Crawley Local Plan 2024 to 2040 is submitted to the government

Crawley Borough Council’s vision for Crawley is “a modern, vibrant, healthy and sustainable exemplar digital town that stands proud of its achievements and uses its strengths to reach its potential. Its strong and diverse communities, neighbourhood structure, high quality amenities, bustling neighbourhood parades, sustainable homes and economic growth and excellent connections within and beyond the region will make it a place that people enjoy and want to live, work and visit.”

The Local Plan sets out the strategic priorities for Crawley and the planning policies to deliver:

• Homes and jobs
• Provision of retail, leisure and other commercial development
• Provision of infrastructure for transport, telecommunications, water supply, wastewater, flood risk management and energy
• Provision of community, social and cultural infrastructure and other local facilities
• Climate change mitigation and adaptation
• Conservation and enhancement of the natural, built and historic environment, including landscape and green infrastructure
• Control of Gatwick Airport.

Councillor Atif Nawaz, Cabinet member for Planning and Economic Development, said: “The Local Plan lays out the sustainable future of our town for the next 16 years and has been developed with feedback from residents, businesses and other stakeholders.

“It includes plans for meeting future housing, employment and environmental needs as well as enabling healthy lifestyles.”

The next stage will be the examination stage, which will include hearings held in public, where the ‘soundness’ of the Local Plan will be considered by a Secretary of State-appointed Planning Inspector.

If found ‘sound’, the council will be able to formally adopt the new Local Plan, meaning that its strategic planning policies and principles can shape the future of the town and be used in the consideration of planning applications.

The Local Plan Submission documents and supporting evidence documents can be viewed at www.crawley.gov.uk/localplan

Documents can also be viewed at Crawley Library and the Town Hall.