Company starts work on bringing 200 new homes and 23-acre country park to West Sussex village

The properties are all being built under Vistry’s Bovis Homes brand at the Walstead Park development, which is off Scamps Hill.

Vistry said the company acquired the land last year, with detailed planning permission in place, while its application to vary these approved plans was given the go-ahead by Mid Sussex District Council on May 22. Visit bovishomes.co.uk.

Alex Jordan, regional managing director of Vistry South East, said: “Our plans for Walstead Park will deliver a highly desirable neighbourhood featuring high-quality new homes and a beautiful 23-acre country park. There will be a varied mix of home styles and sizes to suit people at different stages of life, and we will be including features, such as a network of footpaths, to make it easy for the new residents to enjoy their surroundings and the great outdoors.”

He said that 30 per cent of the properties will be affordable homes for rent or shared ownership.

Alex said: “Walstead Park is in a great location, offering a quiet village life but with easy access to Haywards Heath, just two miles away. It is also a good commuting distance from London as the train from Haywards Heath gets into London Victoria station in around 50 minutes, while trains to Brighton take less than 20 minutes.”

Vistry said 140 homes would be for private sale with 60 affordable properties, including one and two-bedroom apartments, as well as two, three, four and five bedroom houses. They added that solar panels are planned for all plots as part of the energy strategy for the site, which should reduce residents’ fuel bills and as carbon emissions.

The company said Walstead Park’s first homes are expected to be ready for occupation by the end of 2023. The new country park, they added, will feature footpaths, woodland and wildlife areas, as well as pedestrian and cycle links to Scaynes Hill Road and Snowdrop Lane. Walstead Park will also have children’s play areas and a wetland walk.