Decisions Made

The Station Gateway (Phase 1) project is a significant public realm and bus station improvement scheme at an important transportation hub and principal gateway to Crawley Town Centre.

On 29 November 2023, the Cabinet delegated authority to approve the final designs for Station Gateway (Phase 1) to the Head of Major Projects and Commercial Services, in consultation with the Head of Economy and Planning (resolutions (c) of report PES/443).  At that meeting, the Cabinet also delegated authority to submit a planning application to the Local Planning Authority on behalf of Crawley Borough Council for Station Gateway (Phase 1) (resolution (d) of report PES/443) to the Head of Major Projects and Commercial Services.

Therefore, the Head of Major Projects and Commercial Services, in consultation with the Head of Economy approved the final designs for Station Gateway Phase 1 and, on 1 October 2024. the Head of Major Projects and Commercial Services then submitted the planning application to the Local Planning Authority on behalf of Crawley Borough Council (application reference CR/2024/0554/FUL).

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Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet:

a)            delegates the negotiation, approval and completion of all relevant documentation, including legal paperwork necessary to secure the required market acquisitions to the Head of Crawley Homes, Head of Governance, People and Performance, Head of Corporate Finance, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Housing.

(Generic Delegations 2 & 3 will be used to enact this recommendation)

b)            authorises the Head of Strategic Housing Services in consultation with the Head of Corporate Finance to complete the necessary allocations for the LAHF funding received.

That Full Council to recommended to approve the uplift to the Crawley Homes Acquisitions Budget from available funding sources as detailed in sections 5.9 (use of S106 monies) and 5.10 (10% contingency) and 5.11 (summary of budget requirement) of report CH/210, for the purposes of securing additional affordable housing in order to satisfy the housing requirements that meets the objectives of the LAHF funding allocation.

Reasons for the Recommendations

a)      The LAHF funding allocation is aimed at addressing specific housing needs in the borough, most of which relates to expanding the Council’s temporary accommodation housing stock, along with the need to provide a quota with more secure tenancies, and it is this specific quota that can be better addressed through the expansion of Crawley Homes housing stock, with this report seeking the necessary budget to satisfy this particular LAHF requirement.

b)      The LAHF fund is aimed at achieving additional affordable housing, beyond that which is already being delivered through the affordable housing development programme, whereby this is to be achieved through sourcing the appropriate properties from the market, which is largely subsidised by the LAHF funding allocation, but requires a supporting budget to enable this funding allocation to be utilised.

To seek Cabinet approval of a scheme budget for the site's redevelopment, and authority to enter into a contract for the construction of 6no. dwellings.

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RESOLVED

That the Cabinet:

a)             delegates authority to the Head of Crawley Homes and the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, for the appointment of a building contractor at the Tilgate Youth Centre site, using a suitable building contract following an appropriate procurement process, subject to planning permission being granted.

(Generic Delegation 3 will be used to enact this recommendation).

b)             delegates the negotiation, approval and completion of all relevant documentation, including legal paperwork, to the Head of Crawley Homes, in consultation with the Head of Governance, People and Performance and the Head of Corporate Finance.

(Generic Delegations 2 & 3 will be used to enact this recommendation).

That Full Council be recommended to approve the proposed scheme’s budget - stated under sections 6.7 and 6.12 within the report, which includes approving the appropriation of land from the General Fund to the Housing Revenue Account at a value of £175,000 (as identified in 7.5) - for the delivery of six affordable residential units (flats) at the Tilgate Youth Centre site, Shackleton Road

Reasons for Recommendations

a.        With its obligation to satisfy housing demand in the borough, and its statutory duty towards its residents that are in housing need - who cannot afford to buy or rent on the private market, the Council is required to pursue the development of new affordable housing in order to meet this demand.

b.        Despite the constraints which accompany the site, it is considered to be highly suitable for low-density residential development within a well-established neighbourhood setting. 

c.        If developed, the site would also become home to the Council’s third ‘own build’, fully certified Passivhaus scheme – joining the likes of previously delivered schemes at Gales Place, Three Bridges, and Dobbins Place, Ifield West, whilst maintaining the Council’s drive to reach (carbon emissions) net zero by 2040.

d.        In addition to the above, the introduction of further homes designed and built to Passivhaus standards will help drive up energy efficiency, while significantly lowering energy bills for occupants – many of whom may have experienced fuel poverty during previous tenancies.

RESOLVED

That Full Council be recommended to adopted and published, the submitted Crawley Borough Local Plan 2023-2040 (May 2023) and Local Plan Map, amended to include all the Main Modifications recommended by the Planning Inspectors to make the Plan ‘sound’, together with other consequential and minor amendments as additional modifications, in accordance with Regulation 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulation 2012 and Section 23(2) and (3) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended by s112(3) of the Localism Act 2011), as set out in report PES/459.

Reasons for the Recommendations

a)             National government guidance expects local planning authorities to produce up-to-date Local Plans for their areas over a 15-year timescale, setting out the strategic priorities for the area and showing how development needs will be met.

b)             The new Crawley Local Plan will ensure the town’s future development and infrastructure needs can be delivered to support the sustainable economic growth of the borough, within its accepted physical constraints, and whilst continuing to protect its important built and natural environmental assets.

c)             Substantial ‘early engagement’, a detailed technical evidence base undertaken throughout the Local Plan’s preparation, three periods of formal statutory consultation, and scrutiny through an independent Examination, has shaped a justifiable, robust and practical framework against which future development decisions can be made.

d)             Planning legislation requires local planning authorities to submit every development plan document, including Local Plans, to the Secretary of State for independent examination. Section 23 of the 2004 Act establishes the legislation pertinent to the adoption of local development documents. This confirms that where the person appointed to carry out the examination recommends modifications to make the Plan sound, the authority may adopt the document with main modifications and any additional modifications the authority considers necessary which would not materially affect the document; s23(4) confirms that the authority must not adopt a development plan document unless it is done in accordance with this clause. In order to become the council’s statutory Local Plan, it must be adopted by way of a Full Council Decision.

e)             The Inspectors’ Final Report was received by the council on 6 September 2024. This has been published on the council’s website and has been attached as an Appendix to this Cabinet Report (Appendix B). The Inspectors have found the Crawley Borough Local Plan 2024-2040 to be legally compliant and sound subject to a number of Main Modifications which are set out in the Final Inspectors’ Report. These Main Modifications have been made to the final version of the Crawley Borough Local Plan 2023-2040 (October 2024) which is to be considered alongside this Cabinet Report (Appendix A). Minor additional modifications have also been incorporated to ensure the Local Plan is up to date, factually correct and internally consistent. These are set out in a schedule (Appendix C). These are in addition to those which were published by the council alongside the Main Modifications consultation.

The decision to approve the previous 2023 version of the Crawley Borough Council and Mid Sussex District Council Statement of Common Ground (SoCG) was approved by the Head of Economy and Planning, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development, on 11 July 2023.  The 2023 version of the SoCG was published on the Crawley Borough Council webpage and submitted to the Planning Inspectorate alongside the Crawley Borough Local Plan to support its examination, and demonstrate that the councils have met the Duty to Cooperate.

Since the previous version of the SoCG was agreed, Mid Sussex District Council has progressed with its Mid Sussex District Plan.  This has been published for Regulation 19 consultation and has been submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination.

On this basis, the SoCG has, therefore, been revised and updated to reflect factual changes and the progress made since July 2023.

The revised September 2024 SoCG is attached.

At its meeting on 10 January 2024 the Cabinet considered report HCS/068 which assessed proposals to further improve the leisure facilities available to visitors as well as support spend-to-save and spend-to-earn initiatives. At that meeting the Cabinet resolved (resolution c) to delegate authority to the Head of Community Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Wellbeing, to proceed with projects and proposals subject to budget availability and delegation levels.

One such proposal was to increase the car park fees at Tilgate Park as the fees had not increased for a number of years and is a key income generator for the park.

A further options report was produced for the Cabinet Member on 28 March 2024 for an amendment to the Crawley Borough Council Off-Street Parking Places - Civil Enforcement and Consolidation Order 2009, providing options for consideration.

That the following increase to the parking tariffs at Tilgate Park be made with effect from 1 November 2024: