Developers respond to residents’ objections to plan for 48 new homes in West Sussex village

Merrow Wood (Burleigh Lane Crawley Down Ltd) applied to Mid Sussex District Council, via the agent Robinson Escott Planning, to demolish numbers 9-11 Woodlands Close and build new homes.

The application is at pa.midsussex.gov.uk/online-applications (reference DM/25/1593).

The homes would be built on land to the north of Burleigh Lane with open space, landscaping, associated infrastructure and an access road onto Woodlands Close.

Daniel Webber, founder and managing director at Merrow Wood, told the Middy: “Merrow Wood are thrilled to be bringing forward much needed family homes for Crawley Down and Mid Sussex.”

The company has also responded to several key concerns voiced by residents who have submitted dozens of objection letters to the planning portal.

The residents opposed to the plan are mainly concerned about increased traffic on roads, the availability of school spaces, limited healthcare provision, a possible impact on green spaces, the development being ‘disproportionate’ to the size of Crawley Down, and traffic noise.

One letter said: “There are far too many building developments in Crawley Down. No increased infrastructure, no doctors, schools, shops to deal with the many hundreds of extra people.”

Another letter said: “The village has not got the infrastructure to provide new residents with the lifestyle that living in a village should be.”

One resident said that some children living north of the proposed land had not been able to get a place at the village school. They said: “As the new proposed development is further from the school, it can be surmised that potential future residents will not achieve a place either.”

Another resident was concerned that the new development could ‘severely disrupt local green spaces and natural habitats’, saying the area supports biodiversity and ‘provides a valued natural setting for residents’. They said: “Losing this to housing not only impacts wildlife but also diminishes the character and environmental health of the community.”

They added: “A development of this size would lead to a significant rise in vehicle traffic, particularly through Woodlands Close and its junction with Kiln Road. These roads were not designed for such volumes, and the resulting congestion would be a major concern for both residents and road users.”

Among the objections, there was particular concern that one property could end up having roads on at least two sides of it, following the demolition of numbers 9-11.

In his response to these concerns, Daniel Webber said: “We are proposing well-designed homes that will help people get their foot on the housing ladder, while supporting the local area with significant investment in local schools and libraries.”

He continued: “It is hugely important for us that any housing proposal provides a good deal for existing residents in the nearby area, with this in mind we have been in discussion with Worth Parish Council, Crawley Down Gatwick FC and the 1st Turners Hill and Crawley Down Scout Group to ensure that investment that is secured from the development is put to use locally in Crawley Down and will go towards improving vital community facilities.

“We take great care in bringing forward well designed developments that will meet the needs of as many stakeholders as possible. We value the discussions we’ve had to date with local stakeholders and commit to ongoing discussions.”

Mr Webber said: “Although Mid Sussex is building homes, the government is clear with its latest review of the planning laws that more will be needed in Mid Sussex. So the homes proposed for Crawley Down are being built where for too many home ownership is still out of reach and where there is really substantial need.”

In addition, Merrow Wood sent a list of ‘significant community benefits’ that they said the development would offer. These include: 15 affordable homes, four First Homes and 11 rented homes for residents in ‘acute housing need’; the generation of a ‘sustainable community’, with investment in local education (£430,000 funding for local schools and £214,000 invested in the local community); a stream of funding towards a 3G football pitch for Crawley Down Gatwick Football Club and the 1st Turners Hill and Crawley Down Scout Group, as well as other projects in the area; new dedicated spaces created for nature; and a new children’s play area.

Merrow Wood said the proposals aim to ‘keep the village thriving’ by strengthening the existing community. They said ‘the vast majority’ of existing trees will be retained, while flood risk would be reduced, and the existing watercourse improved, with a sustainable drainage system. The company said it has made ‘considerable efforts’ to understand the concerns of residents and said discussions with councils have informed the final designs.