that local people can see that and secondly they can get a mix of different housing types here to meet the local needs."

He described how the ratio of average wages to average house prices in Mid Sussex was 'very high' with a pressing need for all types of housing.

The Northern Arc development includes two new primary schools, a secondary school and a range of leisure facilities. An outline planning application is due to be submitted to MSDC later this year.

Pru Moore, leader of Burgess Hill Town Council, described how the community had bought into the Northern Arc proposals because of the package of infrastructure that went with the new homes.

She said: "We did get buy-in from the public. They bought into the neighbourhood plan and I hope they will be rewarded by everything that has been promised in this long journey."

Andrew Barrett-Miles, a town, district, and county councillor for Burgess Hill, added: "The whole thing is a vote of confidence in Mid Sussex and Burgess Hill. We were willing to put our heads above the parapet and take the houses but we wanted the infrastructure and decent infrastructure and it all seems to be coming together now."

He praised the work of senior officers at the district council and thought it was a 'huge bonus' to have Homes England on board to deliver the infrastructure early on in the scheme's delivery.

Andrew MacNaughton, cabinet member for housing and planning at MSDC, welcomed having one single organisation responsible for the entire scheme.

He said: "We have got one body with a vision and it will drive it forward quicker and in a more managed form where we will get the infrastructure delivered along with the development."

The announcement was also welcomed by Sir Nicholas Soames, MP for Mid Sussex.

He said: "I have championed the involvement of Homes England in the growth planned by the Government for Burgess Hill.

"This very significant investment and long term commitment to Burgess Hill will ensure the housing comes forward in a timely manner and is accompanied by much needed infrastructure. It is a vote of confidence in Burgess Hill and Mid Sussex."

Stephen Kinsella, executive director for land at Homes England, added: "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.

"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 delivers a great place to live."

A £6.5million housing investment which has been secured from the Government will 'support the future growth of Burgess Hill'.

These are the words of Garry Wall, leader of Mid Sussex District Council, who has hailed the investment as 'tremendous news'.

The Government announced last Thursday that it was investing £866 million in local housing projects to help get up to 200,000 extra homes built nationally.

The district council managed to secure £6.5million for Burgess Hill.

The funding will enable works to be carried out at the waste water treatment works at Goddards Green, which will support the delivery of 256 new homes.

"Successfully securing this latest grant funding is tremendous news and is part of our overall programme to support the future growth of Burgess Hill," said Mr Wall.

"Infrastructure funding is essential to ensure Burgess Hill grows in a sustainable way to benefit both new and existing households.

"This is our third successful funding bid and the money we have secured so far will pay for key infrastructure projects including improved transport networks.

"It's important to remember that around 5000 new homes will be built in Burgess Hill over the next 15 years.

"We have been able to secure all this funding for infrastructure for the benefit of residents because of the strategic approach we have taken and the significant level of new homes that will be provided."

The Housing Infrastructure Fund is a government capital grant programme for new physical infrastructure which will unlock local housing projects.

It is a highly competitive process with local authorities bidding against each other to try and secure funding for local communities.

The fund was significantly oversubscribed with bids of over £2billion for a pot worth £866 million, said a council spokesman.

Burgess Hill will is to undergo a 'significant period of growth over the next 15 years' with the creation of around 5000 new homes, new schools, two new business parks and a new town centre.

"Significant investment in infrastructure from the private and public sectors is required to carefully integrate the new developments within the town," added the spokesman.

The £6.5 million grant is the latest in a string of successful bids to support the strategic growth of Burgess Hill.

The district council and West Sussex County Council have already secured £32 million from the Local Growth Fund to dual the A2300, and for transport and other infrastructure improvements in the town.

These schemes will be delivered by the county council. MP Sir Nicholas Soames has welcomed the investment. 

"This is about regenerating Burgess Hill and leaving a legacy for the future – we are ready to roll."

 These are the words of Garry Wall, leader of Mid Sussex District Council, who has exclusively revealed to the Middy what changes are in store for our town over the next 20 years.

An investment which is costing £1bn, these include new homes, jobs, an improved access road, a Science and Technology park and three new schools.

Mr Wall said: "It is hard to get the scale of this project across to people, there really isn't anything like this going on anywhere, it is one of the biggest investment projects in the South East.

"We are an ambitious council and have been working on this vision for over ten years and this is the big prize.

"This is a £1bn investment from the private and public sectors and we have support from local stakeholders and the Government.

"It is very difficult to get a Secretary of State to visit and the fact that we have already had four and another one who is due to visit shows our ambition – this doesn't happen. As a council we have also been very fortunate to work with our MP.

"Our ambitions for Burgess Hill are starting to take place and we are now starting to see this project come forward. It is about doing the very best for our community, with a plan that is sustainable.

"It is about unlocking the potential of the district and Burgess Hill sits front and centre. It is uniquely placed, being close to the A23 and the airport.

"But none of this happens if you don't work together. There have been some challenges but there will be with a project of this scale. This will benefit everyone and the economy for years to come."

Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards, said the plans have 'something for everyone'.

"There will be affordable homes, high paid quality jobs and a modern and vibrant town centre," he said.

"This project is for new and existing residents. It is not just about housing growth, but infrastructure too, so we are investing in our roads, new schools and community facilities.

"There will be over 15,000 new jobs and that level of employment opportunity is going to benefit the district. And we want residents to be able to work here, rather than having to commute elsewhere."

Some of the plans are already starting to take shape including the regeneration of the Martlets.

Iceland has taken possession of its new store in Church Walk and Lidl is currently building their new store in replacement of the gasholder in Leylands Road.

Works have also begun to accommodate a temporary library, next to New Look and construction is due to begin at the Martlets Shopping Centre this summer and is aimed to be completed by autumn 2020.

A £65m investment from NewRiver Retail will see a new retail space, ten-screen cinema, 63-bed hotel, new library and 142 homes replace the Martlets.

Travelodge, Cineworld, Next, Nandos and Wildwood are confirmed occupants so far.

The district council, in partnership with West Sussex County Council (WSCC), has secured a £14.9m funding package for transport and other infrastructure improvements from the Local Growth Fund run by the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

The funding will be targeted at improving traffic flows as well as providing new infrastructure to build a 'more sustainable' transport package for Burgess Hill and the surrounding area, the council has said.

And the aim of the transport project is to 'improve connectivity, congestion and journey time reliability'.

A total of £16.96m has also been secured from the Local Growth Fund to assist with the upgrading of the A2300, which is the main access road to Burgess Hill from the A23.

The A2300 will be widened to two lanes. Preliminary design work for dualling is underway, the council has said. Works are expected to be completed by 2022.

New and improved cycle and footpaths are also planned, with a new cycle path to link Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath.

Improvements to Burgess Hill railway station and Wivelsfield railway station are also planned.

Gregory Clark, MP for Tunbridge Wells and Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, is also due to visit soon, the council has said.

MP Sir Nicholas Soames said he 'wholly supports and welcomes' the plans.

"The Burgess Hill development is vitally important to Mid Sussex but also to the South East generally," he told the Middy.

"It will provide a tremendous addition to our area and I wholly support and welcome it and I look forward in particular to seeing a magnificent new Burgess Hill town development with all the benefits that it will bring for local people."

More home-buyers in Horsham have taken advantage of the Government's help-to-buy scheme than anywhere else in Sussex.

That's according to new figures which show that nearly 3,000 people in Sussex have used help-to-buy since it was introduced in 2013.

In Horsham, a total of 868 people used the scheme to help buy new homes. Mid Sussex, which includes Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill, had a total of 695 people taking advantage of it.

First time buyers accounted for 74 per cent of sales and local housebuilder Barratt Homes says the scheme has been a real game changer for many people.

Barratt Homes sales director Michelle Storer said: "While Help to Buy is available for first time buyers - and those moving up the housing ladder - the statistics reveal what a massive help it has been to those looking to buy their first home in particular."

However, she said, existing home-owners had also benefitted as the scheme enabled anyone to secure a brand new home under the value of £600,000 with a five per cent deposit.

In other areas of Sussex, 666 people in Arun have taken advantage of the scheme since its launch in 2013; a total of 294 in Crawley; 156 in Chichester and 63 in Adur.

MP Sir Nicholas Soames has welcomed the announcement today of a £6.5million investment which will support a major housing project in Burgess Hill.

 The Government has announced a £866 million investment in local housing projects to help get up to 200,000 extra homes built nationally.

The Northern Arc development, which will see 3,500 homes and a smaller site for 256 homes built in Burgess Hill is among the projects.

The £6.5m investment will be used for mitigation of odour emissions from a waste water treatment works near the site.

MP Sir Nicholas Soames said: "I was really pleased to support Mid Sussex in their successful application for £6.5m to support local work in the Northern Arc.

"It is great news as we can help ensure that we build the homes that local people need more quickly.

"We are determined to build the right homes in the right places and help the next generation to get the keys to a home of their own."

A major redevelopment of key public sector buildings in Burgess Hill including the town's fire and police stations is being proposed.

Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) is the lead authority for the project, which received £40,000 of Government funding from the One Public Estate (OPE) programme earlier this year to carry out feasibility studies.

The site, which is in a number of ownerships, includes The Brow GP practice, as well as the fire, ambulance, and police stations.

The proposed scheme would see the creation of a combined blue-light centre at The Brow, freeing up space for residential development and a re-provided doctors' surgery.

This follows work by the district council and the Homes and Communities Agency to explore development options for the site.

The project is hoped to be completed by 2021, according to West Sussex County Council, which has included it in its latest five-year capital programme.

Jonathan Ash-Edwards, MSDC's cabinet member for resources and economic growth, said: "Burgess Hill is a well-connected, attractive place to live that will see significant growth and investment over the next 15 years for the benefit of existing and new residents and businesses.

"Our proposed improvements at The Brow are an important part of the town's development.

"Bringing the police, fire brigade and ambulance into one location will improve the efficiency of these vital public services, support the delivery of a purpose-built GP surgery and free up space for much needed homes on a brownfield site in the centre of town, close to local shops and amenities."

Karen Eastman, GP partner at The Brow Surgery, added: "The Brow Surgery are meeting with the Horsham and Mid Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group and Mid Sussex District Council to progress discussions on a potential new build for our Surgery on The Brow.

"Our Patient Participation Group will remain involved as this hopefully moves forward to ensure we shape this to our patients' needs and avoid disruption to the care we offer."

The OPE programme aims to support public sector partnerships maximise the use and value of their assets.

Sussex Police and South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) are the other two partners involved in the project.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "Burgess Hill Police Station is being considered for re-provision, in line with our estates strategy 2013-2018.

"We have been working with partners including West Sussex County Council, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. South East Coast Ambulance Service and Mid Sussex District Council, in order to bring about potential benefits to us and wider partners.

"Sussex Police will ensure that the facilities and services currently offered from Burgess Hill Police Station will continue to be offered from any new premises, with the added benefit of enhancing our collaborated work with Blue Light partners.

"We will also ensure that no service is withdrawn from the police station until a new provision is in place."

A spokesman for SECamb added:" South East Coast Ambulance Service has been working with Mid Sussex District Council on the plans to regenerate the Brow, the location of Burgess Hill ambulance station.

"Our intention is that an Ambulance Community Response Post (ACRP) will be part of these plans. We are keen to work collaboratively with other public sector partners to improve services wherever possible.

"The plans are part of the Trust's ongoing work to move all of its estate to the 'Make Ready' system - a vehicle preparation system which sees specialist teams of staff employed to clean, restock and maintain vehicles meaning staff, who previously undertook these tasks, can spend more time treating patients.

"ACRP as it provides suitable rest facilities for staff to use for short periods during their shift between emergency calls. Emergency cover to the area would be unchanged."

Redevelopment at The Brow would another major project for Burgess Hill, as £65m is due to be invested in the regeneration of the Martlets Shopping Centre.

New River Retail has planning permission to build a new cinema, hotel, flats, retail and restaurant units, and a replacement library, alongside improvements to the area's public realm.

Plans for a replacement of the Martlets Hall, which is set to be demolished, were discussed last week.