Brookleigh, Burgess Hill: from stalled site to sustainable community

For years, land to the north of Burgess Hill (formerly known as the Northern Arc) was identified as a key opportunity to deliver a new mixed-use community of 3,500 homes for the Southeast of England. But like many large and complex sites, progress had stalled. Fragmented ownership and the challenge of coordinating and funding strategic infrastructure meant that development could not move forward.

In 2018, Homes England acquired the 165-hectare site to unlock its potential. Working with a multi-disciplinary team led by AECOM, the ambition shifted – from simply delivering housing numbers to creating a masterplan for a well-connected, sustainable community. Through infrastructure-led masterplanning and a strong focus on placemaking, Brookleigh is now being transformed into a sustainable new community designed for the long term.

Unlocking delivery through partnerships and infrastructure-first thinking 

A key challenge was not just what to deliver, but how to deliver it at pace. Homes England set an ambitious and demanding programme, requiring a site-wide masterplan and infrastructure delivery plan to be agreed within three months, followed by submission of an outline planning application within six months.

This was achieved through a collaborative, integrated approach underpinned by AECOM’s structured masterplanning methodology. Building on earlier phases of stakeholder and community engagement, the team was able to move quickly – drawing on established evidence and shared priorities rather than starting from first principles.

We coordinated planning, engineering, environmental and design, cost and stakeholder engagement inputs – working closely with Homes England, Mid Sussex District Council and West Sussex County Council to align stakeholders and resolve issues early. A series of focused workshops created clear decision gateways, enabling rapid agreement on the vision, spatial framework and infrastructure strategy.

This approach not only accelerated plan-making but also unlocked early delivery. Approval of the site-wide masterplan, Infrastructure Delivery Plan and Phasing Strategy enabled an initial phase of development to come forward, including 460 homes and critical access infrastructure. In parallel, integrated technical workstreams allowed the outline planning application to be prepared efficiently, minimising iteration and ensuring submission within the six-month timeframe.

By placing infrastructure at the heart of the process and aligning stakeholders from the outset, the project moved quickly from strategy to implementation. Outline planning approval, including a completed Section 106 agreement, was secured in around 16 months – significantly faster than typical timescales of 5-10 years – and enabled progression directly into construction.

The masterplan: designing a place, not just a development

Placemaking was central to the approach from the outset.

The landscape-led masterplan – comprising 3,500 homes – is structured around three neighbourhood centres, supported by schools, employment space and community facilities. A network of walking, cycling and public transport routes connects the development to Burgess Hill, helping to overcome existing physical barriers and reduce reliance on cars.

AECOM’s integrated approach ensured that transport, green infrastructure, water management and drainage, ecology and urban design were developed together. This has created a connected framework where homes, services and open spaces are accessible and mutually reinforcing.

Green infrastructure plays a central role, with parklands, natural greenspaces and recreational routes supporting biodiversity, climate resilience, and wellbeing. Around 44 per cent of Brookleigh will remain as open space, complemented by a minimum 10 per cent Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirement, with early assessments indicating this could rise to 22–23 per cent BNG as the masterplan evolves. Together, these features contribute to a distinctive sense of place – ensuring the development is not just functional, but attractive and liveable.

Placemaking: from consent to implementation

The approved masterplan established a clear vision, setting the framework for how Brookleigh would function, look and evolve over time. That vision was embedded across the development through a site‑wide Design Guide and Street Design and Adoption Manual, which define the principles that apply to every phase of delivery, from street design and landscape character to the long‑term stewardship of street trees.

Crucially, this approach has enabled the project to maintain its central focus on placemaking while delivering at pace. The design guide and governance processes ensure that as development progresses, it does so as a cohesive, well-designed community rather than a series of separate parcels. 

AECOM was originally appointed through Homes England’s Multidisciplinary Panel (currently Lot 1 of the Homes England 2023-2027 DARTS Framework). Following outline planning approval, we were reappointed by Homes England as lead consultant for the delivery phase, ensuring further continuity from vision through to implementation. 

A model for future communities

Brookleigh demonstrates how a different approach to masterplanning can deliver better outcomes. By integrating infrastructure delivery, placemaking and design from the outset, the project avoids the fragmentation and delays that have affected similar large-scale developments in the past.

AECOM’s role in shaping both the masterplan and delivery framework has helped ensure that early decisions support long-term success – reducing risk, improving coordination and enabling efficient, phased delivery.

Progress on site reflects this momentum. Key infrastructure has been delivered, including the opening of the first sections of the Northern Arc Avenue, improving connectivity and enabling further phases to come forward.

Community assets are also taking shape. The Arc, a community sports centre opened in October 2025 as a district-wide facility and the Eastern and Western Neighbourhood Centres are at detailed design stage. The first primary school is in the final stages of the planning process while designs for the secondary school have been developed to enable the potential for early delivery, which could come forward subject to a wider assessment of demand led by West Sussex County Council.

At the same time, housing delivery continues to progress across multiple phases, supported by ongoing infrastructure and landscape works.

Together, these milestones demonstrate how a public sector master developer approach with investment in a front-loaded masterplan and Infrastructure Delivery Plan can translate into visible, on-the-ground progress.

Brookleigh offers a clear blueprint for the future: one where public–private partnership, infrastructure-led thinking and design for placemaking come together to create communities that are connected, resilient and built to endure.