This week Crawley Borough Council expressed our formal objection to the proposed Homes England West of Ifield development that they have submitted to Horsham District Council for planning approval.
This application is not just another housing scheme. It is a speculative, large-scale proposal—3,000 homes—being pursued in the absence of an up-to-date Horsham Local Plan. That alone makes it premature. Strategic developments of this magnitude must be plan-led, not developer-led. Without that scrutiny, there is no certainty on critical infrastructure, housing mix, or environmental safeguards.
This is not about opposing growth. Crawley has always played its part in meeting housing need. But growth must be sustainable, well-designed, and respectful of our environment and heritage. This application falls far short.
Indeed, this is a proposal for urban sprawl at its worst and I cannot condone it.
Our concerns are clear and compelling:
The application fails to respect Crawley’s unique character as a compact new town within a countryside setting. The masterplan ignores our Local Plan guidance and disregards the principles that have shaped Crawley for decades. Instead of integration, it offers an inward-looking design that severs our connection to the countryside.
The harm to heritage and landscape is undeniable. Ifield Village Conservation Area, Ifield Brook Meadows, and Rusper Playing Fields are jewels of our borough—rich in history, biodiversity, and community value. It is vital that these continue to be protected.
The proposal fails our residents on affordable housing. Crawley needs a minimum 40% affordable provision, as set out in our adopted Local Plan. This application offers only 35%, with no mechanism to guarantee homes for Crawley families. That is unacceptable, especially when we face a declared housing emergency.
The infrastructure burden that this scheme will place on Crawley is enormous and the proposals to address it totally inadequate. Our roads are already at capacity. The Western Multi-Modal Corridor is critical, yet this application provides no certainty on its full delivery. Without it, congestion will worsen and air quality will deteriorate.
And let us not forget the loss of Ifield Golf Course—recognised widely as a valued recreational asset, offering high quality golf facilities. The loss would require complete and comprehensive mitigation.
It is somewhat depressing that a public body like Homes England should behave in this way, they’re not there for making profit in the way a private developer would, so they shouldn’t be acting like one and should be looking to prioritise affordable and social housing.
For these reasons—the Borough Council is saying, and I am saying, in a time of change and a time of growth: Crawley deserves far better than this.
Cllr Michael Jones
Leader, Crawley Borough Council