Growth Deals

Delivering Sustainable Growth Across West Sussex

Growth Deals bring together West Sussex County Council, district and borough councils, businesses, public sector organisations and investors to deliver projects that improve places, create jobs, support new homes and strengthen communities across West Sussex.

Working through a shared five-year programme, partners identify and deliver the infrastructure, regeneration and investment needed to support sustainable economic growth. By working collaboratively, Growth Deal partners can coordinate investment, accelerate delivery and maximise the benefits for residents, businesses and visitors.

The Growth Deals have been refreshed in 2026 to ensure they continue to reflect local priorities, support Local Plans and align with key economic strategies. The refreshed programme sets a clear direction for investment and delivery across West Sussex over the next five years.

What Growth Deals Mean for You

Growth Deals help deliver:

New homes and thriving communities.
Better employment opportunities and business growth.
Investment in town centres and public spaces.
Improved transport, connectivity and infrastructure.
Greener, safer and more attractive places.
Increased public and private sector investment in West Sussex.

By bringing partners together around shared priorities, Growth Deals help ensure growth is planned, coordinated and delivers lasting benefits for local communities.

What a Growth Deal is

A Growth Deal is a written agreement between the County Council, the district or borough council for that area, and partners including government agencies, transport operators, business groups and developers.

Each deal sets out:

the priorities for growth in that area over five years
the projects the partners have agreed to progress
how funding from different sources will be aligned
which organisation leads each project

Growth Deals sit alongside the planning system rather than replacing it. Individual planning applications are still decided separately, through the normal planning process.

Find the Growth Deal for your area

Each deal has recently been refreshed and explains the priorities and projects for that district or borough.

Growth Deals at a Glance

Since their introduction, Growth Deals have helped secure significant investment and deliver transformative projects across the county.

£300 million+ of Public funding secured through Growth Deal partnerships.
£174.3m invested by WSCC in Growth Deal projects to March 2025
87 projects across seven partnerships, 70% Of projects from the previous programme now completed.
18,700 new homes planned
810,000m² of commercial and employment space
16,000 jobs supported
54km of new cycle paths
34 public realm improvement schemes
Significant private sector investment – with 1 billion of private sector investment anticipated to be attracted through the Burgess Hill Growth Programme alone.

Delivering Regeneration and Economic Growth

Growth Deals have supported major regeneration programmes across Crawley, Worthing, Mid Sussex and Arun, helping to create attractive places, attract investment and strengthen local economies.

Highlights include:

More than £50 million of public investment in Crawley, supporting its role as one of the South East's most important economic centres.
A significant regeneration programme in Burgess Hill, expected to attract up to £1 billion of private sector investment.
Major improvements to town centres, public spaces and local infrastructure across West Sussex.

These investments are helping create the conditions for long-term growth, business investment and job creation.

All the councils in West Sussex have collaborated in showcasing our best investment opportunities in our joint Invest in West Sussex Prospectus (opens in new window) for the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum in 2026.

Supporting Housing and Employment

Growth Deals play an important role in unlocking sites for development and providing the infrastructure needed to support sustainable growth.

The programme has helped create opportunities for:

Approximately 18,700 new homes.
More than 810,000 square metres of commercial and employment space.
Improved access to strategic employment locations.
New opportunities for businesses to invest and expand.

Investing in Town Centres and Public Spaces

Growth Deal investment has helped improve town centres and public spaces throughout West Sussex, creating more attractive, accessible and vibrant destinations.

Projects include:

Enhancements to Worthing town centre.
Improvements to Crawley town centre and Manor Royal Business District.
Upgrades to seafronts, high streets and public spaces in coastal communities.
Improvements that encourage walking, cycling and greater accessibility.

These projects help support local businesses, encourage visitors and improve the everyday experience of residents.

Improving Transport, Connectivity and Infrastructure

Growth Deals have delivered important infrastructure improvements that support growth, improve connectivity and unlock development opportunities.

Projects have included:

Transport improvements at Crawley, Burgess Hill and Worthing railway stations.
Strategic highway improvements along key routes including the A259, A29, A284 and A2300.
Investment in sustainable transport initiatives.
Improvements to digital connectivity.
Better access to employment sites and development opportunities.

Together, these investments help reduce congestion, support economic growth and improve accessibility across the county.

Success Stories

Worthing Portland Road

Credit Landbuild Construction

The Portland Road scheme has transformed the area into a more attractive and accessible destination. Improvements included new paving, adjustments to parking and loading arrangements and the extension of pedestrian-friendly space around local cafés, shops and restaurants.

The project has enhanced the public realm while creating a more welcoming environment for residents, visitors and businesses.

Worthing Railway Approach

This project delivered significant improvements to the area surrounding Worthing railway station, including new landscaping and enhanced access arrangements.

The scheme has created a more sustainable transport interchange, linking improved cycling infrastructure with a new cycle hub and providing better connections between different modes of transport.

Littlehampton Public Realm

One of the Arun Growth Programme's largest projects, the Littlehampton Public Realm scheme was completed in October 2023.

The project delivered improvements along the route from Littlehampton Railway Station to the High Street via Arundel Road, creating a more attractive, accessible and welcoming route into the town centre.

Bognor Regis Esplanade

This project delivered major improvements to the seafront and the area around Place St Maur and the Alexandra Theatre.

Enhancements included improved public spaces, upgraded crossing points between the beach and town centre and better connectivity between key destinations, helping create a more attractive experience for residents and visitors.

Crawley Queens Square

Completed in 2017, Crawley Queens Square is an award-winning public realm regeneration project.

The scheme transformed 3,500 square metres of town centre space and helped stimulate approximately £30 million of private sector investment in surrounding properties.

The project has created a vibrant destination that supports businesses, visitors and community activity.

Find Out More

To learn more about Growth Deals and current projects in your area, please contact the Growth and One Public Estate Programme Team.

Email: GrowthandOPEProgrammeDelivery@westsussex.gov.uk

Telephone: 01243 777100

Alternate formats and accessibility

If you require any of the information on this page in an alternative format, please contact us on 01243 777100 or email GrowthandOPEProgrammeDelivery@westsussex.gov.uk If you are deaf or hard of hearing and have an NGT texting app installed on your computer, laptop or smartphone, you can contact us on 18001 01243 777100.

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