FAQs

Funding for this multi-million-pound project is being provided by developer contributions which are payable to ensure essential infrastructure improvements are delivered alongside the new homes the developers are constructing at Brookleigh and across Burgess Hill.

The Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992 enables local planning authorities to determine their own development proposals on land in which they have an interest. This therefore will allow Mid Sussex District Council Planning Authority to decide its future application for the Centre for Outdoor Sport.

As part of the stakeholder consultation, meetings were held with Burgess Hill Runners, Haywards Heath Harriers, and the National Governing Body for Athletics, England Athletics, who presented their analysis of local needs and set out the wider strategic issues regarding a running track.  

It is not possible to get a hard running track onto the CfOS site without significant negative impact on the agreed facilities. England Athletics (EA) have also confirmed they would not support a new 400m track in the area. 

They advise that the ideal drivetime catchment for 400m tracks is 20 - 30 minutes, and therefore consider that Burgess Hill is adequately provided for, with K2 to the north and Withdean to the south within a 20-minute drive time; and Lewes Leisure Centre to the east, and The Bridge Leisure Centre (Horsham) to the northwest within 30 minutes. EA are concerned that a new track at Burgess Hill would diminish the viability of these other local facilities. 

Following this consultation and an assessment of the scale of athletics facility which could be incorporated on the CfOS site, it was concluded, in liaison with EA and the local club representatives, that a 60m running straight (with start and run-off areas) could be provided on site, and that the new stretch of the Green Circle that passes through the site could be designed as an ‘Active Track’ (a measured loop, with low level lighting for off-road running and cycling), giving access to a range of safe, off-road running routes through the surrounding countryside. 

The Council is really pleased with how popular and well used the existing covered padel court has become since its installation in 2019, and it’s great to receive so much positive feedback from existing users. 

We, and our partners at Places Leisure fully recognise that the demand for court time is significant and growing, and we are actively looking at options to address this through the provision of an additional court. This is not going to happen immediately, as it will be necessary to consider a range of options, secure agreement to proceed, and identify funding sources before taking anything forward. However it is very much on the agenda as part of our wider considerations around the future of the centre.