Kent, Surrey & Sussex Delivering Sustainable Economic Growth in Mid Sussex


Ambitious and forward-thinking, Mid Sussex District Council is ensuring


the delivery of sustainable economic development.


Balancing the need for new high-quality homes, modern employment floorspace and the digital infrastructure to support high growth industries and attract inward investment.


Opportunity Mid Sussex, the Council’s inward investment platform, provides a warm welcome to Mid Sussex for investors and businesses seeking to attract further growth and investment into the area, showcasing the district’s economic potential alongside its rich culture, heritage and natural capital.


Located in the stunning landscape of the South Downs National Park and the High Weald area of outstanding natural beauty just to the south of London Gatwick, Mid Sussex boasts a high-quality natural environment. Nestled in quintessentially English countryside, our towns and villages bustle with activity and brim with history. With 10 registered parks and gardens, 1,000 historic buildings and a host of visitor attractions from its own steam railway to haute cuisine and internationally renowned vineyards. Consistently achieving above average levels of educational attainment, affluence and quality of life – Mid Sussex really is a great place to live and work.


Mid Sussex has a strong economy with clusters in manufacturing, scientific research and development and financial services along with emerging clusters in the creative and digital industries.


Mid Sussex is delivering one of the most ambitious, complex, and pioneering inward investment projects currently taking place in the Southeast. The Burgess Hill Growth Programme is well underway which will see the town grow from a population of 30,000 to more than 45,000 in a decade. Key to the programme’s success has been the local authority’s ‘open door’ policy fostering a culture of collaboration around a clear vision to create a vibrant district that is attractive, resilient and innovative, and which balances social well-being, environmental protection and sustainable economic growth.


With over 70ha of allocated employment space in the pipeline including a 50ha Science and Technology Park, Mid Sussex has an excellent supply of high-quality and modern, industrial and office space to meet the needs and demands of the district and wider area, ensuring Mid Sussex continues to attract innovative businesses and high-quality jobs.


This follows the successful delivery of a £24m town centre regeneration scheme in East Grinstead and £35m investment into the upgrading of Haywards Heath railway station in the heart of the town.


Mid Sussex is ideally located on the doorstep of the international gateway Gatwick Airport with easy road and rail access into the Capital and down to the seaside createch hub of Brighton. With travel times of just over 10 minutes to Gatwick; less than an hour to London by train and with easy access to the M23. Its resilient, strong and growing economy has made it the home of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs. And with a rich heritage, outstanding landscape and a strong cultural and leisure offer, Mid Sussex is a truly great place to live, work and invest.


The Council looks forward


to hearing from you. We will be happy to provide detailed information and arrange site tours for interested investors info@opportunitymidsussex.co.uk


Surrey Market Comment from Curchod & Co.


Surrey’s strategic location, excellent transportation links, and proximity to London have made it an attractive location for business and the county’s commercial property market has benefited greatly from its robust economy. With a network of four offices across the county, commercial property specialist Curchod & Co has the largest number of “boots on the ground” in Surrey, in terms of frontline agents and surveyors and is well-placed to see and report on trends in the sector.


“The pandemic has had a major impact on the way in which society uses and interacts with commercial properties,” says Piers Leigh, a partner at the firm’s Woking office.


“The retail market has been impacted by the shift towards online retailing and has accelerated the need for retailers and leisure operators to adapt their offers, and the way they operate, to encourage members of the public to visit shopping centres and the High Street,” he adds.


One subsector of the retail market which has benefited from the changes of the past three years has been convenience retail, with shoppers appearing to rediscover local shops. According to Curchod & Co, this is an ongoing trend that is partially been a result of the working patterns witnessed by the office sector.


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“The widespread adoption of hybrid working, with office staff working remotely or at home for the whole or part of the working week, has seen a shift of shopping patterns from town and city centres to the suburbs and local shopping destinations,” says Piers.


“The rise of hybrid working is also impacting the office market and there is a distinct ‘flight to quality’ within the sector, with forward- thinking businesses looking for adaptable and modern office properties that can be adapted to provide different working environments that will reflect how staff want to work.


“Demand for top-quality properties remains strong across the county but is far lower for secondary and older office properties that are less adaptable or not so accessible,” he adds.


The strongest area of the commercial property market in Surrey is in the warehousing and industrial sector.


“The county’s strategic location and


connectivity have always attracted businesses involved in logistics and this was boosted by the rise of e-commerce and the increasing demand for efficient supply chains due to the pandemic. However a shortage of good quality properties is putting upward pressure on rents,” concludes Piers.


Toni Chalk of Strive AV wins ‘Business Person of the Year’ at the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards


Toni Chalk, Managing Director at Sussex-based integration company Strive


AV, was declared


‘Business Person of the Year’ at the recent Gatwick Diamond Business Awards which took place at The Grand Hotel, Brighton.


Now in its 15th year, the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards is a well-established highlight of the business calendar across Sussex and Surrey, strongly supported by the Gatwick Diamond business community with Headline Sponsors Elekta Ltd and Gatwick Airport Ltd.


“This award really means a lot to me. Since rebranding in 2021, relocating to bigger and more functional premises, not to mention the challenges that the pandemic provided, we’ve really had to work hard as a team to continue to deliver for our client and to attract new business.” Said Toni, “The team has been amazing, and it has been such a privilege to lead them through all these developments. Together, we’ve worked hard to get the Strive AV name out there and continue to meet our business goals. The last few years have been an incredible, yet challenging, journey for me, so getting recognition at a local level for all the hard work feels amazing!”


Moving the company’s headquarters into the Gatwick Diamond area has opened opportunities for Strive AV in what is an ideally located business hub, not only from a client perspective, but also from an employment point of view. The company is looking to expand and has a powerful vision for the future.


COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MONTHLY 2023


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