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The decision was confirmed during a Mid Sussex District Council meeting on Wednesday (October 12) when the final recommendations of a community governance review were approved.

The review was called earlier this year to match the town council wards with those of the district council wards in an effort to simplify matters for voters – and to equalise the number of electors per town councillor.

During a public consultation, the names St Paul’s and Bedelands were suggested by locals as they represented landmarks in the area.

Robert Eggleston (Lib Dem, Burgess Hill – Meeds) said he was delighted with the result of the review when it came to the boundaries and the number of councillors.

But he was rather less delighted with the new names.

Brookleigh was the name chosen by Homes England for the Northern Arc development and Mr Eggleston said there was no statutory reason to use it when naming the wards.

Calling the name ‘a work of fiction’, he added: “There is no such place, landmark or historic reference on the outskirts of Burgess Hill with this name.”

Peter Bradbury (Con, Cuckfield) said the chosen names were ‘appropriate’ whether or not councillors thought they were attractive, as that was the name under which the new homes would be marketed.

John Dabell (Con, East Grinstead – Town) added: “What’s in a name? I think Brookleigh is a very nice name personally.”

The recommendations from the review will see the town council made up of ten wards with 20 councillors.

The current wards of Victoria East, Norman and Hammonds North will become part of Victoria ward, while Meeds and Hammonds will become one ward.

From May 2023, the ten wards will be: Leylands (two councillors), St Andrew’s (three), Franklands (three), Meeds & Hammonds (two), Victoria (two), Dunstall (one), Gatehouse (one), St John’s (one), Brookleigh East (one), and Brookleigh West (one).

Call for more localised names as Burgess Hill Town Council's new wards are revealed