All you need to know about Horsham Novartis site plans

West Sussex County Council bought the site for £16m in 2016 after the pharmaceutical giant’s sudden decision to leave the town.

It originally set out to create world-leading science park but has now put forward new proposals to create a mixed scheme providing business space and new homes.

Here’s a list of the main points from the proposals:

- The site will be split into three areas; housing, business and socialising

- Two thirds of the site is planned for business space and a third for housing

- A 25,000m² employment and enterprise zone - dubbed Horsham Enterprise Park - is planned for the south-east of the site close to Parsonage Road

- The space will be the size of three-and-a-half football pitches and could host grade A offices, research and development spaces, and innovation centres for start-ups, freelancers, and future entrepreneurs

- 300 homes are outlined for the north-west corner of the site off Wimblehurst Road

- Properties will be a mix of apartment blocks and houses and 35 per cent will be ‘affordable homes’

- The 1930s Art Deco building along with another older building will be retained and turned into apartments

- A community hub with retail units, a cafe and even a creshe/nursery for children is being considered for the centre of the site

- Access will be through two entrances on Parsonage Road and Wimblehurst Road with ‘through access’ created for emergency vehicles