Linden House Site, Southdowns Park, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16

Linden House is a vacant 3 storey building, originally built as accommodation for nurses working within the adjacent former psychiatric hospital (now converted into houses and apartments). It has been vacant for many years after closing in the 1990s. The site is rectangular with a northwest to southeast axis. The design of the proposed new building follows the orientation of the existing building fronting Bennetts Rise (facing west) with private gardens on all sides and car parking at the front. The proposed ridge height is approximately 12.2m.

The site area is approximately 0.367 acres /16,000sqft.

LOCATION
Located in Mid Sussex, Haywards Heath is an affluent town 15 miles north of Brighton and 14 miles to the southeast of Crawley and Gatwick Airport. Central London is approximately 40 miles to the north and the A23 is within 5 miles to the west accessed via the A272. Haywards Heath mainline railway station offers frequent direct rail services to London terminals and south coast towns. The site is close to the principal shopping thoroughfare (South Road) is adjacent to the Princess Royal Hospital and is accessed just off the A272 via Colwell Road.

Southdowns Park comprises an imposing Grade II listed building originally built as a hospital in 1854 and converted into apartments with associated new build houses over the last 20 years. The Linden House site is the last undeveloped plot within the catchment area. Immediately to the east of the site is The Chapel of St Francis Church which is currently used as a childrens day nursery (also Grade II listed).