WEST SUSSEX: Station Way flats
Plans for 15 flats and a coffee shop next to a Crawley level crossing have been described as ‘contrived’, ‘awkwardly located’ and ‘totally unacceptable’.
Borough councillors are expected to refuse the application, from Simco Homes Ltd, when the planning committee meets on January 12.
The flats would be in a staggered block, ranging from one storey to five storeys and would sit on a tiny car park at the corner of Station Way and the High Street.
Council leader Peter Lamb has objected to the plans, raising concerns about drainage on the site, along with the fact that it offers no affordable or low-cost housing and no parking.
But the most worrying points were raised by Network Rail, who had ‘serious concerns’ that the view of the level crossing and its signals would be blocked by the flats.
This, coupled with the road layout approaching the crossing, prompted warnings of ‘an increased risk of an accident occurring on or near the crossing’.
In a report to the planning committee, officers recommended that the application be refused, adding: “Overall, the proposed scheme’s layout, appearance, design, detailing and scale is extremely poor and totally unacceptable in this location.”
To view the application, log on to planningregister.crawley.gov.uk and search for CR/2020/0589/OUT.
Karen Dunn , Local Democracy Reporting Service