Horsham-headquartered Sigma Homes has begun work on a £10m development of 20 eco-focused homes on the edge of Haywards Heath in West Sussex.
The 3.1-acre site on land at Rogers Farm, Fox Hill, will see the creation of 19 houses and one apartment. Sigma Homes’ site is to the south of Haywards Heath, a town which has seen its status as a desirable commuter base soar in recent years. It is less than 50 minutes from London by train, while Brighton is just a 15-minute train journey away.
Named Spring Bank, the development, which will include a 30% affordable housing allocation, will be made up of 13 three-bedroom houses, three four-bedroom houses, three two-bedroom houses, and a one-bedroom apartment. The first homes will become available for occupation during 2023.
Geoff Potton, Chief Executive at Sigma Homes, said: “We have worked for two years on the planning and meticulous pre-construction preparation for this scheme and we are thrilled to now be on site, breaking ground. Spring Bank enjoys an exceptional location, supported by Haywards Heath’s wide range of amenities, which are fully accessible by active and sustainable forms of travel.
“Set within a beautiful landscape, our development will maintain and enhance the natural environment. Our plans will provide a mature landscape setting from day one and maintain the area’s historic field patterns and wooded character. This landscape–led design approach will ensure a sensitive transition can be successfully established between the settlement edge and wider rural setting to the south.”
Approval for Sigma Homes‘ Spring Bank scheme was granted by Mid Sussex District Council in September 2022, having been allocated for residential development in the Council’s Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD), as part of the Mid Sussex Local Plan. The Council adopted the DPD in June 2022, which identifies sufficient housing sites to provide a housing land supply for the area until 2031.
Access to the development site will be from Lunce’s Hill, with many mature trees retained and enhanced. The whole of the site is bound by mature hedgerows and trees, which provides natural screening for the new homes. The site’s northern boundary will be reinforced through the planting of new mixed species native hedgerow, hedgerow trees, and substantial native shrub planting, to create a natural buffer with an adjoining existing development. Additionally, large existing trees around the site boundary will create a buffer to the countryside – to the south and south west.
Sigma Homes’ detached and semi-detached new homes will feature luxury internal accommodation designed across two floors, with each dwelling benefiting from private gardens and parking. All homes will be installed with eco-friendly air source heat pumps, electric car charging points and high levels of insulation, to achieve an EPC-A or high B rating.
The development has been designed to provide safe and convenient routes for walking and cycling to integrate with existing networks that offer opportunities for sustainable travel choices. This seeks to ensure residents can access a range of amenities on foot, by bicycle and public transport. Within the site, the layout will be designed to encourage low vehicle speeds and to prioritise the needs of pedestrians and cyclists.
Sigma Homes is also ensuring the landscaping of the new residential site is in tune with ecological considerations. Woodland, hedgerows, and areas of dense scrub will be maintained and enhanced to provide habitats suitable for a range of protected species, including breeding birds, bats, hazel dormice, and reptiles.
The Spring Bank scheme is located on the B2112, which is the main route into the town centre, served by regular bus services, and just over two miles from Haywards Heath railway station. While the lifestyle benefits of the West Sussex countryside are on the doorstep, the town is only 30 miles south of London and offers easy access to the M23 and M25. Locally, there is a host of town centre amenities including shops, restaurants, pubs, green spaces, and public footpaths. As well as its vibrant retail and leisure offering, the town is close to attractions such as Sheffield Park, the National Trust’s Nymans Gardens and House, and Borde Hill Garden.
Sigma Homes specialises in using the sustainable construction method of timber framing. The SME housebuilder has a 10-year track record in delivering thoughtfully designed residences which fuse local architectural vernacular with contemporary design and eco specification features. The company currently has five live developments in premium locations across the south of England and is on track to deliver 200 homes per annum by 2025.
For more information on the homes being built at Spring Bank and to register interest, visit: https://sigmahomesgroup.co.uk/new-homes/rogers-farm
