Planning Application Submitted For New Burgess Hill Entertainment & Events Centre
20th August 2019 | By Peter Chapman
Burgess Hil Town Council have submitted a planning application to Mid Sussex District Council as they seek to gain approval for the Beehive Community Entertainment & Events Centre.
It's been a long road to get to this stage for the project following the public's rejection of having to pay millions of pounds out of their own pocket after Mid Sussex District Council gave away the Martlets Hall to NewRiver Retail four years ago.
The same councillors who waved away the Martlets Hall without a fight, faced a huge public backlash - which forced them to set up a steering group to look at ways of getting a replacement building. (Note: All but 1 of these councillors lost their seats in May 2019!)
The first proposed plan was for a new venue on the footprint of both the Royal British Legion and Cyprus Hall - both owned by the town council on Cyprus Road.
The steering group had to revise their plans however, after the public voted against a council tax hike to fund the building - sentiment being that Mid Sussex District Council and NewRiver Retail should have been making a significant contribution to the Martlets Hall replacement.
The application submitted to MSDC is for the Beehive to be situated solely on the footprint of the Royal British Legion building. The cost will be funded out of the council's reserves along with money from the increased precept received by the town council as the number of houses in Burgess Hill is set to grow exponentially over the next 10 years.
The Proposal
The proposed new live performance venue will contain a 237- seat theatre space, a dance/rehearsal studio, a large meeting room, a café/bar, foyer spaces and multi-functional backstage accommodation.
Planning approval will not see
the bulldozers moving straight onto site however. The project still needs to raise £2 million from the private sector, for which the council have brought in a professional fundraiser.
View The Plans
If you wish to see the plans in detail, look up application number DM/19/3148 on the Mid Sussex District Council Planning Portal here
A decision is expected by the end of October
| Spread the word! The planning application for the Beehive has been submitted.
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What do you think of the tumbling value of NewRiver Retail shares? Should the town fear for the prospect of redevelopment taking place in the next 12 months?
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