Haywards Heath Flats To Be Considered For Demolition Again

Plans to demolish a former nurses’ home and replace it with 17 flats are to be considered again by Mid Sussex District Council.

Permission was given in March 2024 to build on the Linden House site, in Southdowns Park, Haywards Heath. But since then, an assessment has shown that the project is not financially viable.

The application will return to the planning committee on Thursday (May 22).

This is the second time an approved proposal for Linden House has been declared not viable.

In June 2021 the council gave outline permission to Linden House Developments Ltd for 14 flats to be built on the site.

This was despite an assessment and the council’s own housing officer reporting that the scheme would not be viable if any of the usual infrastructure contributions had to be paid.

As with the others, this latest application includes no affordable housing on-site. Instead a contribution of £59,000 is proposed for affordable homes elsewhere.

This is six times less than the £362,000 previously agreed.

Infrastructure contributions totalling more than £141,000 are included, compared to more than £126,000 in the previous application.

If all goes well this time, the money will go towards a number of schemes including education, libraries, the South Road pedestrian improvement scheme, a play area in Barry Drive and/or Sandy Vale, kick-about facilities in Barry Drive and/or Sandy Vale and/or Victoria Park.

The part-three and part-four storey block will be made up of four one-bedroom, 11 two-bedroom and two three-bedroom flats.

To view the application, log on to pa.midsussex.gov.uk and search for DM/23/0890.