Mid Sussex stands by to help Crawley out of housing problem

Figures on housing for the next 20 years show that a shortfall of 272 homes a year in Crawley.

And Mid Sussex looks likely to absorb most of them unless Crawley finds a way of reducing its deficit.

The figures emerged from a document prepared in the run up to last week’s first public session on the draft Mid Sussex Local Plan.

Mid Sussex Council prepared them to show it had complied with procedure by co-operating with Crawley and another neighbour, Horsham, on housing demand.

Crawley Council was assessed to need 542 a year and was proposing to find space for only 270.

Although the figures are not final they are certain to concern people already campaigning against large housing developments in the district.

The statement covers likely housing figures in the North West Sussex housing market area covered by Mid Sussex, Crawley and Horsham district councils.

In total the combined figures show up to 1548 homes are wanted by all three authorities in total as part of what is called “objectively assessed need”.

Against that “proposed housing provision across the three councils is listed as 1375 a year, with Mid Sussex and Horsham,picking up the tab for the deficit.

The statement said that housing numbers for Crawley and Horsham were yet to be finalised and commented: ” It is recognised that Crawley is doing all it can to maximise its capacity for housing development with the Borough boundaries and thereby reduce the shortfall across the housing market area.”

AWAITING quote from MSDC