Aster Group and Thakeham announce £58m joint venture scheme

• Joint venture will see the delivery of 120 homes in Burgess Hill built to net zero carbon standards
• The sustainability-focused development is expected to be the largest of its kind in Mid Sussex

Housing association Aster Group and leading developer Thakeham have announced plans to deliver dozens of net zero carbon homes through a new joint venture partnership in Mid Sussex.

With an estimated value of £58m, the agreement will see 120 new homes delivered across a circa 19-acre site in Burgess Hill – forming part of the local authority’s Strategic Growth Programme.

Named Templegate, the development is expected to be the first net zero carbon scheme of its size in Mid Sussex. All homes will be built with a sustainable specification that includes timber frames, solar PV panels and air source heat pumps, wastewater heat recovery systems, alongside more energy efficient windows and doors and increased floor and roof insulation.

This combination of renewable energy and efficiency mean that carbon emissions from operating the homes are zero or below and will leave no carbon footprint.

Construction is already under way with completion expected in spring 2026. Once complete, the development will comprise properties ranging in size, from one-bed apartments to four-bed houses. Of the 120 homes, 27 will be affordable while a further nine will be available through the government’s First Homes scheme.

The first joint venture between the organisations, this latest collaboration builds on an existing partnership that includes the delivery of 34 new affordable homes in Petworth, West Sussex, which are currently under construction.

Amanda Williams, Chief Investment Officer at Aster Group, said: “Having previously established a strong working relationship with Thakeham, we’re proud to be coming together again, this time through this joint venture, to deliver an exciting net zero carbon scheme in Mid Sussex.  

“I strongly believe that adopting a collaborative and targeted approach to housebuilding is crucial given the acute housing shortage, as we continue on our mission to deliver the quality, sustainable homes our communities so desperately need.”

Rob Boughton, Founder and Chief Executive at Thakeham said: “We are thrilled to partner with Aster Group to deliver this pioneering zero carbon development in Burgess Hill. Sustainability is at the forefront of Thakeham’s design from the outset and a guiding principle in everything we do - and this development with Aster will set a new benchmark for sustainable living.”

Thakeham is a carbon-neutral property developer based in West-Sussex. A founding member of the HBF Housing and Environment taskforce and 5* HBF Home Builders, Thakeham is an industry leader in creating sustainable homes that have a positive impact on communities and the environment.

Aster Group, owns and manages more than 36,000 homes across the south of England and London, with a portfolio that includes social and affordable rent and shared ownership homes. This news follows a record-breaking year of development for the Group, which saw it deliver 1,312 properties – its highest annual total of homes to date.