Rents continue to rise due to demand significantly outweighing supply across the Mid Sussex industrial market, according to SHW's Q1 2023 South East Industrial Focus.

Tim Hardwicke, SHW's Partner and Head of Agency, comments: "On the whole, 2022 saw a good level of take up across all size ranges, with lower take levels generally in locations where availability of good quality stock is restricted.

The vacancy rate in Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath remains low at 2.9%. A healthy take up was recorded, with 128,000 sq ft let in 2022 (134,000 sq ft in 2021). With extremely high demand totalling 1.76 million sq ft in 2022 and availability standing at 65,500 sq ft, rents should edge up from the £13.25 per sq ft recorded in 2022 for the right properties and newbuild schemes are likely to see £16-17.00 per sq ft in the future. Of the total 109,500 sq ft built at Sussex Junction, Burgess Hill, just one self-contained unit of £46,500 sq ft remains available at £14.50, accounting for more than half the total availability in the area and there is good occupier interest being shown.

Universal Quantum, based in Haywards Heath has been commissioned by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to build a fully scalable trapped ion quantum computer. This will open the door to the next step in quantum computing – the development of real-world applications on a scalable quantum computer.
 

Read more here

 An artisan cheesemaker, based near Haywards Heath, is celebrating an un-brie-lievable achievement after one of its cheeses was named among the top 100 in the world.

Read more here: https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/23107859.sussex-cheese-named-among-worlds-best-awards-ceremony/

Mid Sussex District Council has adopted Net Zero targets for both the Council and the wider District to help tackle climate change and reduce global warming.

At a meeting of Full Council on 2 November 2022, Councillors overwhelmingly agreed to reduce direct council-controlled carbon emissions to Net Zero by 2040 and support the wider District to reach the national Government target of Net Zero by 2050.

Net Zero is achieved by striking a balance between the greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere and the greenhouse gases removed from the atmosphere.

Mid Sussex District Council has already begun to reduce carbon emissions by installing PV solar panels on Council buildings that generate around 27,000 kwh of pollution-free electricity per year, a carbon reduction of 6.9 tonnes.

In September the Council started to trial a new recycling and general waste collection system that includes the separate collection of food waste to boost recycling and reduce the amount of general waste produced. Recycled food waste is turned into bio-fertiliser that helps crops to grow and renewable electricity that provides a sustainable source of power. Just one lorry load of food waste can generate enough renewable energy to power 20,000 televisions for an hour.

The Council is supporting sustainable methods of travel for employees by enabling them to access to Electric Vehicle Charging Points at the Council offices, borrow electric bikes for short journeys and upgrading the Council's parking enforcement fleet to electric vehicles.

Over 60 new Electric Vehicle Charging Points have been installed across Mid Sussex as part of the new West Sussex ChargePoint network. These are just the start of a much bigger rollout that will see thousands more EV Chargers connected across West Sussex over the next 10 years.

West Sussex local authorities are progressing a joint programme to support businesses to lower their carbon footprint. A key part of the programme is the delivery of a 'Low Carbon Business' video series, telling the story of exemplary businesses from across the county who have embraced sustainability to realise tangible business benefits. Businesses from across sectors and representing each District and Borough feature in the series, hosted on the West Sussex County Council YouTube channel.

For Burgess Hill, the District Council has secured over £20 million of funding for sustainable transport initiatives, that will be delivered through the Place and Connectivity Programme. To date, over 14km of footways, cycle paths and bridleways have been enhanced to provide safe and reliable alternatives to using the car. The Council has also worked alongside a consortium of local authorities to secure funding from the Government to improve the energy efficiency of eligible homes through the Warmer Homes scheme.

Councillor Stephen Hillier, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth and Net Zero said:

"At Mid Sussex we are eager to support the UK government in the journey to Net Zero and the fight against climate change.

"Renowned sustainability and Net Zero consultancy firm Ricardo AEA has carried out detailed analysis of the Council and the wider Mid Sussex area to ensure our Net Zero targets are realistic and based on sound evidence.

"As a Council we are committed to reducing carbon emissions in our area and these Net Zero targets are an important part of our Sustainable Economy Strategy, which sets out how we're working to make sure Mid Sussex remains an attractive, resilient and innovative District that balances social wellbeing, environmental protection and sustainable economic growth."

Mid Sussex District Council has thanked the residents taking part in a new food waste collection trial after they recycled more than 29,000 Kilograms (29 Tonnes) of food in the first four weeks.

Residents in the trial areas have embraced the new collection system by placing any food waste they have into a dedicated food waste bin, which is collected from the kerbside every week.

The aim of the trial is to work with residents to boost recycling and reduce the amount of general waste produced. If participants continue to recycle food at the current rate, then potentially over 377,000 Kilograms (377 Tonnes) of food will be removed the rubbish in the trial area and recycled over the course of a year.

Mid Sussex residents in parts of Ashurst Wood, Burgess Hill and Lindfield have been selected to take part in the new waste collection trial. These areas have been chosen because they include a mix of housing types and locations that ensure the trial is representative of the whole of Mid Sussex. The trial will enable Mid Sussex District Council and West Sussex County Council to assess the feasibility of rolling out a similar service across the whole of Mid Sussex.

Councillor John Belsey, Deputy Leader of Mid Sussex District Council said:

"I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who is working with us to trial this new collection system and reduce the amount of food that goes in our general waste bins.

"By collecting our food waste separately, we can ensure it is being put to good use. Once collected, it's taken to a specialist facility and placed in an anaerobic digester, which uses the gas that is produced when the food breaks down to generate energy and turns the left-over material into a soil fertiliser.

"A lorry load of food waste can generate enough renewable energy to power 20,000 televisions for an hour, so recycling it really can make a big difference to our long-term sustainability.

Councillor Deborah Urquhart, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change said:

"Residents have done a tremendous job of recycling their food waste so far and I would like to thank each and every one of them sincerely for their efforts.

"We've already received lots of valuable feedback from residents and we will continue to take it all on board as the trial progresses. Your experiences will help us to provide a greener service in the future, with improved recycling rates." 

A combined sustainability and economic growth strategy lies at centre of one the UK's most exciting regeneration projects, creating an innovative community culture in the heart of Sussex which aims to combine quality of life with knowledge-intensive economic growth.

Mid Sussex District Council's 'trail-blazing' combined Sustainable Economy Strategy is underpinning all the council's business, growth, planning, community and net zero initiatives, ensuring that long-term outcomes will benefit both the planet and generate homes, jobs and a good quality of life for its residents.

Speaking at the launch of the local authority's Opportunity Mid Sussex project and Sustainable Economy Strategy, Cllr Stephen Hillier, cabinet member for the Mid Sussex Economy & Net Zero said: "We have been a national trailblazer with our merged Economy and Sustainable strategy. We recognise that economic growth and moving towards net zero are not mutually exclusive and we are keen to support local businesses on their path to net zero, ensuring Mid Sussex remains a great place to live and run a business, safeguarding it for future generations. It's just the right thing to do for our planet."

The authority's current Growth Programme is already well underway, installing pioneering gigabit fibre digital connectivity alongside the development 5,000 homes as part of a new community with schools, neighbourhood centres, employment space and sustainable travel options.

Cllr Hillier told guests attending the event held at Edwards Vacuum in Burgess Hill about the local authority's future ambitions with its Opportunity Mid Sussex programme, including the next stage of its fibre connectivity project, the authority's partnerships with its local Sussex and Brighton universities and a 49-hectare Science and Technology Park which will enable the region to maximise the opportunities presented by its existing clusters of life sciences, MedTech, advanced manufacturing, aerospace and creative industries.

"The gigabit fibre spine connecting us globally from Brighton to Croydon is complete and we are now extending that to rural areas," he said.

"From next year we will have digital connectivity that is unparalleled outside major cities, making us highly attractive to companies wanting to be early adopters of the benefits of 5G technology.

"We have a strong relationship with our universities and work hard to leverage their expertise from their research success to their business support. The Science and Tech Park is one of most exciting things to come our way and will put us on the map as a regional centre of excellence."

Dr Sue Baxter, Director of Innovation & Business Partnerships at the University of Sussex talked about the partnership working ethos at Mid Sussex, and explained the work the University of Sussex and the University of Brighton had been doing to create an Innovation Ecosystem and the importance of collaboration, expertise and specialist facilities to continue the drive for economic growth:

"There is clearly a link between the knowledge-intensive industries and the high skills profile of Mid Sussex and together we can build a really good, accelerated growth platform," she told delegates.

"We are currently putting together a team to share our world leading research and together with our business incubator 'Sussex Innovations' are reaching out to local companies to offer a seamless service which spans from high end innovation and specialist dedicated support right through to mainstream everyday business services to the companies around us."

Professor Winfried Hensinger, co-founder of Universal Quantum, announced that the company, a spin-out from the University of Sussex which chose to locate in Haywards Heath, Mid Sussex thanks to its vibrant community and first-rate transport links, had just won the largest government quantum computing contract ever awarded to a single company to build two quantum computers for the German Space Agency, as part of a computing initiative founded by the German government.

He said the company was honoured to have been chosen for the contract following a very long due diligence process, certifying the world leading nature of the technology which was developed here in the region.

"This is just the start. We are working very, very hard with UK government to bring this tech advantage into region as we want to grow the UK's 'quantum Silicon Valley' here in Mid Sussex."

The region's business sustainability credentials were supported by Samantha Oliver, organisational systems and administration director of the Adelphi Group of Companies who talked about their eco-friendly production facility The Friary with solar panels and rainwater harvesting and Peter Lamb, senior manager of scientific pump technology and site leader at hosts Edwards Vacuum, who emphasised the high-tech, knowledge-intensive profile of the region, explaining that his company's vacuum technology was now being used in everything from Universal Quantum's computers to flat panel TVs, solar panels and exhaust management systems.

"We have science-based targets for our contribution to sustainability and have signed up as a company to achieving a 46% reduction in our operating footprint by 2030," said Peter.

He told guests that Edwards was changing the whole way it worked to achieve its sustainability targets, from new technology to on-site changes to support the company and its staff reduce their carbon footprint to changing its products' operating systems to enable clients to use them more efficiently to reduce their carbon impact.

The event was attended by Mims Davies MP who said she saw the opportunities for Mid Sussex as it took its place at the forefront of UK growth.

"I am very excited to be here, as it is important Mid Sussex keeps a voice at the highest level for the work it is doing to develop a sustainable economy. Our local authority is doing everything it can to keep this area special and make us proud to live and work here. Growing a sustainable economy is the best thing we can offer for our businesses, our communities and the generations that are to come."

Council leader Cllr Jonathan Ash-Edwards concluded the successful event, which was attended by more than 100 guests, by saying the authority's ambition for Mid Sussex was 'straightforward'.

"We are positive about what we have ahead for our communities and economy. We are an unashamedly pro-business, pro-enterprise, pro-growth council so will always want to work in partnership with others to help deliver for our local economy to create jobs and prosperity.

"We will make sure economic prospects come alongside growth and sustainability for our communities; we will have the right policies in place to support growth and have an economic team in council that is open and does everything possible to provide support and be as proactive as possible."

Students from every local senior school and college gathered in the Mid Sussex District Council Chamber on Friday 30 September for the launch of the Mid Sussex STEM challenge 2022.

STEM education, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics provides an excellent grounding for students who wish to pursue a career in medicine, scientific research, chemistry or engineering. There is currently a STEM skills shortage in the UK workforce, so engaging activities like the STEM Challenge have an important role to play in inspiring the next generation to develop these important skills.

Each year, talented students from schools across Mid Sussex and beyond compete against each other to complete a challenge that tests their technical engineering skills. In 2022, they must research, develop, and build a remote-control vehicle that is capable of navigating a large and complicated obstacle course. Teams are provided with a list of specifications they must meet, such as artificial intelligence, camera attachment and a motorised chassis, to ensure their vehicle is up to the test.

Eight teams from Burgess Hill Academy, Downlands Community School, Imberhorne School, Millais School, Oathall Community College, St Paul's Catholic College, Sackville School and Warden Park Academy will battle it out to create to most agile and robust remote control vehicle, before it's put to the test on 19 May 2023 at the South of England Showground.

Students taking part in the STEM Challenge 2022 will be supported by local engineering and medical companies who will act as mentors, working with the school to share their knowledge and show the students what it's like to work in the industry. Staff from Flowserve, PSM Marine Engineering, Adelphi Nuffield Hospital, Bike Smart, Edwards Vacuum, Quantum Technologies, and Balfour Beatty will all be providing their advice and support to the challengers.

The STEM Challenge was launched by Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Leader of Mid Sussex District Council, Professor Winfried Hensinger from Quantum Technologies and Mr James Whitmore, The High Sheriff of West Sussex on Friday 30 September 2022. Supporting the STEM Challenge also aligns to Mid Sussex District Council's strategic objectives as set out in the recently published Sustainable Economy Strategy.

Councillor Ruth de Mierre, Mid Sussex District Council Cabinet Member for Leisure and Parking said: "Our annual STEM challenge is a fantastic way to get local school children excited and inspired about the practical application of scientific and technical knowledge and realise the huge range of careers open to them.

"Mid Sussex District Council is a strong supporter of the event and it's going to be wonderful to see the students starting with nothing and working together as a team to design and create a remote control vehicle that will be capable of traversing a testing obstacle course.

"The students taking part are the future, not only for our economy but our environment and for our health. You never know, some of them may well be part of the breakthrough to find more cures to eliminate cancer – or allow us to say 'beam me up Scottie' (for those of us old enough to remember!)"

Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Leader of Mid Sussex District Council, said:

Mid Sussex District Council has agreed a one-off payment of £692,500 to the Bluebell Railway that will enable the creation of a new Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) at Hill Place Farm in East Grinstead.

In Mid Sussex, developers seeking to build new homes within 7km of Ashdown Forest must pay towards the creation and maintenance of Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces. Those developer payments will then gradually repay the Council's investment in the Hill Place Farm SANG.

The policy, which is supported by Natural England, helps residents to access green spaces that are close to their homes and protects Ashdown Forest from excessive visitor numbers, which could affect the protected bird species that nest in the forest.

The new SANG, which is just off Turners Hill Road in East Grinstead, has been provided by developers Taylor Wimpey and Vistry as part of plans for 200 new homes at Hill Place Farm. The SANG is divided into two parts, with the Bluebell Railway line running through the middle of the site.

Mid Sussex District Council is providing the Bluebell Railway with a funding advance of £692,500 to provide safe access to the SANG and to support the development of the line. Visitors will be able to access all areas of the SANG by using a tunnel underneath the Bluebell Railway to cross the line.

The Hill Place Farm SANG features grassland habitats, natural woodlands, and benefits from stunning views of the historic Imberhorne Lane viaduct. The SANG has been enhanced by a programme of planting that, will complement the existing natural environment as it matures and a new walking route around the edge of the site makes it easier for people of all abilities to enjoy the space.

Councillor Robert Salisbury, MSDC Cabinet Member for Planning said:

"Natural England has advised the Council that one of the best ways to protect Ashdown Forest from increasing visitor numbers is to provide alternative areas for people to visit. That's why, whenever developers want to build new homes within 7km of Ashdown Forest, they are required to provide Suitable Alternative Natural Green space or funding towards the improvement of an existing one.

"The new SANG at Hill Place Farm is a wonderful place for local people to relax, exercise and enjoy the natural surroundings. It's fantastic for people to have such beautiful green spaces right on our doorstep, and it will only get better over the years as more improvements are made.

"We're grateful to the Bluebell Railway for supporting public access throughout the SANG site and I hope this funding helps the railway in its efforts to switch to more sustainable energy sources. The Bluebell Railway is one of the foremost tourist attractions in our District and plays a vital role in preserving our heritage.

"The Council has provided funding to the Bluebell Railway in advance, so they aren't required to wait for developer funding to come through and are able to progress immediately with their plans to improve the railway. The Council will then retain the financial contributions made by developers until the advance has been repaid."

Geoff Mee, Chairman of Bluebell Railway PLC said:

"We have always prided ourselves on looking after the environment along the line in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We will use this money to improve our environmental credentials by placing solar panels on top of some of our buildings in order to reduce our rapidly increasing business energy costs."

Proposed locations in phase one of the on-street electric vehicle (EV) chargepoint rollout in Mid Sussex have been revealed.

As part of the initial on-street phase of the Mid Sussex Chargepoint Network, a proposal has been made to install new public chargepoints in towns including East Grinstead, Turners Hill, Lindfield, Haywards Heath and Hassocks, supporting the councils' ambitions for a greener future.

A leaflet has been distributed to residents and businesses near the sites , inviting feedback on the proposed locations and giving the opportunity to ask questions or share comments.

This is the first phase in the largest-roll out of electric vehicle chargepoints by a UK council, with subsequent phases taking place over the next decade, making it easier for electric vehicle (EV) users without driveways in Mid Sussex to charge their vehicles.

Mid Sussex District Council along with other local authorities in West Sussex has contracted with Connected Kerb, one of the country's leading providers of EV charging solutions to install and maintain thousands of new chargepoints across the county.

The project is fully funded by Connected Kerb, meaning zero cost to the councils, and will be particularly beneficial to EV users without off-street parking. We will soon be engaging with residents who live near the proposed locations.

To view the proposed locations, please go to Connected Kerb website. Help us map out the network:

Residents and businesses can help plan a network that works for them by sharing their views of where more chargepoints should be located across Mid Sussex.

Whilst it cannot be guaranteed that a chargepoint will be installed in the location suggested, it will help establish where there is demand and plan for future EV charging in the county.

To suggest a location, or to find out more about our plans, please visit the Connected Kerb website.

Some frequently asked questions:

Will there be enough chargepoints for everyone?
There are plans to roll out a charging network in sufficient numbers which will help you make the switch to electric vehicles with confidence. The aim is to have a chargepoint within a few minutes of residents that do not have access to off-street parking.

Who is funding installation and maintenance of the chargepoints?
The contract with Connected Kerb is a 100 per cent concession contract, meaning that Mid Sussex County Council and other partners are not required to contribute any funding towards this project.

What energy will be used to power the chargepoints?
Renewable energy sources primarily from wind, solar and hydro (water) sources will power 100 per cent green electricity supplied by Octopus Energy.

How do I find a chargepoint once they are installed?
You can download the Connected Kerb app via the Appstore or Google Play to locate chargepoints near you. You can also find them on Zap-Map (zap-map.com) by using the network filter.

What parking restrictions will apply to the EV bays?
Only electric vehicles that are charging can use the dedicated EV charging bays. Within a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), CPZ restrictions will also apply during the hours of the CPZ operation, i.e., a permit will need to be displayed in the bays, during the CPZ operation hours.

The Digital Mid Sussex Connected Region has been recognised as one of "the most significant and innovative organisations, solutions, and programmes that are shaping Britain's digital future".

The Connected Britain Awards has shortlisted the multi-million pound project in its Project Rollout Award category as part of the Britain Connected conference held last month in London's Business Design Centre.

Mid Sussex District Council together with Brighton and Hove City Council and West Sussex County Council, led the programme in collaboration with Crawley Borough Council and Horsham District Council.

It involved laying fibre optic cables in underground ducting across the district to bring full-fibre services to the community.

Innovatively, any internet company can have open access which will make it easy and cost-effective for them to deliver services across the area, stimulating competition and leading to a wide choice of excellent value, full-fibre digital options. The programme also adopted a 'Dig Once' policy, which means, wherever possible, the new fibre was installed when there was a need to dig up the road for other reasons minimising inconvenience.

Mid Sussex Council Leader, Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards, said: "One of the top three reasons businesses choose an area is for its connectivity – and we are delighted to have been nominated for this award, which recognises the realisation of our ambition to provide faster digital connectivity and gigabit capable broadband across the Mid Sussex economy.

"Businesses have been able to reduce costs by switching to online services and new avenues of communication have opened up. They are now competing on a level footing with businesses on a national and international level, for there are few other places in the UK which have the same spine network – other than big cities like Liverpool, Greater Manchester and Tyneside."

Work began in 2020 with a fibre loop around Burgess Hill, connecting to WSCC's new fibre "spine" northwards to Crawley and Horsham and also southwards to Brighton via the council's extended spine including some branches into rural areas.

This means the area's business hubs, residents, key places, Brighton and Gatwick and the region's universities are all connected on a regional level and then directly to the global network via sub-sea cables from Brighton.

Cllr Ash-Edwards added: "Of course, Mid Sussex has many other benefits which attract investment and new businesses, including skilled residents, affordable homes, leisure facilities and access to beautiful open space and heritage sites.

"In addition, Burgess Hill, including the Science and Technology Park, is being regenerated by Mid Sussex District Council as a focal neighbourhood for innovation to attract economic growth while enhancing wellbeing and value for residents, businesses and stakeholders.

"Based on the 20-minute neighbourhood theory, this is a long-term approach that, in tandem with the founding of the world-leading science park, will reinvigorate Burgess Hill town centre with a retail mix, highly-skilled jobs, affordable homes, a community and outstanding quality of life.

"Excellence in connectivity is just the beginning."

Click here for more information about Digital Mid Sussex and to register interest in being connected to the network.

 The multi-million pound Northern Arc scheme, developed by Homes England and its development partners will be renamed 'Brookleigh'.

According to the project's Facebook page: "The project is currently shifting from a focus on infrastructure provision and site preparation to welcoming its first residents, and the new name reflects this change".

"Stakeholder engagement has explored four possible themes and connections between Burgess Hill and the new development, focusing on industry, historical connections, placemaking and, environment and landscaping.

"'Leigh' is an old English word meaning 'clearing in the woods', and 'Brook' comes from the small streams such as Copyhold stream and World's End stream that are a feature of the landscape and habitat of the development area."

The 3,500 new homes at Brookleigh in Burgess Hill will be surrounded by 80 hectares of green space. New leisure facilities, primary and secondary schools and employment opportunities will provide the vibrant focal points of day-to-day living.

Working in partnership with West Sussex County Council, MSDC has submitted an expression of interest to the government to create new Investment Zones for two commercial sites in Mid Sussex.

Investment Zones will deliver commercial growth and support local employment opportunities by offering long term tax and other incentives for businesses and employers to locate within them. The sites put forward are the proposed Science and Technology Park and the redevelopment of The Martlets Shopping Centre in Burgess Hill.

Cllr Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Leader of Mid Sussex District Council, said:

"The regeneration of Burgess Hill town centre and the development of the Science and Technology Park are both important projects for economic growth and jobs in Mid Sussex. It is common knowledge that delivery of the town centre regeneration has been badly hit by the pandemic and changes in retail habits, but we are determined to explore all options to help the private sector deliver it.

"We have already bid for the Government's Levelling Up Fund for capital monies to unlock the development of larger retail units, the hotel, public realm improvements and restore commercial confidence in the town centre. Investment Zones would help make both developments even more attractive locations for businesses to locate to and invest in, which is why we are putting them forward to Government.

"Both sites are already significantly advanced in the planning system and so the Investment Zones would be developed in line with the existing planning framework".

In supporting the expressions of interest, Cllr Paul Marshall, Leader of the West Sussex County Council said, "The Science and Technology Park already has the potential to be regionally significant and the creation of an Investment Zone will make it even more attractive to investors. This initiative will ensure that its delivery is fast tracked and demonstrates high standards, including environmental protections. Competition for Investment Zones across the UK is expected to be intense, but we hope to be successful for Mid Sussex."

ShopAppy.com goes live in Burgess Hill, Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint on 15^th July, helping to support and promote local businesses and encourage residents to shop local.

With High Street shops fully reopened after months of uncertainty and lockdown, Burgess Hill and the key villages of Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint are now supported by ShopAppy, ensuring that residents can shop locally online, as well as in person.

Independent shops and businesses across the area can join the local shopping and business website, Shopappy.com. The Shopappy.com portal is an locally-based website that makes it easier for everyone to support the High Street from the comfort of their homes – at no extra cost. You can browse, book, buy and collect from numerous independent shops and businesses in your area with one simple checkout. Most importantly, the digital shop window influences people to visit town, so people can pre-browse to plan their trip.

The founder of ShopAppy.com, Dr Jackie Mulligan, says: "We are very excited to be working across Burgess Hill, Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint on the launch of ShopAppy.com here. It could not be a more critical time for businesses to work together and make it easier for locals to spend closer to home. When we spend local, our spend stays local – so whether you use ShopAppy to browse and go in person or to book something or shop online, you can easily help your area – because where you spend matters for local jobs and local businesses."

Councillor Stephen Hillier, MSDC Cabinet Member for Economic Growth and Net Zero commented "The ShopAppy website is accessible with no download or sign in required - it will really showcase what our businesses in the area can provide. We have seen incredible adaptation by local shops in light of the pandemic, but we need to make it easier for people to support our local businesses because that will really help them to thrive."

Leader of Burgess Hill Town Council, Councillor Robert Eggleston commented, "In an increasingly digital world, ShopAppy.com can provide a local online marketplace to help retailers, service providers, the hospitality sector, traders, and indeed the full range of economic life, to promote their business with bookings, marketing and even click and collect. Increasingly businesses are operating with, what is called, a 'multi-channel offering' and by having a presence on ShopAppy.com they have a way to keep their name in the local public eye which will help to showcase the many very good businesses we have in Burgess Hill."

Mid Sussex District Council is subsidising independent businesses across Mid Sussex to sign up to ShopAppy.com for free until March 2023. Once registered, businesses can quickly populate their own mini site with goods and services at no cost. Help is provided throughout by the ShopAppy team to help those new to technology.

Burgess Hill and its surrounding area is the first to launch, with further launches planned in and around East Grinstead and Haywards Heath later this summer, once a good selection of businesses have signed up. 

Mid Sussex District Council will allocate over £3 million this month to almost 700 local businesses that have not yet received any financial support during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) has been provided by the Government to support businesses that were not eligible for their main Business Grant support schemes.

Many businesses were unable to claim the first wave of Government Covid-19 support grants because they were specifically for businesses in receipt of Small Business Rate Relief and those working in the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure sectors.

The Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund applies to a much wider range of businesses such as offices, factories, warehouses and small businesses in shared workspaces, market traders, charity properties and businesses in the supply chain to the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality sectors that did not qualify for the original government business grants.

Mid Sussex businesses were invited to apply for the Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund grants but so far only 74 businesses have submitted a claim. To ensure that local businesses don't miss out on this crucial support, Mid Sussex District Council will be automatically paying the grants to eligible businesses from 19 September 2022.

The Council will be writing to all eligible businesses in Mid Sussex to inform them about the upcoming Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund award. There is nothing that eligible businesses need to do if they believe they are entitled to this relief, other than to look out for the relief shown on their business rates bill when they receive it.

The Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund support payments are exclusively for businesses that have been affected by the pandemic but have not yet received any Covid-19 relief or discount support for their business rates from the Government.

 The new school on the Brookleigh housing development will be called The Bedelands Academy.

 Plans have been submitted to build a new ultra-low carbon secondary school in Burgess Hill.

Mid Sussex District Council has been catching up with businesses who were supported by our grants over the past few years to hear how they are getting on.

The Covid pandemic and economic stress put unprecedented strain on the local Mid Sussex economy and the businesses operating within it. During that time the Council took every opportunity to support the local economy in a huge variety of ways.

Grant schemes have included MSDC funded Covid-19 Recovery Grants to support businesses to adapt and diversify supporting 42 businesses across the district; Store Improvement Grants, which allocated over £70,000 to support 24 independent retailers to enhance their business premises or make operational improvements; and a further 48 businesses and start-ups were supported with over £70,000 worth of Micro-business grant funding.

Projects to help support residents back to our high streets included Santa's Secret Mission, Pop to the Shops and most recently subsidising independent traders to join ShopAppy.com along with Council funded grant schemes to support businesses to diversify, grow and even start-up.

Over the Summer we have been catching up with some of these businesses to understand a bit more about how the grant funding has helped their businesses. These included visits to local traders such as 7^th Heaven Beauty Salon in East Grinstead where owner Ellie commented that "Mid Sussex, I felt, handled it better than a lot that I heard about, and the support was incredible. At the end of the phone they were really kind and understanding and the information was, I think, brilliant."

MSDC's Covid-19 Recovery Grant funding also helped support the following local businesses to adapt and recover.

The Fresh Fish Shop Ltd in Haywards Heath was awarded a grant towards the cost of e-commerce and marketing activity. Manging Director, Sebastian, commented "During the pandemic we wanted to ensure we could continue to serve the local community from our shop and offer a comprehensive online ordering and home delivery service for those who were self-isolating, shielding, or simply looking for a safer, convenient way of shopping for food. The development of our e-commerce site has introduced a new way of supplying our products to the local community, as well as highlighting the quality, sustainability, and availability of Sussex seafood to consumers nationwide."

Mid Sussex Osteopaths was awarded a grant towards the cost of staff training to offer new services, marketing, and outreach work. Business owner Adam provided the following feedback: "It has helped push a lot of marketing forward which has accelerated our return to a reasonable level of service. It has also helped us reach out to the community more effectively and helped boost our skill set to offer more to the public."

Sally Blomfield, Assistant Director of Planning and Sustainable Economy, commented, "We worked really hard to support our local economy in the past few challenging years, and these positive stories are a testament to this work. We continue to have advice and support available for businesses and our current 2022/23 Micro Business grants scheme is open for applications"

"The current Micro-business grant scheme has already awarded over £18,000 in grants to 13 businesses so far this year. Interested businesses and start-ups are urged to apply while funding lasts".

To find out more and apply for a Micro-business grant please visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/licensing-business/micro-business-grants

The Government's Department of International Trade has pledged to put its weight behind Mid Sussex's planned new Science and Tech park, deemed as essential to the country's future economic growth.

Dr Mike Short, Chief Scientific Advisor, Department of International Trade, speaking at a Westminster launch event for Opportunity Mid Sussex, said that DIT "stands ready to help find investment and to build on adjacent company clusters."

"Westminster knows science parks are the right way for future growth, and we also know some of science tech strengths in UK are really strong," he told delegates.

Delegates at the VIP launch event, which took place in London on 7 September, were shown details of the 49-hectare 'Project Newton' site which will have the potential to deliver up to 4,500 jobs, 1.3million sq. ft of commercial floorspace and 80,000 sq. ft of ancillary support and amenity facilities, with between 40,000-50,000 people within cycling distance and 1,500 within walking distance.

Dr Short said Project Newton was ideally placed to succeed, thanks to its strong university links, a talent pipeline and investment, which will attract new tenant, combined with its location – close to Brighton on the doorstep of London as well as the global gateway of Gatwick. He added that the park would enable the surrounding region to maximise the opportunities presented by its existing clusters of life sciences, medtech, advanced manufacturing, aerospace and creative industries.

"You have great opportunities to bring together the talent, investment and facilities to be a second to none science park."

The Opportunity Mid Sussex launch event in Westminster attracted over 50 VIPs from the private and public sector, including Mid Sussex MP Mims Davies and Arundel and South Downs MP Andrew Griffith.

Cllr Ash-Edwards, Leader, Mid-Sussex Council explained to delegates that the Science Park site was a key part of the authority's wider development plans in the region; "Mid Sussex is seeing one of the most exciting developments in the UK today. With more than £2bn of sites under delivery we are ready to welcome a new generation of business leaders to Mid Sussex as we grow our economy, create new opportunities for business and enterprise and boost infrastructure to ensure prosperity for all."

Suzanne Holloway, Partner, Vail Williams detailed the importance of collaboration as the company had worked alongside Mid-Sussex Council over the last five years to push the development forward, she described it as "one of the biggest developments in the South East" and would help to fill the gap in the area for a science park "bridging the gap between Southampton and Kent". She noted its location next to the Northern Arc development, promoted by Homes England, would also create the opportunity for the site to be employment-led alongside residential.

Joanna Havers, Head of Economic Development, University of Brighton mentioned the park's importance in delivering innovation and economic growth across the region. She explained the work the University of Brighton and University of Sussex have been doing in the sector to create an Innovation Ecosystem and the importance of collaboration, expertise and specialist facilities to continue the drive for economic growth, job creation and attracting high growth industries.

Stephen Hillier, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth and Net Zero, Mid Sussex Council concluded the event with a round-up of the council's development programme which includes the creation of fast resilient broadband across Mid Sussex to help support tech companies, and its continued drive for sustainability with the district set on a pathway to net carbon zero.

Mid Sussex District Council is planning to create an Urban Park at the Martlets Shopping Centre in Burgess Hill to make the area more attractive to visitors. 

Cabinet met on Monday 6 June to consider temporary options that will significantly improve the look and feel of the Martlets Shopping Centre. Members supported the idea of creating Urban Park as a way of providing an attractive and safe space for the local community to enjoy.

 A BLOG BY CHRIS FOUNDS, CJ FOUNDS ASSOCIATES

A multi-million-pound investment has put Mid Sussex at the pioneering edge of delivering ground-breaking high quality digital infrastructure to enable a potential innovation hub in the south of England, that will rival the offer from the very best cities of the north.

Part of the investment is a fibre spine with gigabit capability which will connect the region's business hubs, including the Science and Technology Park at Burgess Hill, as well as residents and key places, to the commercial hubs of London, Brighton and Gatwick, the region's universities and then directly to the global network via sub-sea cables from Brighton.

Chris Founds of CJ Founds Associates has led on the delivery and implementation of the Local Full Fibre Network Programme which has involved providing Gigabit capable connections for more than 5,000 premises, working closely with Homes England , on the Northern Arc Development and building over 80km of new fibre infrastructure spine between Brighton and Gatwick Airport, along the "Route23" corridor.

"Historically, the towns of Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath were the connected hubs between Brighton and London thanks to their mainline stations and that is what grew the towns into economic successes.

What we are doing now is adding gigabit capable connectivity through full fibre to that infrastructure to bring that connectivity right up to date, putting Mid Sussex as the connected hub at the heart of the south's innovation clusters, enabling the creation of industry eco-systems.

One of the top three reasons businesses choose an area for is connectivity – that's why we put the focus here. The fibre spine is a new way of achieving that same goal which created the towns' original economic successes and supported both corporate and neighbourhood aspirations.

From a technical perspective, it will mean Mid Sussex can compete as a place to build supply chains and digital and creative industry eco-systems with major cities, as there are few other places that have the same spine network – I can think of Liverpool, Greater Manchester, Tyneside and others, but they are usually connecting greater city areas - few will have that direct connection both to London and the world via sub-sea cables.

But we must remember that it is not connectivity alone which creates a economically viable, successful place. While it is in the top three reasons businesses choose areas, they also choose them for a host of other benefits – they look for places with talent to recruit, affordable homes for their staff, leisure facilities and access to open space for well-being, attractiveness, etc. We need a place that caters for all.

Mid Sussex has all of those, supported by a passionate and determined local authority in Mid Sussex District Council that is focused on making it all work, getting funding to kick start regeneration and govern interventions.

And this is all being put into practice in Burgess Hill, where we can put together a package of measures to enable the district to be innovative and bring in economic growth, wellbeing and value for residents, businesses and stakeholders.

Based on the 20-minute neighbourhood theory, this is a long-term approach that, supported by the opportunity to create a world-leading science park, will bring about a reinvigorated town centre offering a retail mix, high-skilled jobs, affordable homes and most importantly, a community.

Acting as a gateway to the wider county, the district will facilitate wellbeing and be an interesting and exciting place to live and work.

Fibre connectivity is a USP we have here in Mid Sussex, and along with the other benefits outlined above, that we can offer to businesses and residents alike, there is a real appeal to locate right here and benefit from all the advantages of great connectivity mixed with a fantastic quality of life."

The Northern Arc, which is due to deliver 3,500 homes alongside infrastructure, schools, employment sites and new neighbourhood centres, is already generating significant opportunities in the region as a significant part of the Burgess Hill Growth Programme.

Providing an update on their flagship development at the Northern Arc, Graham Hyslop, Projects Director – South, Homes England, said the project is attracting investment to the area throughout the build process, helping to promote local employment and boost local businesses.

He told delegates that the first phase developed by Countryside Properties was progressing fast with residents due to move in shortly, while Bellway Homes is expected to start work on phase 2 in the autumn.

He added: "The scheme is delivering a substantial amount of on-site employment through construction opportunities, and we will be building for another 10-12 years, including the construction of highways, utilities, residential developments and employment sites. Our developer partners will be investing in staff through training and apprenticeship programmes, and we anticipate the creation of around 200 jobs per year"

"In the long-term, the scheme will contribute to employment through community uses – there are three schools on the site with their associated industries as well as local neighbourhood centres that will provide shops and retail employment opportunities. In addition, we currently have site 1e out to market which is 9.9 acres scheduled for 24,000 sq. m of employment development."

Delegates also heard that some of the phases had been created to appeal to both large and smaller developers, including a small site currently on the market with planning for 34 homes. Graham asked that any developers, consultants, small developers, and SMEs interested in the Northern Arc to make sure they had become members of the relevant Homes England panels so they could bid.

He concluded by saying that the real success of the Northern Arc would be happy residents, and that would be down to the partners creating a place where people want to live and work.

"I look forward to the day when residents can live at the Northern Arc and can cycle or walk to the Science and Technology Park – it would be a wonderful way to combine the two schemes."