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Search the Public Notice PortalMid Sussex District Council is preparing to rubber-stamp the future of Haywards Heath’s Clair Hall.
During a meeting of the cabinet on Monday October 12, councillors will decide whether to appoint a developer for the £23m redevelopment of the former civic hall and theatre.
The venue has been under scrutiny since the council decided to close it in 2020. It is not in the best condition, with consultants stating that it would take £2.2m over the next five years just to bring it up to scratch.
But, following a tendering process, a preferred bidder – who is yet to be named – has been selected for a potential whole-site redevelopment which includes:
- A cinema-led cultural venue with a 133-seat main auditorium, including a cinema screen and stage, three smaller auditoriums, community and event space, a green room, and a café and restaurant
- 39 low-rise homes
- 45 parking spaces
- Public space and landscaping
- A green link between Perrymount Road and Clair Park
- Employment, training, environmental and community commitments which the bidder estimates would generate more than £1.1 million in social value, including 19 construction jobs, nine apprenticeships, 20 work placements and the planting of 200 native trees.
Even if the cabinet does approve the use of the bidder, the development process would still require planning permission. Throughout that process, the details of the development could change.
Cabinet members will also be asked to approve the use of up to £1.5m from the Place Regeneration Reserve to put towards the cost of the proposed £4.9m cultural venue.
Under the proposal, the council would retain ownership of the completed cultural venue, which would remain a public asset.
Clair Hall is part of the Station Quarter and its regeneration is a central part of the Haywards Heath Town Centre Masterplan, which was adopted in 2021, with the aim of creating a more attractive, connected and vibrant area.
If all goes as planned, a planning application is expected to be submitted by the summer of 2027, with a decision made by the autumn.
If permission is approved, demolition work will start on the site early in 2028, with development work starting in the spring. The work should be finished by autumn 2029.
If the cabinet decides not to approve the bidder, other options would have to be explored.
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