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Sigma Homes has secured a 1.9Ha (4.7acres) brownfield site in the West Sussex village of Barns Green. The Horsham-based housebuilder will commence construction work later this summer on a £16m scheme of 32 highly energy-efficient homes.
Located off Chapel Road, the site – to be known as Sumners Fields – is situated in Barns Green’s largely rural community, surrounded by expanses of countryside. Horsham District Council resolved to grant detailed planning permission for the scheme in December 2022, subject to the completion of a s106 legal agreement. Designed by Worthing-based ECE Architecture, the 32 homes will include one-, two-, three- and four- bedroom apartments and houses. 12 of these properties are allocated for affordable housing, providing an above policy 37.5% allocation.
Hunter Developments Holdings Ltd and The Smith Family worked in close cooperation with Sigma Homes in developing the design proposal for the site. The site is currently used for car parking and houses several farm buildings, as well as several dilapidated light industrial units.
Geoff Potton, Chief Executive of Sigma Homes, said: “We are delighted to have secured another prime site in such a beautiful – and highly sought-after – part of West Sussex. So many development proposals are currently held up by planning and pre-construction delays caused by Natural England’s current advice on water neutrality, but this will be one of the first schemes to be delivered within Horsham District which will deliver a water neutrality solution. The plans sensitively respond to the site characteristics and will result in a high quality, sustainable addition to Barns Green.
“This mix of open market and affordable homes – suitable for first time buyers, families, and downsizers – are much-needed to meet local housing demand. As with all our developments, this scheme will be constructed utilising timber-frame technology and a range of other ‘green’ features including grey water recycling to enable residents to significantly reduce their carbon footprint and energy bills.
“2023 is a major milestone for Sigma Homes, as it marks our tenth year in business. With three other highly sustainable developments currently under construction across West Sussex, we understand what our customers are looking for and the enviable lifestyle this county offers. The build and quality of our homes has been attracting discerning buyers for a decade, and we are immensely proud of the reputation we have accrued.”
The village of Barns Green is a highly sought after location and benefits from a range of local amenities, including a village shop, post office, primary school, sports club, and village hall. Regular public transport is available to nearby villages and towns, including Horsham. The site is a five-minute drive (2.2 miles) from Christs Hospital train station, which has services running to London Victoria in under 70 minutes. There is also a frequent 32-minute train service to Gatwick Airport. If future residents wish to have a day out or travel to the coast, there are also services running to the historic market town of Arundel (20 minutes) and the popular seaside resort of Bognor Regis (41 minutes).
The character of Barns Green is predominantly of a traditional style and material palette. Existing nearby properties include a combination of red brick and white painted window frames, timber-cladded rural homes with dark window frames, and more contemporary post-war dwellings. Due to the range of styles present within the village, Sigma Homes’ new development will follow a conventional yet modern style.
New landscaping, public open space, and ecological enhancements will be provided, and most of the existing trees and hedgerows will be retained and enhanced. There will be sufficient parking available for each new home, as well as cycle storage. Electric Vehicle charging points will be provided to all houses with a garage and driveway, with further charging points allocated to the apartments.
Sigma Homes specialise in using the sustainable construction method of timber framing. The SME housebuilder has a 10-year track record and is on track to deliver 200 homes per annum by 2026. It has recently become one of the first SME house builders to be accepted onto the New Homes Quality Board, providing customers with further peace of mind during the buying process, through the backing of this stringent new Code.
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