Work set to start on new 1,900-home development

Roads, primary school and health centre in first phase
15th May 2013 – Crawley News
Report by Keith Ballinger

 WORK is about to get under way on building roads and facilities for a new Crawley neighbourhood.

The “North-East Sector”, north of Pound’ Hill, will comprise of 1,900 homes, shops and a primary school when it is eventually finished. And it has been revealed this week that infrastructure work will start in the summer.

This will involve building new access routes, with junctions off Steers Lane to the north and Crawley Avenue to the south.

Work will also begin on the neighbourhood centre Developers Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon have secured detailed planning approval to construct the infrastructure for the first phase of the development.

Tree clearance work has already been undertaken for the Steers Lane access point, to avoid the bird nesting season.

In the first phase of construction 290 homes will be’ built , 40 per cent of which will be “affordable homes”.

The first residents will have a health centre, primary school, shops and community buildings ready to welcome them.

Claire Denman, Crawley Borough Council’s cabinet member for planning and economic development, believes it is vital to get the facilities built as early as possible.

She said: ‘A major condition of the original outline planning permission was that the neighbourhood would be provided for and self-sufficient.

“These key bits of social infrastructure being in place will be important.”

“Many years ago I remember moving to a new housing estate myself and there was nothing there at all.”

“It felt incredibly isolated and there is absolutely nothing worse than that when you move into a new home.”

Crawley’s 14th neighbourhood, which hasn’t yet been given an official name, will be bordered by Crawley Avenue to the south, Balcombe Road to the east, Steers Lane to the north and the railway line to the west.

The complete development will be built in four phases over 12 years.

More than two thirds of the site will remain as’woodland, while playing fields, a children’s play area and large areas of public open space will be created.

Parkland

Part of the open space will be picturesque parkland, with Gatwick Stream running through it and footbridges installed.

Extensive footpaths and cycle routes linked to existing networks will be built to encourage people to leave their cars at home

Cllr Denman added: “Plans for this new neighbourhood have taken a long time to get to this stage so I’m delighted that work, is soon to start.

“Crawley desperately needs more housing and the infrastructure that goes with a new neighbourhood so this is great news for the town.”

The development was first mooted back in 1998.

But it was not until February 2011 that it was given the go ahead after secretary’ of state for communities Eric Pickles granted outline planning permission.

Detailed plans for the first phase of homes are being finalised and it is anticipated construction of the first homes will commence next year, with residents moving in before the end of 2014.

Artist impression - North East Sector

Moving In: An artist impression of how some of the homes in the development should look

North East Sector Crawley

Public Exhibition of the Proposal

As events detailing Crawley’s new neighbourhood in the north east sector of the town were so successful another one has been organised.

The developers Taylor Wimpey and Persimmons will be holdings another public exhibition on:

Tuesday 11 December, 6 – 8.30pm at Milton Mount Community Centre, Pound Hill

Everyone in Crawley, and particularly those who may be interested in the construction phases, are invited to find out more. The developers will be present at the exhibitions to answer any questions about the development.

XTWSW616_Crawley_Consulation_Poster (sm)

1,900-home plan revealed in detail

21st November 2012 – Crawley News

DETAILS about Crawley’s newest neighbourhood have been on display.

Construction of the yet-to-be-named development of 1,900 homes north of Pound Hill, which has been referred to as the North East Sector, is set to start next year.

Representatives from Crawley Borough Council and developers Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon Homes provided information on the development at two exhibitions last week in County Mall and at Milton Mount Community Centre, in Pound Hill.

First phase

Developers have since said a detailed planning application for the first phase of homes will be submitted by spring 2013. Outline planning permission was granted in February 2011.

In the first phase of construction 290 homes will be built, of which 40 per cent will be affordable housing. It is expected the first residents will move in by the end of next year.

Residents in the town’s 14th neighbourhood will also have a new health centre, primary school, shops and a community building on their doorstep.

Picturesque parkland will be created, with the Gatwick Stream running through it and footbridges installed for access.

New roads will be constructed before building starts, with junctions off Steers Lane to the north, and Crawley Avenue to the south.

Ken Glendinning, from the Homes and Communities Agency, which is working in partnership with the borough council and developers to deliver the scheme, said: ‘As well as contributing to the town’s economic growth, this neighbourhood will include new high-quality homes and community facilities.”

The complete development will be built in four phases over 12 years.

More than two thirds of the site will remain as woodland and public open space, while playing fields, a furnished children’s play area and large areas of public open space will be created.

Although new roads will be built, residents will be encouraged to walk and cycle around the neighbourhood with the construction of an extensive network of footpaths, bridges and cycle routes.

The developers say they have taken into account concerns over how a new neighbourhood will affect the surrounding environment.

A spokesman for Taylor Wimpey said: “Important areas of the existing woodland are to be retained with minimal loss to important trees within the new neighbourhood.

“The proposal will also provide for new landscaping, mitigation planting and management of eristing and proposed landscaped areas.”

A worry over how animal species currently living on the land will be preserved has also been raised. Developers have pledged to create new habitats for protected species.

The potential need to relocate dormice, reptiles and bats is under consideration.

Being located near Gatwick Airport, the M23, railway lines and Manor Royal means noise issues will need to be dealt with.

Improved

New and improved building fabric will be used in the building process alongside fencing to protect housing areas. Landscaped buffer zones alongside the railway and motorway will be put in place.

A potential flood risk has been highlighted due to the Gatwick Stream and no houses will be built within the floodplain.

Artist’s Impression: illustrations of what homes to be built in the North East Sector housing development could look like and, right, the master plan for the development which will be to the north of Pound Hill

Houses

Plan2

Plans for new neighbourhood

7th November 2012 – Crawley News

The first residents of a new neighbourhood north of Pound Hill could be moved in by the end of next year.

Construction on the yet-to-be-named development, which has been referred to as the North East Sector, will start next year. It will eventually include up to 1,900 homes, a primary school, a community centre, office and industrial space, retail space and parkland.

Two exhibitions are being held next week for anyone interested in finding out more. The first will be on Tuesday from 5pm to 8pm at Milton Mount Community Centre, in Pound Hill. The second will be on the following Saturday from 10am to 4pm in County Mall.

Claire Denman, Crawley Borough Councils cabinet member for planning and economic development, said: “This is the perfect opportunity for everyone who is interested in this development and the growth of the town to find out more and also get their questions answered directly by the developers.

“This new neighbourhood took a decade to come forward and, now it has, it’s a vital part of the solution to Crawley’s growing housing need.” The development is expected to take about 12 years to complete, with construction in four phases.

The first will include infrastructure and facilities like the primary school, shops and community centre. Detailed planning discussions are taking place.

The News told last month how development had just started on another new neighbourhood, Kilnwood Vale, to the west of Bewbush.

Mapping the future: The master-plan for the north East Sector development

Plan