Forge Wood – Crawley Observer

Use of woods was ‘vandalism’
27th November 2019 – Crawley Observer
website www.crawleyobserver.co.uk

By Karen Dunn
Local Democracy Reporter

Furious councillors have criticised an ‘act of vandalism which saw a strip of Crawley woodland destroyed and the site used to park hundreds of cars.

Members of the borough council’s planning committee were told the site, off Crawley Avenue, was being operated by airport parking company Maple Manor to store cars for passengers using Gatwick.

A report to the committee said 15 to 20 metres of woodland which stood next
to Gatwick Stream had been destroyed, hard-standing laid, and a 2.4-metre fence erected north of the former gas holder site.

The meeting was told the council only realised what had happened when an officer visited another unauthorised parking area to the south of the site.

A retrospective application to continue parking cars for five years was roundly criticised – and promptly dismissed – by the committee.

Ian Irvine (Lab, Broadfield) said: “It seems to me the actions that have taken place here are appalling.

“Even if [the trees] are replaced it could take years to get back to maturity. Is there any action which could be taken against the perpetrators of what I think is an act of vandalism?”

Jonathan Purdy (Con, Three Bridges) said: ‘We should be seeking enforcement for them to put the site back to the state it was before they damaged it.”

Members were told the idea was already there on the radar’.

An officer said the council was looking at enforcement action for the southern site and was ‘just awaiting the final details before we can look at the northern site’.

After the meeting, a council spokesman said: “The council has an ongoing
enforcement investigation into the unauthorised airport parking use and works undertaken in order to accommodate it.

“We are currently actively considering what enforcement action will be taken to stop the unauthorised use and the potential requirements needed to restore the land and comply with the Forge Wood neighbourhood planning permission as soon as possible.”

Maple Manor was not represented at the meeting.

Forge Wood – Crawley Observer

Residents of new Community Unite to Tackle Problem of Litter in Area
17th July 2019 – Crawley Observer

website www.crawleyobserver.co.uk

By Staff Reporter
email crawleyobserver@jpress.co.uk
phone 01403 751200

Residents of Crawley’s new neighbourhood rolled up their sleeves to get stuck into a litter pick in the area.

The residents unite for litter pick

People living in Forge Wood united to set about cleaning up their development.

The event was organised by Forge Wood Community Forum, an active resident’s association formed on the development.

Forge Wood benefits from a lot of open space and woodland but the woodland linking the development to Gratton’s Park had suffered from many years of neglect and antisocial behaviour, predating the establishment of the community.

Nadine Mctreadie from Forge Wood Community Forum said: “All the rubbish left many residents feeling unsafe walking through the woodland, which is regularly used by children to get to Milton Mount Primary School and Hazelwick School, so this seemed an ideal first event for the community forum to tackle.

“We are so fortunate to live on a development that benefits from great woodland which is rich in wildlife and now following our clean-up we can properly start to enjoy it.”

A surprising variety of items were removed including a bike, microwave, shopping trolley and shoes. A pile of rubbish was all cleared at the end of the morning.

The event was supported by Crawley Borough Council and attended by Cllr Tina Belben, councillor for Pound Hill North and Forge Wood.

Forge Wood Community Forum is looking forward to organising more events in the future. For more information: email forgewoodcf@gmail.com

Metrobus Service for Forge Wood

New Bus Service for Forge Wood – information supplied from Metrobus
20th January 2018

New Local Bus Routes Number 3 from Metrobus.

Please see below the new timetables (effective from 3 February 2018) for Metrobus Number 3.

If you require any printed timetables please contact us.

Metrobus
Wheatstone Close
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 9UA


phone 01293 449191
website www.metrobus.co.uk
email feedback@metrobus.co.uk
Facebook facebook.com/gometrobus

Crawley Observer – Forge Wood Primary

New hi-tech School has ‘amazing and unique design,’ says head
2nd August 2017 – Crawley Observer

website www.crawleyobserver.co.uk

By Staff Reporter
email crawleyobserver@jpress.co.uk
phone 01403 751200

Pupils at Forge Wood Primary School have left for the summer holidays knowing they will return to a new purpose-built building in September.

Forge Wood Primary School staff and students will start the new academic year in a new home after a while in temporary accommodation watching it develop across the road.

The new Forge Wood Primary is due to open in September

Jo Newton, executive headteacher, said: “We are really excited to be moving into our new school building. “The site is looking great and we can t wait to use the school facilities.’

She added that the children were enthusiastic about the move and already looking forward to the new playground and football pitches.

The first class of reception children was welcomed at the school last September and by 2022 Forge Wood Primary will be an all-through school to serve a new neighbourhood in Crawley, which is being built in four main phases over 12 years.

The new school building has been developed in conjunction with West Sussex County Council and developers Persimmon and Taylor Wimpy.

It was designed by Stride Architects and includes external and internal windows, to bring light to all areas of the school.

State-of-the-art systems offer natural ventilation throughout the building.

Landscaping provides external learning spaces including allotments, wild meadow areas, 3 pitches and a multi use games area for all sports.

Miss Newton said: “The amazing and unique design allows for the latest technology and innovation whilst making the most of the natural resources and local environment.

“Forge Wood Primary is a member of the multi-academy GLF Academy Trust and offers all members the chance to share resources and support in every aspect of school life.

“Establishing a new school within a new and growing community provides a unique opportunity for stakeholders to influence the vision and values of the school as it evolves.”

Do you have a story?
Email email crawleyobserver@jpress.co.uk or visit Facebook Crawley Observer

School Places Forge Wood – Crawley News

Parents Invited to Find Out About New Primary School
Information event takes place at Crawley Library on 17th November
4th November 2015 – Crawley News


Facebook www.facebook.com/crawleynews

PARENTS are being invited to find out more about a new school which is being built north of Pound Hill Forge Wood Primary will serve the new neighbourhood of Forge Wood, and parents of children due to start reception year next September are invited to attend a drop-in session.

There will be 60 places available for the first year then an additional 60 places each year until there are 60 pupils in each year from reception through to Year 6.

The information event takes place at Crawley Library from 4pm to 6.45pm on Tuesday November 17.

GLF Schools, a multi-academy trust which will run the school, will host the event with staff on hand to answer questions.

The new school building is being built by Persimmon Homes and Taylor Wimpey and will be fully completed in 2017.

Forge Wood Crawley

FORGING AHEAD: Forge Wood is being built north of Pound Hill

Forge Wood Development – Crawley News

First Homes at Forge Wood on The Market
Eager buyers snap up houses on new development
25th March 2015 – Crawley News

Chris Ballinger
email chris.ballinger@crawleynews.co.uk

THE first glimpse of what homes in Crawley’s 14th neighbourhood will look like has been revealed as construction on the initial batch of properties nears completion.

Forge Wood

Almost Finished: The homes come in a range of sizes

Forge Wood by Kevin Shaw

New Neighbourhood: Forge Wood will become Crawleys 14th neighbourhood

Developers Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon Homes officially unveiled Forge Wood last Thursday by showing off the progress being made at the site.

About 80 houses are currently being built – a mixture of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes – and every single property put up for sale has already found a buyer.

Residents

The first residents will move into their new homes, which are off Steers Lane, in May and June.

Robert Napier, chairman of the Homes and Communities Agency is not surprised that the homes are proving so popular.

He said: “People are living on granny’s floor or in cramped situations and want their own place to live. The number of homes already reserved at Forge Wood proves there is demand to live here.”

Eventually the new development north of Pound Hill will include 1,900 homes, built over the next 12 to 15 years. This will include 760 “affordable” homes 532 council homes and 228 available through shared equity.

There has been particularly strong interest from people living in Maidenbower who want to move into a larger home.

Chris Heney, development director at Persimmon Homes, said: “This moment has been a long time coming. The first outline planning application was submitted in 1998 and now we have the realisation of bricks and mortar and homes coming.

“Infrastructure work started last July with new junctions and support roads created as well as improvements made to Crawley Avenue.

“There are currently 120 full time jobs on site, including five or six apprentices, and this will increase to 350 jobs.”

The next stage of building will include creating the main neighbourhood centre for Forge Wood.

The proposal is to create two new buildings around a central square with a car park.

One of the buildings will be a three-storey L-shaped structure with retail space on the ground floor and 43 flats above.

The second building will be a two-storey community centre with its own separate car park providing 14 spaces.

Provision will also be made for bus shelters.

Another application is expected to be submitted at some point to create a doctors’ surgery in this area as well.

A primary school is also due to be built and opened by September 2017. There will also be a large playing fields area close to Balcombe Road and parkland south of Steers Lane.

Cycle and public transport links will be created between the neighbourhood and both the rest of Crawley and Gatwick Airport.

  • Two Taylor Wimpey show homes are now open, while a persimmon Homes show home is opening for potential buyers to look around in April.

Residents Expected to Move in Within Months

First Forge Wood Homes are Nearing Completion
25th March 2015 – Crawley Observer
website www.crawleyobserver.co.uk

By Karen Dunn
email karen.dunn@jpress.co.uk
phone 01293 845058

Work on the first of 1,900 homes in the town’s new neighbourhood is almost complete.

Developers said demand for the properties in Forge Wood, north of Pound Hill, was high. The neighbourhood – Crawley’s 14th – will be built in four phases over the next 12 years and include 532 council homes.

The first phase includes around 290 homes, with the first residents expected to move in within a few months.

The scheme was brought about through a partnership between the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA), Crawley Borough Council (CBC), and developers Persimmon Homes and Taylor Wimpey.

On Thursday (March 19), Cllr Chris Oxlade and MP Henry Smith joined Chris Heney, of Persimmon Homes, Robert Napier, of HCA, and Chris Carney, of Taylor Wimpey, for a tour of the site.

Leader of Crawley Borough Council, Cllr Peter Lamb, said: “The development will certainly help towards easing the town’s housing issues and I’m delighted that we’re adding more than 500 homes to the council’s stock.”

MP Henry Smith added: “l welcome this for our borough whose motto is ‘I grow and I rejoice’.”

3734233516

Cllr Chris Oxlade, Chris Heney, of Persimmon, Henry Smith MP, Robert Napier, of HCA Chris Carney, of Taylor Wimpey

Traffic Lights for the Forgewood development

Traffic Lights for the Forgewood development
8th March 2015

Please review the following information in the comments and diagram.

Forgewood Plan 08-03-2015

Junction 8 is the closest and potentially the most devastating to Pound Hill North, especially the closes between Grattons and Crawley Avenue. This junction will be a 5 way configuration of traffic lights. These lights are right next to St Annes and the apartments at bottom of St Catherines, very close to St Hilda’s and Oriel.

Most vehicles on Crawley Avenue will be likely to be stopped at these lights with the ensuing pollution coming from cars standing still then accelerating away resuming their journey.

Junction 7 puts traffic lights on all access points to Hazelwick Flyover roundabout.

Junction 9 changes how we access and exit Crawley Avenue from the Balcombe Rd with Junction 14 adding addition lights along the way to Junction 8.

You may also wish to consider the proposed changes at Three Bridges Station which will affect everyone on our alternate route into/from town.

There is also an ongoing activity to monitor air quality along Crawley Avenue (see Air Quality Management Area) it will be interesting to see how we are able to improve air quality with the introduction of so many additional traffic lights.

Looking at the diagram there are 15 traffic lighted controlled junctions including the flyover roundabout (marked as J7 on the diagram), whereas if you added one set of lights for each entrance to the roundabout that will come to 20 new junctions with traffic lights.

North East Sector – Forge Wood

First Forge Wood homes will start to spring up in summer
Council gives go-ahead for first 204 properties
19th March 2014 – Crawley News

Luke Warren
email luke.warren@crawleynews.co.uk

THE first homes in Crawley’s newest neighbourhood are set to start springing up in the summer.

A planning application for phase 1A, of the Forge Wood development was approved at a Crawley Borough Council planning committee last Monday.

This gives the go-ahead to the building of the first 204 homes out of up to 1,900 which will eventually be constructed on land north of Pound Hill.

The initial work on the neighbourhood, which was previously referred to as the North East Sector will also see the creation of access roads, pavements, cycle paths and open space.

At the committee meeting 13 councillors voted in support of the application with one, Conservative councillor Alan Quirk, voting against the plan.

Problems

Cllr Quirk, who represents Broadfield South, does not feel that some of the houses are big enough and fears the road layout could cause traffic problems.

He said: “The report said some of the houses would be smaller than the council’s norm, as would be some of the gardens.

“The (council) officer said that the affordable housing wouldn’t be affected (by being smaller than normal) but the private housing would be. It would be a case of buyer beware.

“The private housing should meet the same requirements as the affordable housing.”

Having just one main road into the neighbourhood also concerns Cllr Quirk, as he believes this could cause traffic problems.

But Cllr Quirk added that he wasn’t against the Forge Wood development.

He said: “We need the houses. I want to ‘see it get off the ground.”

A total of 59 of the 204 properties approved in the first phase would be affordable homes. Labour councillor Peter Smith, the shadow member for planning and economic development, said: “There is
less than the 40 per cent affordable housing but it was phase 1A that was passed and the subsequent housing at Forge Wood will bring more affordable housing forward.

“It is disappointing as we want to see it as soon as we can, but in the totality of the development there will be the correct allocated level of affordable housing.

“Crawley urgently needs more affordable housing for the people on the waiting list.”

Some 532 of the 1,900 properties planned at Forge Wood will be council houses and 228 will be shared ownership homes.

Houses

APPROVED: How some of the Forge Wood homes will look

Tell us about the school you want

New primary close to Pound Hill
3rd July 2013 – Crawley News
Report by Keith Ballinger

A CONSULTATION on what sort of primary school should be built in Crawley’s soon-to-be-developed North East Sector is under way

The school, in the new neighbourhood north of Pound Hill, will have to cater for 420 pupils between the ages of 4 and 11.

Residents are being asked who should run the school, with options including.a parent group, a faith group, an existing school, an academy group or a school with a particular ethos such has Montessori or Steiner schools.

Other preferences to be considered include whether the school should be built in one or two phases, the catchment area, how pupils would get to the site, the date it should open, dedicated provision for children with learning difficulties and disabilities and whether there should be early years and pre-school provision.

The North East Sector will comprise of 1,900 homes and building work will begin early next year, with the first residents moving in by the end of 2014.

In total there will be four phases of building over 12 years.

West Sussex County Council anticipates its primary school having two classes per year group and opening in September 2016.

Peter Evans, the council’s cabinet member for children, said: “The benefit of having a new
school would be school places created nearer to new homes, therefore reducing school journeys.

“New school buildings can be designed to meet current guidance and existing schools would be able to continue without disruption.

Growth

“A new school provides another option to meet further growth in pupil numbers if required and it acts as a focal point for building a new community”

The consultation outlines the disadvantages of opening a new school, which include the fact it would be “untested” compared to established schools with “good track records”.

At a Later date a separate consultation is planned for a primary school in Crawley’s other new neighbourhood, Kilnwood Vale.

There are four primary schools currently serving the north east of the borough.
In 2014 the county council estimates there will be 359 children in the catchment area looking to join these four schools but only 330 spaces available.

Cllr Evans added: “We believe existing schools cannot be easily expanded and that a primary school to serve the new houses should be commissioned as soon as possible in the development.”

The public consultation ends on August 5. In September and October expressions of interest from parties looking to run the school will be sought, based on the feedback from the consultation.

A final decision on who runs the school is expected to be announced by January 2014.
A public drop-in session is taking place this afternoon (Wednesday) at Crawley Library from 4pm to 7pm, where residents can make their views heard.

Anyone wishing to give their views in writing should visit

websitewww.westsussex.gov.uk/haveyoursay