A new town hall leader has pledges to build an extra town the size of Burgess Hill to attract key workers.

Campaigners have launched websites and raised petitions to halt new housing developments in Haywards Heath, East Grinstead and Burgess Hill.

But Gordon Marples, the new leader of Mid Sussex District Council, vowed to forge ahead with redeveloping the towns and said an extra 14,000 homes were needed for police, nurses and teachers who could no longer afford to live in the area.

Coun Marples, was made leader after his Tory colleague Patrick Shanahan lost his seat in the local elections two weeks ago.

Edward Matthews was named leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats following the departure of Coun Graham Knight.

Both have pledged to continue with developer Thornfield's plans to give each town an expensive facelift.

Protesters launched a new website and a petition to save leafy Muster Green in Haywards Heath last week.

They said Thornfield's masterplan for the town, recently sent back to full council, contained proposals to build a four-storey apartment block at the site.

Coun Brian Hall has created a composite picture of what the conservation area would look like.

But Coun Marples said he would add his name to the petition to save the site.

He said: "I understand there is a petition and I could well sign it myself.

"Muster Green is a beautiful spot and as the plans from the architects come forward we have to be mindful of it.

"Developing on Muster Green is not something I'd allow.

"But the next four years are going to be judged on the ability of all parties to deliver on the planning that has been put in place and is still ongoing.

"I think there is a growing recognition within the three towns that something needs to be done to bring them into the present century.

"There are always people resistant to change but we want them to look at their towns through their children's eyes.

"Without investment what will they look like in 20 years time?

"The big up-coming issue is undoubtedly going to be the housing needs. Up to 2026 we're talking about 14,000 new homes across the district - the equivalent of a town the size of Burgess Hill.

"Something has to happen about the supply side of housing, particularly affordable housing.

"We need these homes. Prices in Mid Sussex have been going up by £4,000 a month. How do we get the police, doctors and nurses homes?"

Protest groups have also sprung up in East Grinstead to try and fight the onslaught of 2,500 new homes in their town.

The Post Referendum Campaign wants many to be built nearer Crawley and not in the ancient woodland of Tilkhurst Farm.

Coun Matthews said: "I think the really contentious issue here is the East Grinstead Action Plan.

"We have wildly differing views there and some will want the town to stand still, bottled in aspic, and unfortunately life isn't like that."

Coun Marples added: "The infrastructure has to come first. These issues were very much on the doorstep of the local elections and the Princess Royal too.

"A community the size of Mid Sussex needs a hospital. That's imperative. We're going to do our damndest to keep it open."

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