Crawley Borough Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy

back to Contents

back to homepage

PART 2

A SPATIAL PERSPECTIVE

10.

LAND WEST AND NORTH WEST OF CRAWLEY

10.1

The Adopted West Sussex Structure Plan identifies the western side of Crawley to accommodate a Strategic Development Location for 2,500 dwellings up to 2016. The allocation should accommodate a new neighbourhood including subsidised housing, high quality employment land and other uses associated with residential neighbourhoods. The Structure Plan also requires the construction of a relief road around the north-western side of Crawley and possibly an extension to the Fastway. Whilst any development will primarily be beyond Crawley Borough, falling within Horsham District Council's administrative boundary, the development will have direct implications for Crawley and consequently, a Joint Area Action Plan, for the Strategic Location is under production.

10.2

The joint working logistics and arrangements for the production of the Joint Area Action Plan have now been endorsed by both Councils (February 2006) and are established in accordance with their Terms of Reference. A Joint Members Steering Group has been established to steer and oversee the production of the Joint Area Action Plan. The Joint Members Steering Group is supported by a Joint Officers Board and a number of Technical Working Groups, which include key stakeholders, landowners, community representatives and infrastructure providers. In terms of the Joint Members Steering Group's remit, it is the group's role to advise both Councils' Executive/Cabinet and Full Council on studies, work and consultation documents. In light of the information currently available from work undertaken at a local level and representations received on the proposals by both Councils during their respective Local Development Framework consultations, it is considered that further work and studies are required to explore fully how and where the development would take place. This further work and related studies will support the production of the Preferred Options and Submission Joint Area Action Plan. Furthermore, the work, studies and the consultation stages are essential to ensure the development is delivered through jointly agreed master planning principles, particularly the neighbourhood principle. In accordance with both Councils' Statements of Community Involvement, it is anticipated that this work will be undertaken in close consultation with the local community.

10.3

The undertaking of this further work and studies and the formulation of a Joint Area Action Plan is not likely to be completed until mid 2008. The timetable outlined in the Local Development Schemes for both Councils indicates that Issues and Options consultation will be undertaken in September 2006, Preferred Options consultation in September 2007, Submission April 2008 and Joint Area Action Plan adoption in July 2009. It is considered that there would remain sufficient time to bring the whole development forward within the plan period to 2018. In the interim, both authorities believe they have sufficient sites to maintain housing supply requirements.

10.4

In the unforeseen circumstances that the authorities are unable to bring forward the West and North West of Crawley Strategic Location in its entirety, it is important that the residual housing requirement is not distributed elsewhere within the County and the figures are evolved into the next plan period beyond 2018.

10.5

Notwithstanding the strategy outlined above for the West and North West of Crawley Strategic Location, the Council consider it essential that, in accordance with guidance in the adopted West Sussex Structure Plan, a wider exploration should be undertaken of potential alternative strategic development opportunities on the edge of Crawley for the longer term, including East and South East of Crawley. The 'At Crawley' study has recently been completed on behalf of Crawley Borough Council, Horsham District Council, Mid Sussex District Council and West Sussex County Council. The study examines what strategic development opportunities may exist adjacent to Crawley beyond the strategic requirements of the West Sussex Structure Plan, post 2016.

Objectives

10.6

The key objectives and principles guiding the production of the Joint Area Action Plan for the Strategic Development Location West and North West of Crawley are:

To carry out studies and work to establish how and where the development could take place to the West of Crawley to meet the housing requirements of the Adopted West Sussex Structure Plan and ensure it is delivered in the most sustainable manner and based on appropriate master planning principles;
To ensure development takes place in accordance with the 'neighbourhood' principle;
To ensure that any new development and its associated infrastructure is physically and socially integrated with Crawley;
To minimise the impact on the Horsham Crawley Strategic Gap and the landscape's character;
To secure appropriate transport infrastructure to meet the needs of the new neighbourhood, potentially including a relief road to help minimise impact on the surrounding area and maximising the opportunity for sustainable travel and transport methods;
To ensure a mix of housing type, including affordable accommodation which will contribute to meeting Crawley's needs;
To ensure that there are sufficient high quality community facilities and social infrastructure to serve any new development including a new neighbourhood centre, employment provision, education facilities, health care, green space and leisure facilities;
To provide opportunities for new employment provision both within the neighbourhood and to the north west of Crawley in conjunction with links made into Manor Royal/County Oak;
To ensure development protects and where possible, enhances the setting of Ifield Village Conservation Area;
Development should avoid areas of flood risk and aircraft noise contours of 60dBA Leq or more (either as existing or as indicated in relation to the alignment of the potential second runway and 'safeguarded' area);
The development should be based on maximising the opportunities for the use of sustainable construction methods.

Joint Area Action Plan

10.7

The joint working logistics and arrangements are established and a Joint Members Steering Group is now overseeing and steering the production of the Joint Area Action Plan. Furthermore, the Joint Members Steering Group will continue to advise the Council's respective Cabinet/Executive and Full Council on the work, studies and consultation documents being undertaken and produced to support the Joint Area Action Plan's production.

10.8

The Joint Area Action Plan will set out how and where the development West and North West of Crawley will be accommodated and translate the principles and objectives for the development into policy, particularly the masterplanning and sustainability principles.

A Joint Area Action Plan for the Strategic Development Location West and North West of Crawley will be prepared jointly by Horsham District Council and Crawley Borough Council and will:

Be supported by further work, studies and consultation documents and stages;
Cover the Area of Study for the Strategic Development Location West and North West of Crawley, as defined on the Proposals Map;
Make provision for a high quality mixed-use neighbourhood development comprising of up to 2,500 dwellings (including 40% affordable housing), a new neighbourhood centre (potentially comprising shops, employment floorspace, a community hall, a primary school, a doctor's surgery, a library, a public house, public open space);
Include the possible provision of new employment, beyond that required in a neighbourhood centre, including the possibility of a strategic employment allocation to meet the needs of the Gatwick Sub-Region;
Include consideration of other uses which may be required to meet wider community needs;
Include the provision of sufficient transport infrastructure to meet the needs of the new development while maximising the opportunities for sustainable travel, including reducing dependency on the car by providing access to local facilities and services, providing high quality passenger transport links (such as Fastway and/or a new interchange station) and ensuring safe, alternative and convenient pedestrian and cycle routes between the development and Crawley and to the countryside;
Determine whether there is a need for any relief or link road between the A264 and A23, the route for any such road, and the means of providing it;
Ensure that new development protects and where possible enhances the setting of the Ifield Conservation Area;
Translate the key principles and objectives for development into policy;
Outline the masterplanning and sustainability principles for the development.

The Western Relief Road

10.9

The adopted West Sussex Structure Plan (2001 - 2016) requires the construction of a relief road around the north-western side of Crawley in conjunction with the development of the Strategic Location. As indicated in the Gatwick section, BAA has confirmed that any proposals to accommodate such a road would not be prejudiced by safeguarding proposals. The Borough Council considers that any new development West and North West of Crawley should not be allowed to add to existing traffic problems in the neighbourhoods on the western side of Crawley and should include measures which relieve pressure on the existing road network. In line with the Structure Plan the Council considers that this should be achieved by a form of 'relief road' but will work with Horsham District Council to ensure that sufficient transport infrastructure is provided to meet the needs of the new development and that any proposals finally adopted are in the best interests of sustainability and the local community on both sides of the Borough boundary.

top