142-575: Forge Wood (under construction and semi-occupied, but scheduled for completion in 2026) is the 14th residential neighbourhood in Crawley , a town and borough in West Sussex . The 1,900 houses and other facilities will be built on open land in the northeast of the borough, adjoining the ancient village of Tinsley Green and to the north of the Pound Hill neighbourhood. Forge Wood was known as
284-548: A chapelry in the parish of Slaugham . When district and parish councils were established under the Local Government Act 1894 , Crawley was given a parish council and included in the Horsham Rural District . The parish was significantly enlarged in 1933, when it absorbed the neighbouring parish of Ifield . Following the designation as a New Town in 1947, the parish of Crawley
426-474: A 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) speed limit. Crawley Avenue is a 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) dual carriageway which forms the main entry to Crawley from the east, including from the motorway network. New roads will connect Steers Lane, Balcombe Road and Crawley Avenue. Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey submitted a planning application for their construction in August 2012, with the intention of starting work on
568-405: A central cross on a shield, representing the town's location at the meeting point of north–south and east–west roads. The shield bears nine martlets representing both the county of Sussex and the new town's original nine neighbourhoods. Supporters, of an eagle and a winged lion, relate to the significance of the airport to the locality. The motto featured is I Grow and I Rejoice —a translation of
710-475: A centre with shops, a church, a public house , a primary school and a community centre . Secondary education was to be provided at campuses at Ifield Green , Three Bridges and Tilgate . Later, a fourth campus, in Southgate , was added to the plans. At first, little development took place in the town centre, and residents relied on the shops and services in the existing high street. The earliest progress
852-580: A coaching halt. By 1839 it offered almost an hourly service to both destinations. The George, a timber-framed house dating from the 15th century, expanded to become a large coaching inn, taking over adjacent buildings. Eventually an annexe had to be built in the middle of the wide High Street; this survived until the 1930s. The original building has become the George Hotel , with conference facilities and 84 bedrooms; it retains many period features including an iron fireback . Crawley's oldest church
994-623: A contemporary art gallery; and the Towner Eastbourne gallery, which celebrated its centenary in 2023 and hosted the award ceremony for the Turner Prize on 5 December of that year. The coastal towns of Brighton and Hove, Bexhill-on-Sea, Hastings and Eastbourne attract many day trippers during the summer to visit the beaches. Brighton and Hove have a range of attractions including the Royal Pavilion . Beginning in 1787, it
1136-561: A footpath which crosses the M23 motorway ; a small area south of the Phase 1 development will also be added at this time. Phase 3 will form the westernmost part of the neighbourhood, between the already developed area and the railway line; and Phase 4 covers the northeastern part of the development area immediately north of the "Phase 2" sector. Two blocks of land totalling 5.18 hectares (12.8 acres) have been reserved for "possible future extension" at
1278-587: A hard-surface games court and an area of parkland alongside the Gatwick Stream will also be created. Two new road links will be created: one leading on to Steers Lane to the north at Tinsley Green, and one on to the A2011 Crawley Avenue. The "Phase 1" sector lies in the centre–west of the development area, wholly to the west of Balcombe Road. Phase 2 will occupy the southeastern part of the development area, east of Balcombe Road and south of
1420-449: A local centre/community centre (including a community hall), a new primary school, recreational open aspace, landscaping, the relocation of the 132 kV OHV power line adjacent to the M23, infrastructure and means of access". The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government blocked this application before the council could take any action. When the companies submitted an appeal to
1562-526: A longer term possibility." Accordingly, he had to take into account the "extent to which North East Sector would prejudice a second runway", balancing this against the need for housing in Crawley and the surrounding area. He concluded that "the appeal scheme would place no physical impediment in the way of a second wide-spaced runway, and the sole concern remains the wider issue of noise on the surrounding residential communities". Following additional analysis by
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#17327865881081704-539: A marketing feature. By road, Three Bridges railway station is about 2 miles (3.2 km) away, Gatwick Airport railway station and the airport itself are about 4 miles (6.4 km) distant, and the M23 motorway is close. London's orbital motorway, the M25 , is 12 miles (19 km) away via the M23. The road distance to the airport does not reflect its proximity to the site, though. Walking or cycling via Radford Road, City Place Gatwick and National Cycle Route 20 , it
1846-482: A mix of private and council housing were added, most recently Maidenbower in the late 1980s. Forge Wood is therefore described as "Crawley's 14th neighbourhood". The development is being undertaken by a consortium consisting of Crawley Borough Council, housebuilders Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon Homes , and the Homes and Communities Agency —a non-departmental government body responsible for affordable housing . Of
1988-432: A nearby village east of the M23. In August 2014, outline planning permission was granted for a development of 500 houses on the west side of Copthorne which would in turn expand the village as far as the M23, "effectively merging" the two settlements. The application was approved after the developer, St. Modwen Properties , amended it to include more footpaths and cycle paths connecting the estate with Forge Wood. Parts of
2130-675: A new set of eight bells were cast and installed by the Croydon-based firm Gillett, Bland & Company. The Brighton Main Line was the first railway line to serve the Crawley area. A station was opened at Three Bridges (originally known as East Crawley) in the summer of 1841. Crawley railway station , at the southern end of the High Street, was built in 1848 when the Horsham branch was opened from Three Bridges to Horsham. A line
2272-610: A phrase from the Epistulae of Seneca the Younger . Despite a petition to save it, the old Crawley Town Hall, which was built in 1964, was demolished in 2020 and a new Crawley Town Hall was completed in 2023. Initially, the district (and then borough ) council worked with the Commission for New Towns on many aspects of development; but in 1978 many of the commission's assets, such as housing and parks, were surrendered to
2414-478: A recreational area in the south of the town—was the site of two late Iron Age furnaces. Ironworking and mineral extraction continued throughout Roman times , particularly in the Broadfield area where many furnaces were built. In the 5th century, Saxon settlers named the area Crow's Leah—meaning a crow-infested clearing, or Crow's Wood. This name evolved over time, and the present spelling appeared by
2556-619: A replay. It is the only fully professional men's team in the county. The oldest club in East Sussex is Eastbourne Town F.C. , which was founded in 1881. Lewes F.C. is a semi-professional football club. The men's first team is in the Isthmian League Premier Division. It also has a successful women's team , which in 2023–24 was competing in the second-tier Women's Championship against teams supported by much larger clubs, including some with their men's team in
2698-428: A school and recreational open spaces as well. Crawley Development Corporation 's intention was for neighbourhood shops to cater only to basic needs, and for the town centre to be used for most shopping requirements. The number of shop units provided in the neighbourhood parades reflected this: despite the master plan making provision for at least 20 shops in each neighbourhood, the number actually built ranged from 19 in
2840-480: A short distance. During calm, clear periods of weather this allows for some interesting temperature variations, although most of the time, when mobile westerly airstreams persist, the weather is typically Oceanic like the rest of the British Isles. Gatwick is the nearest weather station that publishes long-term averages that give an accurate description of the climate of the Crawley area, although more recently
2982-613: A single county, Sussex . The north-east of East Sussex is part of the Weald , a sandstone anticline that was once an extensive woodland. The highest point in this area is Crowborough Hill (242 m (794 ft)), part of the High Weald uplands. The south-west of the county is part of the South Downs , a rolling chalk escarpment that stretches west into West Sussex and Hampshire. Ditchling Beacon (248 m (814 ft))
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#17327865881083124-549: A site next to Crawley station in 1881. In 1898 more than 700 people were employed at the site. There was a major expansion in house building in the late 19th century. An area known as "New Town" (unrelated to the postwar developments) was created around the railway level crossing and down the Brighton Road; the West Green area, west of the High Street on the way to Ifield, was built up; and housing spread south of
3266-629: A steam locomotive, and Volk's Electric Railway , which runs from Brighton's Palace Pier to Brighton Marina along the seafront. Volk's is the oldest operational electric railway in the world. There are also several castles that attract many visitors, as indicated in the Landmarks section above. Annual events also promote tourism to the county. Brighton Pride is one of the UK's largest and oldest pride parades and other pride events take place at Eastbourne and Hastings. The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run
3408-582: A suitable location for a New Town ; but it was not officially designated as such until 9 January 1947 . The 5,920 acres (2,396 ha) of land set aside for the new town were split across the county borders between East Sussex , West Sussex and Surrey . Architect Thomas Bennett was appointed chairman of Crawley Development Corporation . Members of the working group developing a master Plan included Lawrence Neal, Alwyn Sheppard Fidler , Caroline Haslett , Molly Bolton , Sir Edward Gillett , Eric Walter Pasold and Alderman James Marshall. A court challenge to
3550-408: A total farmed area of 108,825 hectares. They employed just over 4000 people and, in 2020, produced a gross value added of £66 million. Livestock grazing accounts for almost 40% of the farmed area, with there being approximately six times as many sheep as cattle. Fishing is limited but there are still fishing fleets, notably at Rye and Hastings, although the number of boats is much reduced. Historically,
3692-464: A town and borough in West Sussex , England . It is 28 miles (45 km) south of London , 18 miles (29 km) north of Brighton and Hove , and 32 miles (51 km) north-east of the county town of Chichester . Crawley covers an area of 17.36 square miles (44.96 km ) and had a population of 118,493 at the time of the 2021 Census . The area has been inhabited since the Stone Age , and
3834-403: A weekly market on Wednesdays. Crawley grew slowly in importance over the next few centuries, but was boosted in the 18th century by the construction of the turnpike road between London and Brighton . When this was completed in 1770, travel between the newly fashionable seaside resort and London became safer and quicker, and Crawley (located approximately halfway between the two) prospered as
3976-570: Is St John the Baptist's , between the High Street and the Broadway. It is said to have 13th-century origins, but there has been much rebuilding (especially in the 19th century) and the oldest part remaining is the south wall of the nave , which is believed to be 14th century. The church has a 15th-century tower (rebuilt in 1804) which originally contained four bells cast in 1724. Two were replaced by Thomas Lester of London in 1742; but in 1880
4118-548: Is a ceremonial county in South East England . It is bordered by Kent to the north-east, West Sussex to the west, Surrey to the north-west, and the English Channel to the south. The largest settlement is the city of Brighton and Hove , and the county town is Lewes . The county has an area of 1,792 km (692 sq mi) and a population of 822,947. The latter is largely concentrated along
4260-833: Is a large multi-arts festival held every May. There is a wide range of museums and art galleries in East Sussex. Notable amongst these are the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery ; the Hove Museum of Creativity ; the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery ; Hastings Contemporary ; Charleston Farmhouse near Lewes, with an exhibition devoted to the artistic work of the Bloomsbury Group ; the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea, which houses
4402-559: Is a short distance from East Sussex and easily accessible by road and rail from most of the county. Despite its name, Brighton City Airport , the former Shoreham Airport, is in West Sussex. Three airports service small private planes, helicopters and flying schools: Spilsted Farm near Hastings; Kittyhawk Aerodrome near Lewes; and Deanland Airfield , also near Lewes. A ferry operates from Newhaven to Dieppe in France twice daily in
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4544-459: Is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the closest part of the Forge Wood site, and the 2006 transport assessment identified the airport as one of several "day-to-day destinations within Crawley [Borough] that can be reached within a 20-minute walk". 51°08′12″N 0°09′10″W / 51.1368°N 0.1529°W / 51.1368; -0.1529 Crawley Crawley ( ) is
4686-413: Is also the name of a small group of industrial units within the nearby Manor Royal industrial estate. It lies at the south end of Gatwick Road, on the opposite side of the railway line from the Forge Wood neighbourhood, and consists of 13 units of around 3,000–5,000 square feet (280–460 m) each. Development of the site will bring the eastern boundary of Crawley's built-up area closer to Copthorne ,
4828-483: Is available for 1971 to 2000, but given increases at comparable sites nearby, annual averages are likely to be over 1,600 hours. Snowfall is often heavier in the Sussex Weald than in many other low-lying parts of central and southern England due to the proximity of moisture-laden southerly tracking low-pressure systems bringing easterly winds and snow to areas from South London southwards. However, again due to
4970-1083: Is located at Sedlescombe . East Sussex has many theatres and performance venues, including the Theatre Royal in Brighton and the Brighton Dome , the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts at the University of Sussex, the Royal Hippodrome Theatre and Devonshire Park Theatre in Eastbourne, and the White Rock Theatre in Hastings. The annual Glyndebourne Festival Opera takes place at Glyndebourne near Lewes. The Brighton Festival
5112-577: Is much higher than the UK's average of about 1,340 hours of sunshine a year. The relief of the county reflects the geology. The chalk uplands of the South Downs occupies the coastal strip between Brighton and Eastbourne. There are two river gaps: the Rivers Ouse and Cuckmere . The Seven Sisters , where the Downs meet the sea, are the remnants of dry valleys cut into the chalk; they end at Beachy Head , 530 feet (162 m) above sea level. To
5254-559: Is not a major manufacturing or industrial area of the United Kingdom. Of the companies registered, the leading category in 2023 was "construction", followed by "real estate activities". An important contribution to the county's economy comes from the fact that many residents of Brighton and Hove, Eastbourne and Hastings commute to London or work remotely for companies outside the county. There were 1,720 agricultural holdings in East Sussex (excluding Brighton and Hove) in 2022, with
5396-673: Is part of southern anticline of the Weald : the South Downs , a range of moderate chalk hills which run across the southern part of the county from west to east and mirrored in Kent by the North Downs . To the north lie parallel valleys and ridges, the highest of which is the Weald itself (the Hastings beds and Wealden Clay). The sandstones and clays meet the sea at Hastings; the Downs, at Beachy Head . The area contains significant reserves of shale oil, totalling 4.4 billion barrels of oil in
5538-629: Is part of the historic county of Sussex , which has its roots in the ancient kingdom of the South Saxons , who established themselves there in the 5th century AD, after the departure of the Romans . Archaeological remains are plentiful, especially in the upland areas. The area's position on the coast has also meant that there were many invaders, including the Romans and later the Normans , following
5680-462: Is surrounded by towns including Horley , Redhill , Reigate , Oxted , Dorking , Horsham , Haywards Heath , Burgess Hill and East Grinstead . The borough of Crawley is bordered by the districts of Mid Sussex and Horsham in West Sussex as well as the districts of Mole Valley and Tandridge and the borough of Reigate and Banstead in Surrey . Crawley lies in the Weald between
5822-716: Is the highest point. Where the downs reach the sea, they form high cliffs such as the Seven Sisters , where eroded dry valleys create an undulating skyline. The county does not contain large rivers, but its largest are the Rother , which forms part of the boundary with Kent, the Cuckmere , and the Ouse , which rises in West Sussex and flows through Lewes before reaching the English Channel at Newhaven . East Sussex
Forge Wood - Misplaced Pages Continue
5964-474: Is the world's longest-running motoring event. To qualify, cars must have been built before 1905. It is also the world's largest gathering of veteran cars. The race finishes on Madeira Drive in Brighton. For visitors who wish to explore East Sussex by car, there are many interesting and attractive towns and villages, such as Alfriston ; Battle , site of the Battle of Hastings; Ditchling ; Herstmonceux , with
6106-444: The 2021 census , Crawley's population had grown to 118,493. White people made up 73.4% of the population, of those 61.8% identified as White British , a decrease from 84.5% in 2001, while those who identified as " Other White " were 10.5%. Asians made up 15.4% of the population, with Indians and Pakistanis making up 6.2% and 5.2% of the population respectively, while Sri Lankans (mostly of Tamil descent / background ) make up
6248-679: The A23 London–Brighton road. Three-quarters of the population had piped water supplies, all businesses and homes had electricity, and piped gas and street lighting had been in place for 50 years. An airfield was opened in 1930 on land near the racecourse. This was a private concern until the Second World War when it was claimed by the Royal Air Force . In May 1946, the New Towns Act of 1946 identified Crawley as
6390-666: The A26 which carries traffic from Newhaven and Lewes north into Kent; and the south coast trunk route, which starts in Folkestone (Kent) as the A259 trunk road , and traverses the south coast to Eastbourne , where it becomes the A27 trunk road and heads westwards towards Chichester in West Sussex and ultimately to Honiton in Devon. All the main roads suffer from congestion and traffic problems:
6532-613: The Bewbush and Broadfield neighbourhoods and at Crawley Library in September and October 2014 to discuss issues relating to the Local Plan, including the proposals for Forge Wood. Forge Wood will be built in four phases. The first phase will include most of the non-residential buildings, consisting of a community centre, shopping area, health centre and a 2,230-square-metre (24,000 sq ft) school building. Playing fields,
6674-907: The East Coastway Line (including the Marshlink Line ); the Hastings line ; and the Uckfield branch of the Oxted Line . There are three heritage railways : the Kent and East Sussex Railway operates from Tenterden in Kent to Bodiam ; the Bluebell Railway from Sheffield Park to East Grinstead ; and the Lavender Line Steam Railway is a one-mile line at Isfield , near Uckfield . Trains in
6816-752: The Litlington White Horse and the Long Man of Wilmington , which are both situated in the Sussex Downs . East Sussex has no motorways, and even dual carriageways are sparse in the county. The main roads through the county are those part of the radial pattern from London: the A21 from Kent to Hastings; the A22 from Surrey to Eastbourne; and the A23 from Gatwick to Brighton. Cross-country routes include
6958-443: The Martello towers and Eastbourne Redoubt . Battle Abbey , built to commemorate the Battle of Hastings ; Bateman's , home of Rudyard Kipling ; Hammerwood Park , one of the first examples of Greek Revival architecture in the UK; and the University of Sussex buildings at Falmer are among interesting buildings. Bexhill-on-Sea is also home to the De La Warr Pavilion . East Sussex also includes two chalk hill figures , being
7100-414: The Mesolithic period: locally manufactured flints of the Horsham Culture type have been found to the southwest of the town. Tools and burial mounds from the Neolithic period , and burial mounds and a sword from the Bronze Age , have also been discovered. Crawley is on the western edge of the High Weald , which produced iron for more than 2,000 years from the Iron Age onwards. Goffs Park—now
7242-460: The Met Office has also published data for its nearby weather station at Charlwood . Both weather stations are about 3 miles north of Crawley town centre and at similar altitudes. Generally, Crawley's inland and southerly position within the UK means temperatures in summer are amongst the highest in the British Isles, Charlwood recording 36.3C (97.3F) and Gatwick recording 36.4C (97.5F) on 19 July 2006, just 0.2C and 0.1C lower, respectively, than
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#17327865881087384-413: The New Towns Act 1946 . Anthony Minoprio 's master plan designated nine "neighbourhoods"—self-contained residential areas with mixed styles and tenure of housing, extensive open space and a central area with facilities such as a shopping parade, church, community centre and school. Crawley Development Corporation was responsible for developing these. After it was wound up another four neighbourhoods with
7526-411: The North and South Downs . Two beds of sedimentary rock meet beneath the town: the eastern neighbourhoods and the town centre lie largely on the sandstone Hastings Beds, while the rest of the town is based on Weald Clay . A geological fault running from east to west has left an area of Weald Clay (with a ridge of limestone ) jutting into the Hastings Beds around Tilgate . The highest point in
7668-437: The North East Sector until December 2013, when the present name was adopted in reference to an area of ancient woodland within its boundaries. The site has a long and complex planning history dating back to 1998. Crawley Borough Council, which owned much of the poor-quality pastureland which characterises the area, favoured developing it for housing; but opponents of the plans raised concerns over flooding, noise pollution and
7810-416: The Planning Inspectorate , Crawley Borough Council it "due to changed circumstances". The Inspectorate then held a public inquiry in October–November 2006; although this upheld the original refusal to grant planning permission, an appeal was made to the High Court of Justice and the original decision was quashed in 2008. The final decision on whether to approve the application on appeal therefore lay with
7952-425: The River Mole ); buildings will be sited away from the floodplain , sustainable drainage system techniques will be used, and excess water will be stored. The ancient woodland within the site provides habitats for protected species, and the maintenance of these habitats or the creation of replacements is a condition of the development. When Crawley was designated as a New Town in 1947, the present Forge Wood area
8094-555: The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government . Another public inquiry was held in June 2009. The planning inspector's report was issued in October 2009. Responses from interested parties prompted the Secretary of State to ask for an additional report, which was provided in May 2010. In the same month, the newly elected coalition government issued a policy document, The Coalition: Our Programme for Government , which stated their intention to "...refuse permission for [an] additional runway at Gatwick". A second runway at
8236-451: The census in 2011 the population of Crawley was recorded as 106,597. The 2001 census data showed that population then accounted for 13.2% of the population of the county of West Sussex . The growth in population of the new town (around 1,000% between 1951 and 2001 ) has outstripped that of most similar-sized settlements. For example, in the same period, the population of the neighbouring district of Horsham grew by just 99%. According to
8378-422: The county town of the three eastern rapes being Lewes . This situation was formalised by Parliament in 1865, and the two parts were made into administrative counties , each with its own elected county council in 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888 . In East Sussex there were also three self-administered county boroughs : Brighton , Eastbourne and Hastings . Upon its foundation, East Sussex included
8520-413: The parliamentary constituency of Crawley . Henry Smith won the seat at the 2010 general election and was re-elected at the 2015, 2017 and 2019 general elections. Laura Moffatt , a member of the Labour Party , was the MP for Crawley from 1997 to 2010; she was the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Health , Alan Johnson . In the 2005 general election , the winning margin
8662-423: The 1,900 houses, 60% (1,140) will be for private ownership and 40% (760) will be classed as affordable housing: 532 council houses for rent and 228 shared ownership houses. The latter allow people to buy a majority share in a house at 20% less than its market value . All four phases of development will incorporate some council and affordable housing. The Borough's council housing stock, which will be developed by
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#17327865881088804-474: The A27 which connects Eastbourne to Portsmouth is one of the busiest trunk roads in the UK. Bus routes serve all the main areas of settlement and many of the villages in the county. The railways serve the main towns in a similar fashion to the roads. Until the closures of many branch railways in the 20th century, rural East Sussex was well-served by rail: few such branch lines escaped the Beeching cuts so that today only main-line services remain. They include
8946-420: The Brighton Main Line. In the early 20th century, many of the large country estates in the area, with their mansions and associated grounds and outbuildings, were split up into smaller plots of land, attracting haphazard housing development and small farms. By the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 Crawley had grown into a small but prosperous town, serving a wide rural area and those passing through on
9088-526: The Development Corporation, the town's population had reached 51,700; 2,289,000 square feet (212,700 m ) of the factory and other industrial space had been provided; 21,800 people were employed, nearly 60% of whom worked in manufacturing industries, and only seventy people were registered as unemployed. The corporation had built 10,254 houses, and private builders provided around 1,500 more. Tenants were by then permitted to buy their houses and 440 householders had chosen to do so by April 1960. A new plan
9230-448: The Forge Wood neighbourhood will occupy land in the northeast corner of Crawley borough. The roughly rectangular site is bordered by the Brighton Main Line to the west, the A2011 Crawley Avenue dual carriageway to the south, the M23 motorway to the east and the hamlet of Tinsley Green to the north. Balcombe Road, part of the B2028 road , cuts through the designated area from south to north. Some public rights of way run through
9372-449: The Horsham line for the first time, into what is now Southgate . The population reached 4,433 in 1901, compared to 1,357 a century earlier. In 1891, a racecourse was opened on farmland at Gatwick. Built to replace a steeplechase course at Waddon near Croydon in Surrey , it was used for both steeplechase and flat racing , and held the Grand National during the years of the First World War . The course had its own railway station on
9514-450: The Phase 4 sector; St Crispin's Wood and Forge Wood (after which the neighbourhood is named), which lie west of Balcombe Road and will separate the Phase 1 and 2 areas; and The Larches and The Birches in the southwest corner. The Surrey and Sussex Crematorium lies within Forge Wood and there is a gasholder inside The Larches. Footpaths will be laid out within St Crispin's Wood and Forge Wood to give pedestrian access between different parts of
9656-539: The Premier League. Cricket had its origins in the counties of Kent , Surrey and Sussex. There is no team representing East Sussex. It combines with West Sussex as the Sussex County Cricket Club , playing first-team matches at the County Ground in Hove and reserve-team matches in both East and West Sussex. There are around 25 local clubs playing the game in East Sussex. There are around 15 rugby clubs in East Sussex, with many of them fielding several teams including women's and girls' teams. Seaford Rugby Club claims
9798-419: The UK monthly record for that day set at Wisley , 20 miles to the west. The overall maximum stands at 36.5C (97.7F) at Charlwood , set on 10 August 2003. The absolute record for Gatwick is the aforementioned 36.4C. Before this, the highest temperature recorded at Gatwick was 35.6C (96.1F), also in August 2003. The maximum temperature was 25.1C (77.2F) or higher on 15.9 days of the year on average (1971–00) and
9940-453: The Weald. The High Weald is heavily wooded in contrast to the South Downs; the Low Weald less so. Part of the Weald is the Ashdown Forest . The location of settlements in East Sussex has been determined both by its history and its geography. The original towns and villages tended to be where its economy lay: fishing along the coast and agriculture and iron mining on the Weald. Industry today tends to be geared towards tourism, particularly along
10082-452: The Wealden basin according to a 2014 study, which then Business and Energy Minister Michael Fallon said "will bring jobs and business opportunities" and significantly help with UK energy self-sufficiency. Fracking in the area is required to achieve these objectives, which has been opposed by environmental groups. East Sussex, like most counties by the south coast, has an annual average total of around 1,750 hours of sunshine per year. This
10224-430: The airport had been ruled out in 1979 in an agreement which was due to run out in 2019; but airport expansion in southeast England had been on the political agenda since the publication of the 2003 Air Transport White Paper , which among other things required land to be reserved at Gatwick for a potential new runway. The Secretary of State noted that while this "could not come about for some years, it cannot be ruled out as
10366-527: The appeal and granting planning permission, the Secretary of State imposed 68 conditions. Crawley Borough Council stated in May 2013 that the first houses were expected to be built in 2014 if approval was granted, following the approval that month of a planning application in respect of infrastructure developments for Phase 1. By December 2013, it was stated that "the first house [is] expected to be complete within
10508-481: The area; many of them small and local in scope. State and independent secondary schools include Lewes Old Grammar School , which celebrated its 500th anniversary in 2012. Overall, more than 50 serve East Sussex, including further education colleges in larger towns. A number of independent boarding schools that also cater to day students are located in the county, including Brighton College and Roedean . The Pestalozzi Children's Village, an international foundation,
10650-558: The aviation, transport, warehousing and distribution industries. The significance of the airport to local employment and enterprise was reflected by the formation of the Gatwick Diamond partnership. This venture, supported by local businesses, local government and SEEDA , South East England's Regional Development Agency , aims to maintain and improve the Crawley and Gatwick area's status as a region of national and international economic importance. East Sussex East Sussex
10792-482: The best way of serving Forge Wood would be to extend the Pound Hill routes to serve the whole of the neighbourhood, and to combine these with shuttle buses to Gatwick Airport via Manor Royal. In September 2014, Southdown PSV introduced hourly routes 40 and 50 to provide a service between several hotels and Gatwick Airport, also serving the north end of Pound Hill and then travelling along Crawley Avenue. This route
10934-745: The borough is 486 feet (148 m) above sea level. The town has no major waterways, although a number of smaller brooks and streams are tributaries for the River Mole which rises near Gatwick Airport and flows northwards to the River Thames near Hampton Court Palace . There are several lakes at Tilgate Park and a mill pond at Ifield which was stopped to feed the Ifield Water Mill . In 1822 Gideon Mantell , an amateur fossil collector and palaeontologist , discovered teeth, bones and other remains of what he described as "an animal of
11076-410: The borough's neighbourhoods, but three neighbourhoods are divided: Broadfield , Northgate , and Pound Hill into "Pound Hill North and Forge Wood " and "Pound Hill South and Worth". The council is elected in thirds. As of the 2021 local elections , the council is run by Labour in coalition with the sole independent councillor, with seats held as follows: Crawley Borough is coterminous with
11218-596: The burning of an effigy of the Pope . The event attracts tens of thousands of spectators every year. There are also many other bonfire societies in East Sussex. Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. is the most successful club in East Sussex, playing in the Premier League in 2024–25 and also competing in the 2023–24 UEFA Europa League . It has appeared once in the FA Cup final , in 1983, losing to Manchester United after
11360-469: The castle of the same name; Lewes; Rottingdean ; and Rye . The Lewes Bonfire is a set of bonfire celebrations held on Guy Fawkes Night , which both celebrates the uncovering of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 and commemorates the memory of the seventeen Protestant martyrs from Mayfield burned at the stake between 1555 and 1557. It has a history of religious antagonism and anti-popery, including
11502-445: The coast, where the largest settlements are located: Brighton and Hove (277,105), Eastbourne (99,180), and Hastings (91,490). The centre and north of the county are largely rural, and the largest settlement is Crowborough (21,990). For local government purposes, East Sussex comprises a non-metropolitan county , with five districts, and the unitary authority of Brighton and Hove. East Sussex and West Sussex historically formed
11644-608: The coastal strip where towns such as Bexhill-on-Sea , Eastbourne , and Hastings are located. Newhaven and Rye are ports, although the latter is also of historical importance. Peacehaven and Seaford serve as dormitory towns . Away from the coast are former market towns such as Hailsham , Heathfield and Uckfield ; Crowborough is a centre for the Ashdown Forest. Lewes , the County town of East Sussex; Battle , with its Norman Conquest beginnings, and Wadhurst are
11786-526: The company operating it owed Brighton and Hove Council £48 million. Brighton Palace Pier , Eastbourne Pier and Hastings Pier serve as entertainment centres that attract many visitors. Several other piers built in the heyday of day tripper visits by train no longer exist, notably St Leonards Pier , in St Leonards-on-Sea , and the West Pier in Brighton, parts of which can still be seen in
11928-433: The council itself, will increase from about 8,100 houses to more than 8,600 by the time work finishes. The 1,900 houses will have 2, 3, 4 or 5 bedrooms. They will contribute towards the total of 4,895 which have been committed to in the draft Crawley Local Plan, which covers the proposed development of Crawley until 2030. This document was submitted for government approval in 2014. Public consultation exercises were held in
12070-566: The council-owned open land around the Balcombe Road north of Pound Hill came in 1998, when George Wimpey (predecessors of Taylor Wimpey) and Persimmon Homes jointly submitted a planning application for a new residential neighbourhood. It was lodged on 21 January 1998 with the following description: "Erection of up to 1,900 dwellings, 5,000 square metres (54,000 sq ft) of Use Class B1, B2 and B8 employment floorspace, 2,500 square metres (27,000 sq ft) of retail floorspace,
12212-430: The council. The authority's boundaries were extended in 1983 to accommodate the Bewbush and Broadfield neighbourhoods. The borough remains part of the local two-tier arrangements, with services shared with West Sussex County Council . The authority is divided into 13 wards, each of which is represented by two or three local councillors, forming a total council of 36 members. Most wards are coterminous with
12354-693: The county are operated by Southern , Southeastern , Thameslink and Great Western Railway . Southern is the key operator for the county, operating services along the West Coastway and East Coastway routes, as well as trains from Brighton , Eastbourne , Seaford and Hastings to London Victoria , and to a lesser extent London Bridge , which is also where trains to/from Uckfield go. Southeastern operate trains from London Charing Cross to Hastings. Thameslink operate trains from Brighton to Bedford . There are no airports offering scheduled flights in East Sussex. London's second airport, Gatwick Airport ,
12496-569: The defeat of the English army by William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Earlier industries included fishing, iron-making, and the wool trade, all of which have declined or been lost completely. Sussex was historically sub-divided into six rapes . From the 12th century the three eastern rapes together and the three western rapes together had separate quarter sessions , with
12638-514: The designated area of the New Town as well as the area north of the town including Gatwick Airport , which had previously been in Surrey . The Urban District Council received its coat of arms from the College of Heralds in 1957. After the change to borough status a modified coat of arms, based on the original, was awarded in 1976 and presented to the council on 24 March 1977. It features
12780-542: The designated area of the New Town, and was only transferred from Worth parish (by now part of Mid Sussex district) to the borough of Crawley in 1983. The county boundary between West Sussex and Surrey ran along the north side of Radford Road until 1974, when it moved northwards to take in Gatwick Airport and the surrounding land which had been in Surrey. Crawley was built as a postwar new town in accordance with
12922-491: The designation order meant that plans were not officially confirmed until December 1947. By this time, an initial plan for the development of the area had been drawn up by Anthony Minoprio . This proposed filling in the gaps between the villages of Crawley, Ifield and Three Bridges . Bennett estimated that planning, designing and building the town, and increasing its population from the existing 9,500 to 40,000, would take 15 years. Work began almost immediately to prepare for
13064-492: The destruction of all data stored for the identity card scheme brought about by the Identity Cards Act 2006 . At 51°6′33″N 0°11′14″W / 51.10917°N 0.18722°W / 51.10917; -0.18722 (51.1092, −0.1872), Crawley is in the northeastern corner of West Sussex in South East England , 28 miles (45 km) south of London and 18 miles (29 km) north of Brighton and Hove . It
13206-540: The development site will potentially be affected by noise from the Brighton Main Line and Manor Royal industrial estate to the west, the airport to the north and the motorway to the east. The developers will use "various attenuation techniques" such as landscaping and soundproof building techniques to overcome this. Likewise, there is a flood risk associated with the Gatwick Stream (a tributary of
13348-583: The development was mostly based on potential noise pollution and the proximity of the North East Sector to the land safeguarded for a second runway. Also, as part of their campaign against the second runway , the Pound Hill North Residents Association have claimed that in the event of a new runway being built, "[m]any new North East Sector houses [could] potentially [be] purchased for buy to let ". In allowing
13490-558: The distinction of playing its home games below sea level. The fourth stage of the 1994 Tour de France ended in Brighton after departing from Dover . The route included a climb over Ditchling Beacon. The hilly nature of the Downs presents a good challenge for cyclists and there are at least eight cycling clubs in East Sussex. There are 42 golf courses in East Sussex, many on downland. Four of these (2 in Brighton and Hove, one in Eastbourne and one in Crowborough) are public courses;
13632-405: The earlier neighbourhoods in which most of the housing was owned by the council. In 1999, plans were announced to develop the 14th neighbourhood on land at Tinsley Green to the northeast of the town; this was given the go ahead in 2011 and is officially the town's 14th neighbourhood, named Forge Wood after the ancient woodland that is enclosed within the development. After a temporary halt to
13774-514: The early 14th century. By this time, nearby settlements were more established: the Saxon church at Worth , for example, dates from between 950 and 1050 AD. Although Crawley itself is not mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, the nearby settlements of Ifield and Worth are recorded. The first written record of Crawley dates from 1202, when a licence was issued by King John for
13916-582: The east of Beachy Head lie the marshlands of the Pevensey Levels, formerly flooded by the sea but now enclosed within a deposited beach. At Bexhill the land begins to rise again where the sands and clays of the Weald meet the sea; these culminate in the sandstone cliffs east of Hastings. Further east are the Pett Levels, more marshland, beyond which is the estuary of the River Rother . On
14058-565: The edge of the town in 1933, encouraging commercial and industrial growth. After the Second World War , the British Government planned to move large numbers of people and jobs out of London and into new towns around South East England . The New Towns Act 1946 ( 9 & 10 Geo. 6 . c. 68) designated Crawley as the site of one of these. A master plan was developed for the establishment of new residential, commercial, industrial and civic areas, and rapid development greatly increased
14200-405: The expansion of the town. A full master plan was in place by 1949. This envisaged an increase in the population of the town to 50,000, residential properties in nine neighbourhoods radiating from the town centre, and a separate industrial area to the north. The neighbourhoods would consist mainly of three-bedroom family homes, with a number of smaller and larger properties. Each would be built around
14342-482: The far side of the estuary are the dunes of Camber Sands . The highest point in the county is Ditchling Beacon on the South Downs, which has a maximum elevation of 248 m (814 ft) and is classed as a Marilyn . The Weald occupies the northern borderlands of the county. Between the Downs and Weald is a narrow stretch of lower lying land; many of the rivers and streams occupying this area originate in
14484-517: The fisheries were of great importance. The Seven Sisters Park is part of the South Downs National Park . Beachy Head is one of the most famed local attractions, along with the flats along Normans Bay . Apart from the physical landmarks such as the Downs and the Weald, East Sussex has a great many landmarks of historical interest. There are castles at Bodiam , Herstmonceux , Lewes and Pevensey ; and defence works such as
14626-506: The future. It is being built as part of the first phase of development: it is expected to open in September 2016, and applications for places will be accepted from September 2015. There are several other schools around 2–3 miles (3.2–4.8 km) away, and the nearest secondary and tertiary education institutions are respectively 2.5 miles (4.0 km) away ( Hazelwick School ) and 3.2 miles (5.1 km) away (the Crawley campus of Central Sussex College ). The first formal proposal to develop
14768-478: The junctions and the roads themselves as soon as permission was granted. The routes of minor connecting roads would then be decided later. Road improvements to be carried out as part of the development include the installation of new street lighting along the main roads, junction upgrades, the installation of pedestrian crossings and traffic lights in some locations, new cycle routes (in some cases these will be shared footpaths and cycle lanes) and road widening. Also,
14910-567: The largest Chagossian population in the world". The town has a population density of around 2,635 persons per square kilometre, making it the second most densely populated district in West Sussex , after Worthing . In 2021, around 28.6% were in managerial, administrative or professional occupations, although this varied by ward, with just 19.5% in Broadfield West , compared to 45.7% in Maidenbower . The proportion of people in
15052-602: The lizard tribe of enormous magnitude", in Tilgate Forest on the edge of Crawley. He announced his discovery in an 1825 scientific paper, giving the creature the name Iguanodon . In 1832 he discovered and named the Hylaeosaurus genus of dinosaurs after finding a fossil in the same forest. Crawley lies within the Sussex Weald , an area of highly variable terrain so that many microclimates of frost hollows, sun traps and windswept hilltops will be encountered over
15194-515: The majority of " Other Asian " write-ins. Those of Black descent made up 4.5% of the population. Crawley also has a noticeable Mauritian minority, made up of people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. The largest religious affiliation was Christianity at 42.6%, followed by those with no religion at 35.1%, Islam at 9.7%, Hinduism at 5.1%, Sikhism at 0.7%, Buddhism at 0.4%, Judaism at 0.1% and any other religion at 0.5%. Those who recorded their main language as English made up 84.3% of
15336-547: The neighbourhood. West Sussex County Council will be responsible for setting up the neighbourhood's school, which will cater for pupils between 4 and 11 years old. Several bodies expressed an interest in sponsoring and running the school, including the town's Hazelwick School and the Diocese of Chichester , and Glyn Learning Foundation Schools (GLF) were chosen. They adopted the name Forge Wood Primary School . The school will accommodate 420 pupils but may be expanded to 630 in
15478-448: The new development. In 2006 the only regular route "serving roads adjacent to the site", in the assessment's definition, were the hourly 526/527 circular services which served Crawley and Horley town centres among other places. More frequent routes ran nearby, for example to the top of the Pound Hill neighbourhood (near the south end of the development site) and along Gatwick Road (west of the new neighbourhood). The report concluded that
15620-563: The next 12 months" and that the full development would consist of four phases lasting about 12 years. Approval for the first 204 houses in Phase 1, of which 59 would be classed as affordable, was granted in March 2014. Legal agreements between the council, the Homes and Communities Agency and the developers were then signed in April 2014. At this time the Homes and Communities Agency stated that it
15762-420: The north ends of the Phase 3 and Phase 4 areas. Other areas of undeveloped land not owned by the council totalling 11.99 hectares (29.6 acres) have also been identified. Open space will make up more than two-thirds of the neighbourhood by area. As well as parks, meadows and play areas, areas of undeveloped ancient woodland will be retained. The main areas are Blackcorner Wood, adjacent to Balcombe Road within
15904-630: The off-season and three times daily in the summer. Both vehicles and foot passengers are accepted. Among the long-distance footpaths in East Sussex are the South Downs Way ; 1066 Country Walk , High Weald Landscape Trail , Saxon Shore Way , Sussex Border Path , Sussex Ouse Valley Way , Vanguard Way , Wealdway and The Monarch's Way . The Universities of Sussex and Brighton are based in East Sussex, with facilities in Brighton , Falmer and Hastings . Over 150 primary schools serve
16046-400: The original nine: together, their proposed population was 23,000. Work also took place in the area now known as Ifield West on the western fringes of the town. By 1980, the council identified land at Maidenbower , south of the Pound Hill neighbourhood, as being suitable for another new neighbourhood, and work began in 1986. However, all of this development was undertaken privately, unlike
16188-491: The other three towns of significance. This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of the non-metropolitan county of East Sussex ( Brighton & Hove has a separate table) at current basic prices published Archived 4 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine (pp. 240–253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of pounds. Measured by the number of registered companies, East Sussex
16330-455: The outlying Langley Green neighbourhood to just seven in West Green , close to the town centre. Each of the 14 residential neighbourhoods is identified by a colour, which is shown on street name signs in a standard format throughout the town: below the street name, the neighbourhood name is shown in white text on a coloured background. There are areas which are not defined as neighbourhoods but which are closely associated with Crawley: At
16472-428: The planning inspector in the addendum produced in May 2010, the Secretary of State concluded that if a new "wide-spaced" runway was built to the south of the existing runway, aircraft noise levels would be close to the legally acceptable limit in certain parts of the North East Sector site, but that the use of suitable sound insulation in houses and other buildings would provide "acceptable ... environments". Opposition to
16614-632: The population. Other languages were Romanian (2.1%), Polish (1.7%), Portuguese (1.4%), Tamil (1.3), Gujarati (1.1%) and Hindustani ( Hindi / Urdu ) (1.1%). There is also a Tamil learning centre. Many Chagossians expelled from the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean settled in Crawley in the 1960s and 1970s, and it was reported in 2016 that the town's Chagossian community numbered approximately 3,000 people. Crawley MP Henry Smith stated that Crawley "is home to perhaps
16756-456: The present one-way slip roads from Crawley Avenue to Balcombe Road will be replaced with a two-way connecting road. In 2014 one local councillor raised concerns that having just one main road leading through the neighbourhood could result in traffic congestion. Consultants WSP Development and Transportation carried out a transport assessment of the North East Sector in 2006. Among other things, this considered several options for bus services to
16898-414: The proposals when a possible expansion at Gatwick Airport was announced, construction started in 2015. Forge Wood is to have a maximum of 1900 homes. Development of another neighbourhood began in 2012 on the western side of Crawley in the Horsham district , named Kilnwood Vale . A plan for a new railway station fell through. Crawley became a parish in the sixteenth century, having previously been
17040-498: The proximity of the proposed second runway should expansion of Gatwick Airport go ahead. The airport lies a short distance to the north of the site, and a motorway and a main railway line are also adjacent. After many alterations, resubmissions and a legal challenge, outline planning permission for 1,900 houses was granted in February 2011, and construction began in 2014. As indicated by its provisional name of North East Sector ,
17182-545: The sea opposite the Brighton i360. Originally, the profits from the i360 were seen as a potential source of funds to rebuild the West Pier, but that now seems unlikely. Other important tourist attractions within East Sussex include Ashdown Forest , Drusillas Zoo Park near Alfriston and Michelham Priory . The county has two narrow-gauge railways, the Hastings Miniature Railway , which is powered by
17324-431: The site. The first phase of development, on which work began in 2013, lies west of Balcombe Road around Steers Lane. Crawley town centre is about 3 miles (4.8 km) away. The neighbourhood was named after an area of ancient woodland within the development area, close to Steers Lane. The Surrey and Sussex Crematorium is in the middle of this woodland. Unrelated to the new development, Forgewood [ sic ]
17466-410: The size and population of the town over a few decades. The town contains 14 residential neighbourhoods radiating out from the core of the old market town, and separated by main roads and railway lines. The nearby communities of Ifield , Pound Hill and Three Bridges were absorbed into the new town at various stages in its development. In 2009, expansion was being planned in the west and north-west of
17608-469: The south of Tunbridge Wells and the south of Lamberhurst ; by the Local Government Act 1894 these areas were transferred to Kent . In 1974 East Sussex was made a non-metropolitan and ceremonial county , and the three county boroughs became districts within the county. At the same time the western boundary was altered, so that the Mid Sussex region (including Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath )
17750-475: The southerly location of the area, with warmer air from the nearby English Channel , the snow is often temporary as low-pressure systems track north bringing in milder air; areas immediately north of London tend to have less accumulation, but lying for a longer duration. Rainfall is lower than the English average, but higher than many other areas of the South East. 1mm of rain or more falls on 116.7 days of
17892-413: The town with higher education qualifications is lower than the national average. Around 27.5% have a qualification at level 4 or above, compared to 33.9% nationally. Crawley traded as a market town. The Development Corporation intended to develop it as a centre for manufacturing and light engineering, with an industrial zone. The rapid growth of Gatwick Airport provided opportunities for businesses in
18034-479: The town, in cooperation with Horsham District Council , which has now become a new neighbourhood named Kilnwood Vale , but it is not in Crawley. Economically, the town has developed into the main centre of industry and employment between London and the south coast. Its large industrial area supports manufacturing and service companies, many of them connected with the airport. The commercial and retail sectors continue to expand. The area may have been settled during
18176-598: The warmest day will typically rise to 29.4C (84.9F). The overall minimum for Gatwick Airport for the period from 1960 is −16.7C (1.9F), set in January 1963. More recently, Charlwood fell to −11.2C (11.8F) and Gatwick −11.1C (12.0F) on 20 December 2010. Typically the coldest night at Gatwick will fall to −8.9C (16.0F). Air frost is recorded on 58.2 nights at Gatwick (1971–00) Sunshine totals in Crawley are higher than many inland areas due to its southerly location: Gatwick averaged 1,574 hours per year over 1961–90. No data
18318-496: The year. There are 14 residential neighbourhoods, each with a variety of housing types: terraced, semi-detached and detached houses, low-rise flats and bungalows. There are no residential tower blocks, apart from the 8-storey Milton Mount Flats at the North end of Pound Hill . Many houses have their own gardens and are set back from roads. The hub of each neighbourhood is a shopping parade, community centre and church, and each has
18460-491: Was a centre of ironworking in Roman times. Crawley developed slowly as a market town from the 13th century, serving the surrounding villages in the Weald . Its location on the main road from London to Brighton brought passing trade, which encouraged the development of coaching inns . A rail link to London opened in 1841. Gatwick Airport , one of Britain's busiest international airports, opened for commercial flights on
18602-641: Was allocated for housing use, eventually becoming the new neighbourhood of Furnace Green . Expectations of the eventual population of the town were revised upwards several times. The 1949 master plan had allowed for 50,000 people, but this was amended to 55,000 in 1956 after the Development Corporation had successfully resisted pressure from the Minister for Town and Country Planning to accommodate 60,000. Nevertheless, plans dated 1961 anticipated growth to 70,000 by 1980, and by 1969 consideration
18744-630: Was built eastwards from Three Bridges to East Grinstead in 1855. Three Bridges had become the hub of transport in the area by this stage: one-quarter of its population was employed in railway jobs by 1861 (mainly at the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway 's railway works near the station). The Longley company—one of South East England 's largest building firms in the late 19th century, responsible for buildings including Christ's Hospital school and King Edward VII Sanatorium in Midhurst —moved to
18886-450: Was built in three stages as a seaside retreat for George, Prince of Wales , who became King George IV in 1820. A more recent attraction is the Brighton i360 , a 162 m observation tower on the seafront, which opened on 4 August 2016 to provide extensive views over Brighton and Hove, the South Downs and the English Channel . The tower has never achieved forecast visitor numbers and in June 2023
19028-471: Was enlarged in 1953 to take in territory from the parishes of Slaugham and Worth . Three years later, on 1 April 1956, the parish of Crawley was made an urban district , making it independent from Horsham Rural District. The Local Government Act 1972 led to the district being reformed as a borough in April 1974, gaining a mayor for the first time. The new borough in 1974 also saw its boundaries enlarged, gaining other areas which had been included in
19170-490: Was given to an eventual expansion of up to 120,000. Extended shopping facilities to the east of the existing high street were provided. The first stage to open was The Broadwalk in 1954, following by the opening of the Queen's Square development by Her Majesty The Queen in 1958. Crawley railway station was moved eastwards towards the new development. By April 1960, when Thomas Bennett made his last presentation as chairman of
19312-520: Was in West Green , where new residents moved in during the late 1940s. In 1950 the town was visited by the then heir to the throne, Princess Elizabeth , when she officially opened the Manor Royal industrial area. Building work continued throughout the 1950s in West Green , Northgate and Three Bridges , and later in Langley Green , Pound Hill and Ifield. In 1956, land at "Tilgate East"
19454-484: Was in the northeasternmost part of Worth parish within the Cuckfield Rural District of East Sussex . In 1953, it formed part of the 3,347 acres (1,354 ha) of land transferred to West Sussex and the parish of Crawley. Accordingly it became part of Crawley Urban District in 1956 and the borough of Crawley in 1974 when these entities were created. The area east of Balcombe Road was not part of
19596-562: Was joint owner of the designated land along with the council. The name Forge Wood was approved by Crawley Borough councillors and announced to the public on 5 December 2013. Another option had been Tinsley Green , the name of the hamlet adjacent to the site, but the committee decided this could be confused with the name of Tinsley Lane, a residential road in the Three Bridges area of Crawley. Radford Road, Balcombe Road and Steers Lane are all two-way single-carriageway roads with
19738-450: Was put forward by West Sussex County Council in 1961. This proposed new neighbourhoods at Broadfield and Bewbush , both of which extended outside the administrative area of the then Urban District Council . Detailed plans were made for Broadfield in the late 1960s; by the early 1970s building work had begun. Further expansion at Bewbush was begun in 1974, although development there was slow. The two neighbourhoods were both larger than
19880-585: Was the slimmest of any UK constituency : Moffatt won by just 37 votes. Brook House and Tinsley House Immigration Removal Centres , operated by UK Visas and Immigration , are within the grounds of Gatwick Airport in Crawley. Data from the Home Office 's national identity database at Doncaster , South Yorkshire , was backed up to servers in Crawley for disaster recovery and business continuity purposes. The Identity Documents Bill 2010 , proposed in May 2010 and passed in September 2010, authorised
20022-583: Was transferred to the non metropolitan county of West Sussex . In 1997, Brighton and Hove became a self-administered unitary authority ; it was granted city status in 2000, whilst remaining part of the ceremonial county of East Sussex. The area of East Sussex County Council's jurisdiction is divided into five local government districts . Three are large rural districts (from west to east): Lewes , Wealden , and Rother . Eastbourne and Hastings are mainly urban areas. The rural districts are further subdivided into civil parishes . Geologically, East Sussex
20164-448: Was withdrawn in 2015. Metrobus introduced route 27 on 23 April 2016, running daily between Forge Wood and Crawley bus station via Three Bridges station. Route 27 will be replaced by new route 3 (branded "Magic Route 3") with effect from 3 February 2018. This will run at a higher frequency—hourly every day—and will be extended from Forge Wood to Gatwick Airport via City Place Gatwick . Forge Wood's good transport links are being used as
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