Wates gains approval for Crawley Down development

Mid Sussex District Council has granted Wates planning permission for updated proposals at Land North of Hunstland and West of Turners Hill Road in Crawley Down, Sussex.

The revised scheme will deliver up to 230 homes, alongside a 70-bed care home, community facilities, new open space, and improved walking and cycling connections. In response to feedback from ward councillors, Worth Parish Council, and local residents, the developer acquired land at Hurst Farm to move the main vehicular access away from Wychwood Place.

The scheme includes 30 per cent affordable housing, with a mix of flats and houses ranging from one to five bedrooms. Around 60 per cent of the site is expected to remain as publicly accessible green space, including landscaped routes, play areas, and a community space called St Leonards Lookout. The plans also provide renewable energy measures, EV charging points, an electric car club, and links to the Worth Way.

The development is expected to generate significant local investment, with around £3.8 million to be directed toward healthcare, education, a 3G pitch for Crawley Down Gatwick Football Club, and The Haven Centre. Planning officers acknowledged that the project will permanently change the character of the greenfield site and have visual impacts on nearby residents and public rights of way. However, they concluded that these impacts are outweighed by the pressing need for housing, especially given the district’s lack of a five-year housing land supply and the national objective to boost housing delivery.

Jordan van Laun MRICS said the inclusion of Hurst Farm both addresses community concerns and enables more open space, affordable housing, and funding for local facilities.