The Crawley Local Plan Review has been
undertaken to ensure the borough's Local Plan remains up-to-date.
The new Crawley Borough Local Plan has been prepared based on the
outcomes of monitoring the implementation of the 2015 adopted Local
Plan, feedback from previous stages of formal public consultations
and updating the supporting technical evidence base.
Following Full Council, held on 22 February 2023, which approved
the Draft Local Plan for Publication and Submission, formal public
consultation took place between May and June 2023.
The draft Local Plan was Submitted to the Secretary of State for
its independent Examination on 31 July 2023. Two Inspectors were
appointed to carry out the Examination of the Plan. Examination
Hearing Sessions were carried out in two parts, held during
November 2023 and January 2024.
Following the discussions at the Hearings, the Inspectors issued a
post-hearing letter, dated 31 January 2024. The council published
Main Modifications to the Local Plan, arising from the
Inspectors’ letter, for a formal six-week public consultation
between February and March 2024. Subject to the Inspectors’
consideration of the representations received during this public
consultation, the council is anticipating to receive the
Inspectors’ final Report into the legal compliance and
soundness of the Crawley Borough Local Plan in late May/early
June.
The Crawley Borough Local Plan 2023-2040 is supported by a number
of statutory supporting documents (including a Local Plan Map, a
Sustainability Appraisal, a Habitats Regulations Assessment and a
Consultation Statement) and a substantial technical evidence
base.
Cabinet are to be asked to recommend to Full Council to approve the
Crawley Borough Local Plan 2023-2040 for its adoption, in
accordance with the recommendations, and subject to the Main
Modifications necessary for soundness, set out in the
Inspectors’ Final Report.
Should the council not receive the Inspectors’ Final Report
in sufficient time for the anticipated programme, then it would be
necessary to reconsider the timetable for a later committee cycle.
Further, should the Inspectors require the council to undertake
additional work, issue further instructions or reopen the hearing
sessions, delays to the progression of the Local Plan would be
incurred.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Affects more than 1 ward;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Wards affected: (All Wards);
Notice of proposed decision first published: 14/02/2024
Decision due: 2 Oct 2024 by Cabinet
Decision due: 16 Oct 2024 by Full Council
Lead member: Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development
Contact: Elizabeth Brigden, Planning Policy Manager Email: Elizabeth.Brigden@crawley.gov.uk.
Consultation process
Five formal periods of public consultation
took place during the preparation of the Crawley Borough Local Plan
review: Early Engagement (Regulation 18) Consultation – 15
July to 16 September 2019; Initial Publication (Regulation 19)
Consultation – 20 January to 2 March 2020; Additional
Publication (Regulation 19) Consultation – 6 January to 30
June 2021; Further Publication (Regulation 19) Consultation –
9 May to 20 June 2023; and Main Modifications Consultation –
12 February to 25 March 2024.
Comments received from each stage of consultation were collated by
the council officers and submitted along with the Local Plan for
consideration by the independent Planning Inspectors as part of the
Plan’s examination.