LATEST NEWS: The West of Bewbush Joint Area Action Plan was submitted to the Secretary of State on 30 May 2008

The adopted West Sussex Structure Plan identifies the western side of Crawley to accommodate a Strategic Development Location of up to 2,500 dwellings and associated uses and infrastructure.  The area of study for the Strategic Development Location, which includes all the land to the west and north west of Crawley, is predominately within Horsham District Council's administrative area; however, it is adjacent to Crawley Borough Council's boundary. As a consequence of the implications of delivery of the Strategic Development Location for both authorities, the two Councils have been working formally together since the beginning of 2006.

 
The authorities' approach towards the Strategic Development Location, including the commitment to joint working to produce a Joint Area Action Plan for the development, is set out in the authorities' respective submitted Core Strategies. The Joint Area Action Plan will become a Development Plan Document and will eventually be adopted by both authorities as part of their Local Development Framework.

The Issues and Options JAAP was not site specific in terms of identifying an area to accommodate development within the Area of Study, and since Issues and Options JAAP publication, a considerable amount of work has been undertaken, and both Councils have continued to develop an evidence base to inform and support the production of the Preferred Options JAAP in identifying a preferred location for development.

In addition to identifying the preferred location for accommodating development, the Preferred Options JAAP outlined the preferred approach to providing appropriate facilities, services, employment provision and infrastructure to support the new neighbourhood. The document also sets out the alternative options considered in arriving at the preferred option, and takes a strategic view in considering the longer-term role of the Area of Study.

To ensure that policies and proposals in the JAAP contribute to sustainable development, each document produced is subject to a Sustainability Appraisal (SA), in accordance with the requirements of the European Union Directive on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).

The table below sets out the key stages in the production of the Joint Area Action Plan Development Plan Document. These stages are as set out in the Local Development Schemes of the two Authorities.

Timetable:

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