Purpose

Homes England has secured
outline planning permission for a new 3500 home development on land
known as Brookleigh, Burgess
Hill.  As part of the plan, a site for a
new secondary school, known as Bedelands Academy, has been provided to ensure
sufficient secondary school places to serve the development. A
financial contribution of £18.159m has been secured through
Section 106 agreements to contribute towards the construction costs
of the new school.  An academy sponsor
for the new school has been confirmed.
 
Secondary school places in the
Burgess Hill area are already under pressure, with local secondary
schools having agreed to take additional pupils through bulge
classes.
 
The need for additional pupil
places is predicted to grow year on year and an additional 120
places are required from September 2026 onwards, with additional
places being required every year thereafter for the foreseeable
future.
 
Following design development
and delays in progressing the project an uplift to the approved
budget is now required to progress the delivery of the scheme. The
proposed date for completion is for the school to open in September
2027.

Decision

The Cabinet Member for Children and Young
People, Learning and Skills has approved:
 

(1)That an additional
£16.94m is identified for the delivery of the new Secondary
School at Brookleigh, Burgess Hill.
 

(2)That the procurement
process for the appointment of a construction partner proceed with
a view to a decision on letting the contract in August 2024