THE arrival of Ikea to Sussex along with 600 homes has moved a step further forward after Albion agreed a deal with a major housebuilder.

The club’s subsidiary New Monks Farm Development has agreed a deal with CALA Homes (South Home Counties) for the development of 600 new homes on New Monks Farm in Lancing.

The deal commits to 30 per cent of those homes being affordable.

The submission of a planning application for the site will be the next stage for the £170 million scheme which could finally bring the Swedish retailer to Sussex by 2019.

The scheme will deliver around a sixth of all homes required under the Adur Local Plan up to 2032.

Talks have been ongoing with CALA, which describes itself as the “most upmarket major housebuilder”, for several months.

The firm currently has five Sussex sites including Cresswell Park in Angmering, where homes are fetching between £340,00 and £515,000, and Shopwyke Lakes in Chichester, where homes cost from £299,500 to £635,000.

The company has also recently completed schemes in Crawley Down, Wivelsfield Green and Midhurst, where homes start from £975,000.

The development is set to create more than 1,000 jobs, contribute £11 million to the local economy and bring £40 million of transport improvements including the removal of the Sussex Pad traffic lights.

The 35,000sqm IKEA will include a restaurant, crèche and children’s play area creating 430 full and part-time jobs in customer relations, sales, interior design and food services.

A 28 hectare country park is planned to maintain a green gap between Lancing and Shoreham while Albion will form a management company to deal with flood risk issues on the site.

Martin Perry, director of New Monks Farm Development, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with CALA Homes to deliver new homes on this site.

“New Monks Farm is of strategic importance to Adur District Council because it contains the largest allocation of new homes in their emerging Local Plan.

“We have been impressed by the quality of housing that CALA intend to provide and their development will provide greatly needed high quality new homes in the Lancing area.”

Daniel Webber, land director for CALA Homes, added, “This is a project we have been working on, with New Monks Farm Development Ltd, for quite some time, so we are delighted to have now finalised our partnership.

“The development in Lancing, together with the new country park, will be a fantastic new place to live, bring widespread community benefits, and deliver much needed homes into the area.

“We are very much looking forward to progressing the planning application with New Monks Farm and making a start on site as soon as possible.”

Adur leader Cllr Neil Parkin said:” I am very pleased this contract has been signed as it will provide much-needed new homes in the area.

“I am also very pleased that CALA Homes has been chosen as the company has a strong reputation for building quality homes.

“I now look forward to seeing robust schemes for flood management and prevention and transport infrastructure to accompany the build.”