Crawley Borough Council has officially adopted its new Local Plan.
The Plan, which sets out policies and proposals for development in the borough, was given the final thumbs-up during a meeting of the full council on Wednesday (October 16).
Leader Michael Jones said the Plan, which was six years in the making, would protect the area from ‘unsuitable or even unscrupulous development’ until 2040.
He added: “It will be the foundation of a sound and responsible plan for shaping Crawley borough as a community, with everything that people will need.”
Key points in the Plan included the need for all developments outside the town centre to provide a minimum of 40% affordable housing, or money to build those houses elsewhere.
Higher housing standards will be demanded, as well as a better mix of housing, and flats built for families not just individuals.
Mr Jones said Crawley had become the first authority in the country to have a water neutrality strategy as adopted planning policy.
Looking at biodiversity, he added that all developers will be required to carry out landscaping – plant trees and greenery – even those building on sites that had none before.
As for employment land, planning inspectors supported the council’s argument that part of the land safeguarded for expansion at Gatwick Airport should be released.
Mr Jones said this was ‘quite a watershed’, with the 44 hectare site at Gatwick Green expected to meet the borough’s projected economic growth needs in full.
Bob Laner (Con, Pound Hill South & Worth) called the site allocation ‘a very good move’.
The issue of ‘bolt-on’ developments – those built on the borough’s boundaries by other local authorities – was raised by Mr Lanzer.
These include the likes of Kilnwood Vale, Crabbet Park and the looming West of Ifield development, about which the borough council has extremely limited say.
Tim Lunnon (Lab, Broadfield) agreed, adding: “Ultimately the only real solution to this in the long-term is a review of [the] boundaries to enable Crawley to have the final say on what are clearly additions to the town.”
Councillors gave almost unanimous approval to the Plan – there was one abstention.
Quoting the town’s motto ‘I grow and I rejoice’, Mr Jones said: “We do that with a sound Local Plan that gives good town planning that makes the communities of the future.”
