West Sussex

West Sussex is a county that has something for everyone. Whether you love the hustle and bustle of London and want somewhere in easy commuting distance, or prefer the peace and tranquillity of rural life, West Sussex has it all! There are many different towns and villages scattered across this beautiful county. From Eastbourne to Worthing, there is no shortage of charming little places with great schools, shopping centres, local amenities and lots more!

4.42
Average Location Score

Excellent

55%

Very Good

33%

Average

10%

Disappointing

1%

Very Poor

1%

Best places to live in West Sussex

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and HomeViews Transparency Rating of every development in the area

Chichester outdoor museum

Where is West Sussex?

West Sussex is located in the south of England, bordering Hampshire to the north, Surrey and Kent to the east, and East Sussex to the south. It is a large county, measuring almost 900 square miles!

Areas in West Sussex

There are many different areas in West Sussex that prospective home buyers might be interested in. Here is a brief overview of some of the most popular:

The South Downs Area – this area is over 500 square miles and stretches all the way from Hampshire to Eastbourne. It has some beautiful countryside, rolling hills and plenty of spectacular views on offer! There are many quaint villages within its boundaries as well as picturesque market towns such as Midhurst.

Eastbourne – Eastbourne is situated on the south coast of England near Brighton. It has beautiful beaches with wonderful views over the English Channel, popular day trips out including historical sites such as Beachy Head & Birling Gap or castles like Bodiam Castle.

 

Chichester Cathedral

Worthing – Worthing is the largest town in West Sussex. It has a wonderful beach, plenty of shopping opportunities along its high street and lots of events & shows taking place throughout the year. The town is also home to Pallant House Gallery which houses an extensive collection of artwork by modern British artists.

Universities in West Sussex

West Sussex is home to a number of universities, including:

The University of Sussex – Located in Brighton, the University of Sussex is a highly respected university with over 12,000 students. The university specialises in a number of areas, including social sciences, law, business & management and the arts.

The University of Chichester – With campuses in the city of Chichester and nearby Bognor Regis, the University of Chichester offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in a range of subjects, including arts, humanities, business & management, sciences and sport.

Brighton & Sussex Medical School – One of the most well regarded medical schools in the UK, Brighton & Sussex Medical School is a joint venture between the University of Sussex and the University of Brighton.

Top Schools in West Sussex

Countryside in West Sussex

There are also a number of top schools located in the county, including:

The Weald School (Horsham) – A state school for boys and girls aged from 11 to 18, the Weald has a reputation for excellence and regularly features in top national school league tables.

Steyning Grammar School (Steyning) – A former specialist Arts College, the school also places emphasis on STEM subjects such as maths, science and technology to ensure students are well equipped with key skills needed by employers.

Forest School (Worthing) – A co-educational, non-selective school that takes pupils from the ages of four to 18. Forest School is one of the UK’s most eco-friendly schools, with an onsite lake and woodland area.

Kitebrook School (Ascot) – An independent day school for girls aged three to 18 years old that aims to prepare students for their future lives as successful women. The school also offers boarding facilities for pupils who live out of the area.

Population of West Sussex

West Sussex is home to a population of just over 900,000 people. While the south and east of the county are more densely populated, there are plenty of rural areas in West Sussex, which are popular with families because of the low crime rates and excellent schools.

 

Reviews in West Sussex

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As a disabled person it’s very easy for me to get out and about

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

Megan is amazing
She’s so very helpful
The man in the office is so very helpful and kind
I’m so very happy with the help I’ve had
As a disabled person I was concerned about getting about but it’s all flat which means I’ll not be house bound
Thank you very much for a beautiful property

Please review your development:

Great very happy to seeing what is going to be built
Not really sure what you want me to write here but overall as a disabled person it’s very easy for me to get out and about as it’s very flat which is perfect for me and means I’m not housebound as I was before. Looking forward to seeing what shops et cetera are going to be made.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Don’t really know what to say as I don’t know anything about neighbors but it’s very quiet.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Management
What can I say
Megan is incredible. So very helpful and caring

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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new development in good location

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Jan 2024

There is a pub and a couple of fast food restaurants within walking distance, as well as a Shell station with a Little Waitrose that comes in handy. It’s a short drive to nearby towns and villages, and there is a bus stop just in front of the estate. The A27 is very easily accessed. The estate is still being built, so there is heavy machinery that drives up and down the street during the week.

Please review your development:

Our experience with the letting agent when viewing and leasing our home was great. Some maintenance requests were handled quickly and efficiently, others took some follow up to resolve. A new park has recently been opened on the estate, which is a fantastic amenity for the community. The neighbors are generally lovely and helpful.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I wish I knew when the development would be completed.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Some issues were responded to and resolved quickly, others were not.

1
Facilities
4
Design
4
Location
3
Value
1
Management
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No playground access, and no hope of when it will open.

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Jan 2024

The good:
We are very fortunate to have incredibly friendly and helpful neighbors within our development. We feel happy with the overall proximity to Chichester, Arundel, Bognor Regis, and many beautiful walks near the South Downs National Park. We often enjoy dinner and or drinks at the local pub The Old Stables which is walking distance from the estate.

The Bad:
One of the biggest reasons we chose Leaf Living Fontwell was because of the promise of a playground for our son to be able to play with other kids. Unfortunately the playground has been closed off for the entirety of our tenure here with no signs of opening up. It’s gotten to the point where we feel hopeless that it will ever be a priority to open up. We’ve talked with many other families within our community who feel similar frustrations with the lack of priority to finish and open up the park.

Additionally, we have grown very tired of the constant construction always happening in our neighborhood. We constantly share the road with earth movers using the main roads and we worry about running over a nail or screw. The construction noise starts up every morning when the sun comes up and continues all day until the sun goes down. It’s become very tiresome and no longer enjoyable to walk through the neighborhood because of constant dirt, and pylons, and trucks/earthmovers/blockades/fences constantly in the way.

Because the community is all new build, we’ve had quite a bit of black mold pop up on our baseboards and in humid areas. We found traces in some of our bedrooms where we obviously sleep so it’s been a constant battle to check for it and clean as soon as it appears. During the summer it was ok to open the windows to circulate air, but in the winter it just keeps popping up and it’s not really an option to open up all your windows when it’s cold outside.

Please review your development:

Overall the kitchen design is pretty good. We very much wish there was a bit more storage for plates/pantry/misc kitchen items but we were able to create storage beyond that. The appliances are pretty decent though the washer/dryer usually needs extra time added to get your clothes completely dry. The building is very quiet and feels very insulated from wind/heat/cold which has been great.

One thing that I think our development could benefit from is a small store on site to pick up small grocery items. Additionally it would be great to open the road so that the community has access to Arundel road. It’s been closed off since we moved in which has been inconvenient when you just need to fill up your car or run to the Waitrose.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I wish I had known the reality of the playground not being open for many months. One of the main reasons we chose this space was because we were under the impression we’d have access to the field/playground for kids to play. Instead it’s been completely closed off to anyone in the community with no word on when it will be opened. To be completely honest, we would’ve chosen a different location had we known we wouldn’t have access to it.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Generally building management has been quick to respond and they are always friendly. There have been a few isolated times though where we’ve not received any help with a request but I’d say overall they’re quick to respond and try to keep us updated.

1
Facilities
4
Design
4
Location
2
Value
3
Management
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Poor quality control, and terrible post-sale customer support

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Dec 2023

The development is based in a good quite area, in a lovely little village, with good facilities around, that was one of the reason for buying.

Please review your development:

Found the radiator pipe leaking in the second day of moving in, and bathroom was found leaking the next day because the lack of sealant around the shower. Then the big nightmare appears. There is water dripping noice in the main bedroom where the chimney next to it. Berkeley sent their roofers and engineers but couldn’t find the root cause after two years, but told me that they wouldn’t do anything because they thought the noise was from the water dripping onto the back gutter of the chimney. So I booked a local roofer to apply a layer of rubber strip on the back gutter to reduce the noise, the local roofer told me the back gutter wouldn’t be that loud from their experience, so removed three or four tiles to investigate, and found there was no soaker installed hence the water leaking into the roof, and noticed a lot water marks. I contacted Berkeley but was told it against the warranty term, as a third party roofers removed the tiles.
So in brief, I lived in a Berkeley Homes house with a leaking roof for two and half years, they would never found the root cause of the leaking if I didn’t hire a local roofer to check it, but Berkeley rejected the warranty claim because the local roofer put the hands on the tiles.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

My first time to buy a new build, it might be very common to have so many issues on a new house.

What is the best feature of your home:

Thanks to the leaking roof, I can easily find out if it is raining or not outside.

5
Facilities
2
Design
5
Location
1
Value
1
Management
User submitted image of  Broadacres, RH13
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