East Grinstead: Central Sussex College could become housing

The plans to convert the Queensmere House building in East Grinstead, formerly home to Central Sussex College, have been recommended for approval by Mid Sussex District Council planning officers.

The college, located on Queen's Road, closed in 2016, and has since remained vacant.

The plans would see the building converted into 24 apartments with 32 bedrooms.

Parking and cycling provisions, landscaping, and private gardens for five of the lower-ground flats will also be added.

Only 15 parking spaces have been included under the new plans, although the building will include storage for 24 cycle spaces.

East Grinstead Town Council have proposed that West Sussex County Council consider the implementation of parking restrictions on Queens Road to cope with existing excessive parking near the site and an expected increase in traffic volumes.

The proposal makes use of a brownfield site, which the government is prioritising for housebuilding to help it hit its housing targets.

The college closed two campuses in 2016 and stopped teaching A-level courses after it found itself in millions of pounds of debt.

It took out mortgages worth £30 million between 2008 and 2011, accumulating £25 million of debt.

The college borrowed money from the government in 2013, but was forced to close its East Grinstead and Haywards Heath campuses three years later, with technical courses moved to its Crawley campus.

The building was sold for residential development by property consultancy firm Vail Williams in 2022.

The plans will come before the council's planning committee on January 15.