House builder Crest Nicholson will start the first phase of a much-anticipated new community at Kilnwood Vale, comprising 2,500 homes west of Crawley.
The Homes and Communities Agency confirmed £2.3m funding from the Government’s Get Britain Building programme.
Phase one will see 291 one, two, three and four bedroom houses and apartments built on part of the 132 ha site, which will be developed in five phases.
The site will get a new community green, known as the Gateway Village Green, alongside a range of other community facilities, including a neighbourhood park, play and sports areas, all of which are being delivered as part of the first phase.
Footpaths, cycleways and bridleways will also be provided at an early stage, with links into Bewbush and across the A264 into Buchan Country Park.
The proposals also include shops, a library, sports pavilion, healthcare centre, primary school and employment space for small and start-up businesses, all of which will be delivered over the course of the wider development programme.
Stephen Stone, Chief Executive of Crest Nicholson, said: “Bringing forward much-needed new housing in partnership with the public sector is a key objective for us, and the scale of this site makes it a significant addition to the local housing market.
“We are committed to developing a prosperous community that creates new homes and also brings new life and long-term opportunities to the area.”
The £570m Get Britain Building programme supports house builders by providing access to development finance to unlock up to 16,000 new homes across the country, protecting and creating thousands of jobs.
All homes supported through the first round of the Get Britain Building programme must be completed by December 2014.