Future of Clair Hall in Haywards Heath decided

The future of a former civic hall and theatre in Haywards Heath has been rubber-stamped after Mid Sussex District Council chose a developer for the multi-million pound redevelopment.

Following approval from the cabinet on Monday (October 12), £1.5m will be taken from reserves to put towards the cost of a £4.9m cultural venue proposed for part of the Clair Hall site, in Perrymount Road.

The rest of the site will include 39 homes, 45 parking spaces, and a green link between Perrymount Road and Clair Park.

Changes for the venue have been on the cards since 2007 when the Haywards Heath Masterplan said it was ‘reaching the end of its economic life’. It was closed by the council in 2020 – and consultants have stated that it would take £2.2m over the next five years just to bring it up to scratch.

Council leader Robert Eggleston said: “The need for the £1.5m provision is reflective of market conditions. However, I’m comforted by the fact that this provision helps to unlock a redevelopment which has a Gross Value Added £23m and effectively completes the masterplan for this area of Haywards Heath.

“The structure also leaves the council with the freehold ownership of the cultural facility and an ongoing rental income stream.”

The name of the developer is expected to be realised within the next few weeks once commercial sensitive issues are addressed.

If planning permission is received, the cultural venue will include a 133-seat main auditorium complete with cinema screen and stage. There will be three smaller auditoriums, community and event space, a green room, and a café and restaurant.

Throughout the planning process, the details of the development could change.

As well as providing a new cultural venue, the redevelopment is expected to generate more than £1.1m in social value – including 19 construction jobs, nine apprenticeships, 20 work placements and the planting of 200 native trees.

Under the proposal, the council will retain ownership of the completed cultural venue, which would remain a public asset. It will be operated by Digital Picture House.

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.

The council did consider a proposal and community bid from a community organisation to take over the running of Clair Hall, but Mr Eggleston said they were ‘found wanting’.

Addressing the 56 objections received by the council, Chris Hobbs, cabinet member for leisure & customer services, said: “I’m comfortable that the concerns raised have been addressed through the proposals presented by [the developer] and the project overall, and that once the full picture is brought together of the offer from Digital Picture House, the construction proposal from [the developer] and, of course, the full planning application, residents will be pleased with the final piece in the redevelopment jigsaw in Perrymount Road.”

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