Crawley
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[[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 224107526 by [[Special:Contributions/Scole01|Scole01]] ([[User talk:Scole01|talk]])dont think bathstore is a major retailer
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{{Infobox Settlement
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|official_name = Borough of Crawley
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|leader_title1 =[[MPs elected in the UK general election, 2005|MP]]:
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[[Image:Crawley - St John the Baptist Church.JPG|thumb|right|St John the Baptist church from the east]]
'''Crawley''' ({{Audio|en-uk-Crawley.ogg|pronunciation}}) is a town and [[local government district]] with [[Borough status in England and Wales|Borough status]] in [[West Sussex]], [[England]]. It is {{convert|28|mi|km|0|lk=on}} south of [[London]], {{convert|18|mi|km|0}} north of [[Brighton and Hove]], and {{convert|32|mi|km|0}} northeast of the county town of [[Chichester]], covers an area of {{convert|17.36|sqmi|km2|2|lk=on}} and had a population of 99,744 at the time of the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 Census]].
The area has been inhabited since [[Three-age system|the Stone Age]], and was a centre of iron-making in [[Roman Britain|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 a steady passing trade, encouraging the development of [[coaching inn]]s. It was connected to the railway network in the 1840s. [[Gatwick Airport]], now one of Britain's busiest international airports, opened on the edge of the town in the 1940s, 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 in the United Kingdom|new towns]] around South East England. The [[New Towns Act 1946]] designated Crawley as the site of one of these.<ref name="SuppMem">{{cite web|url=http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmtlgr/603/603ap23.htm|title=Select Committee on Transport, Local Government and the Regions: Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence. Supplementary memorandum by Crawley Borough Council (NT 15(a))|accessdate=2008-04-02|publisher=The Information Policy Division, Office of Public Sector Information|year=2002|work=United Kingdom Parliament Publications and Records website}}</ref> A master plan was developed for the establishment of new residential, commercial, industrial and civic areas, and continuous rapid development greatly increased the size and population of the town in a few decades.
The town comprises 13 residential neighbourhoods based around the core of the old market town, and separated by main roads and railway lines. The nearby communities of [[Ifield, Crawley|Ifield]], [[Pound Hill, Crawley|Pound Hill]] and [[Three Bridges]] were absorbed into the new town at different stages of its development. As of 2008, expansion is planned in the west and northwest of the town, in co-operation with [[Horsham (district)|Horsham District Council]].<ref name="wnw">{{Cite web|url=http://194.201.99.228/Index.htm|title=West and North West of Crawley|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=Horsham District Council|year=2007|author=Horsham District Council & Crawley Borough Council|work=West and North West of Crawley website}}</ref> Economically, the town has developed into the main centre of industry and employment between London and the south coast of England. A large industrial area supports various industries and services, many of which are connected with the airport, and the commercial and retail sectors continue to expand.<ref name="SuppMem"/>
==History==
===Origins===
The area may have been settled during the [[Mesolithic]] period: locally manufactured [[flint]]s of the Horsham Culture type have been found to the southwest of the town. Tools and [[burial mound]]s from the [[Neolithic period]], and burial mounds and a sword from the [[Bronze Age]], have also been discovered.<ref name="cbchist">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=221&strCSS=PB1_SS_MAIN|title=A Brief History of Crawley|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2007|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref><ref name="cole">{{cite book | title=Crawley: A History & Celebration| last=Cole| first=Belinda| date=2004| publisher=Frith Book Company Ltd| location=Salisbury| id=1904938191}}</ref> Crawley is on the western edge of the [[High Weald]], which produced iron for more than 2,000 years from the [[Iron Age]] onwards.<ref name="HighWeald">{{cite web|url=http://www.highweald.org/text.asp?PageId=16|title=About The High Weald: The Iron Story|accessdate=2008-04-02|publisher=High Weald AONB Unit|year=2008|work=High Weald AONB Unit website}}</ref> Goffs Park—now a recreational area in the south of the town—was the site of two late Iron Age furnaces.<ref name="RIS1">{{cite web|url=http://www.romansinsussex.co.uk/level3/themes/life_in_late_iron_age_sussex_trade_indus.asp|title= Life in Late Iron Age Sussex: Trade & Industry|accessdate=2008-04-02|publisher=The Sussex Archaeological Society|year=2008|work=Romans In Sussex website}}</ref> Ironworking and mineral extraction continued throughout [[Roman Britain|Roman times]], particularly in the Broadfield area where many furnaces were built.<ref name="cbchist"/><ref name="RIS2">{{cite web|url=http://www.romansinsussex.co.uk/level3/themes/life_roman_britain/crafts_industry_iron.asp|title=Life in Roman Sussex: Crafts & Industry: Weald Iron Industry|accessdate=2008-04-02|publisher=The Sussex Archaeological Society|year=2008|work=Romans In Sussex website}}</ref>
In the 5th century, [[Saxons|Saxon]] settlers named the area Crow's Leah—meaning a crow-infested clearing, or Crow's Wood<ref name="cole"/>—although the name changed considerably over time. The present spelling appeared by the early 14th century.<ref name="cbchist"/> By this time, nearby settlements were more established: the Saxon church at [[Worth, West Sussex|Worth]], for example, dates from between 950 and 1050 AD.<ref name="WorthChurch">{{cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=INT009968|title=Crawley Borough Council: St Nicholas Church|accessdate=2007-03-28|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2008|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref>
Although Crawley itself is not mentioned in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086, the nearby settlements of [[Ifield, Crawley|Ifield]] and [[Worth, West Sussex|Worth]] are recorded.<ref name="Domesday">{{cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=INT009967|title=Crawley Borough Council: St Margaret's Church|accessdate=2007-03-28|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2008|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref> The first written record of Crawley dates from 1202, when a licence was issued by King [[John of England|John]] for a weekly market on Wednesdays.<ref name="miscellany">{{cite book | title=Crawley: An Illustrated Miscellany| last=Cole| first=Belinda ''(text adapted from original material)''| date=2004| publisher=Frith Book Company Ltd| location=Salisbury| id=1904938744}}</ref> 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 a coaching halt.<ref name="Gwynne98">{{cite book |last=Gwynne |first=Peter |title=A History of Crawley |origyear=1990 |publisher=Phillimore & Company |location=Chichester |isbn=0-85033-718-6 |pages=98| chapter=Georgian England: the Peaceful Years at Home}}</ref> By 1839 it offered almost an hourly service to both destinations.<ref name="cole"/><ref name="pigot">{{cite book | title=Pigot's Directory of Sussex| url=http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/pageviewer.asp?pnum=31&zoom=&dn=WSC13002tif&fn=| date=1839| pages=681| publisher=Pigot| location=London & Manchester| id=WSC13002 }}</ref> The George, a [[Timber framing|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.<ref name="George">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&strCSS=PB1_SS_MAIN&ssDocName=INT009956|title=Crawley High Street|accessdate=2007-08-03|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2007|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref> The original building has become the George Hotel, with conference facilities and 84 bedrooms; it retains many period features including an iron [[Fireplace#Accessories|fireback]].<ref name="townwalk">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/groups/public/documents/otherdocs/int037605.pdf|title=Crawley Town Walk|accessdate=2007-08-03|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2007|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref><ref name="Hotel">{{Cite web|url=http://www.gatwickgeorgehotel.com/overview.htm|title=The George Hotel|accessdate=2007-08-03||year=2007|work=The George Hotel website}}</ref>
Crawley's oldest church is St John the Baptist's, between the High Street and the Broadway. It has 13th century origins,<ref name="StJB">{{Cite web|url=http://www.acny.org.uk/venue.php?V=4860|title=Diocese of Chichester: St John the Baptist, Crawley|accessdate=2007-09-13|publisher=Oxford Diocesan Publications Ltd|year=2007|work=A Church Near You website}}</ref> 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 [[Bell tower|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 a new set of eight bells were cast and installed by the Croydon-based firm Gillett, Bland & Company.<ref name="MoreStJB">{{Cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=56939#s3|title=Parishes: Crawley|accessdate=2007-09-13|publisher=British History Online|year=1940|author=Hudson, T.P. (Ed)|work=A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 7: The Rape of Lewes}}</ref><ref name="roughwoodStJB">{{Cite web|url=http://www.roughwood.net/ChurchAlbum/WestSussex/Crawley/CrawleyStJohnBaptist2004.htm|title=St John the Baptist Parish Church, Crawley, West Sussex - 22nd April 2004|accessdate=2008-03-12|publisher=Mark Collins|year=2007|work=The Roughwood website}}</ref><ref name="StJBBells">{{Cite web|url=http://dove.cccbr.org.uk/detail.php?searchString=Crawley&Submit=++Go++&DoveID=CRAWLEY+WS|title=Dove Details|accessdate=2008-03-12|publisher=Sid Baldwin, Ron Johnston and Tim Jackson on behalf of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers|date=[[2008-02-24]]|work=Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers website}}</ref>
===Railway age and Victorian era===
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)<ref name="eastcrawley">{{Cite web|url=http://www.maidenbower.org.uk/history/palmerhistory.pdf|title=A brief history of Maidenbower|accessdate=2007-09-06|author=David Palmer|publisher=Stuart Cummings|year=2003|work=Maidenbower Village website}}</ref> in the summer of 1841. [[Crawley railway station]], at the southern end of the High Street, was built in 1848 when the [[Arun Valley Line|Horsham branch]] was opened from Three Bridges to Horsham. A line was built eastwards from Three Bridges to [[East Grinstead railway station|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).<ref name="fredgray">
{{cite book |last=Gray (ed.) |first=Fred |title=Crawley: Old Town, New Town |origyear=1983 |edition=Centre for Continuing Education, University of Sussex |series=Paper No. 18 |publisher=University of Sussex |location=Falmer |isbn=0-904212-21-8 |pages=8–40 |chapter=Crawley in the Twentieth Century |quote= }}</ref> The locally famous 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 the King Edward VII [[Sanatorium]] in [[Midhurst]]—moved to a site next to Crawley station in 1881.<ref name="longley">{{Cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=18407|title=Ifield: Economic History|accessdate=2008-03-03|publisher=British History Online|year=1987|author=Hudson, T.P. (Ed)|work=A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 6 Part 3}}</ref> In 1898 more than 700 people were employed at the site.<ref name="Gwynne119">{{cite book |last=Gwynne |first=Peter |title=A History of Crawley |origyear=1990 |publisher=Phillimore & Company |location=Chichester |isbn=0-85033-718-6 |pages=119| chapter=Victorian Prosperity}}</ref>
There was a major expansion in housebuilding 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;<ref name="cole"/><ref name="fredgray"/> the [[West Green, Crawley|West Green]] area, west of the High Street on the way to Ifield, was built up; and housing spread south of the Horsham line for the first time, into what is now [[Southgate, Crawley|Southgate]]. The population reached 4,433 in 1901, compared to 1,357 a century earlier.<ref name="popC"/> 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 [[World War I|First World War]].<ref name="cbchist"/> The course had its own railway station on the Brighton Main Line.<ref name="Gwynne146">{{cite book |last=Gwynne |first=Peter |title=A History of Crawley |origyear=1990 |publisher=Phillimore & Company |location=Chichester |isbn=0-85033-718-6 |pages=146| chapter=Into the Twentieth Century}}</ref>
In the early 20th century, many of the large [[Estate (house)|country estates]] in the area, with their [[mansion]]s and associated grounds and outbuildings, were split up into smaller plots of land, attracting haphazard housing development and small farms.<ref name="fredgray"/> By the outbreak of the [[First World War]] in 1914 Crawley had grown into a small but prosperous town, serving a wide rural area as well as its own population and those passing through on the [[A23 road|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.<ref name="fredgray"/> An airfield was opened in 1930 on land near the racecourse. This was a private concern until the [[World War II|Second World War]] when it was claimed by the [[Royal Air Force]].<ref name="cbchist"/>
===New Town===
[[Image:Crawley - The Boulevard (W).jpg|thumb|right|The Boulevard, a main east–west road separating the civic and retail areas of Crawley]]
In May 1946, the [[New Towns Act 1946]] identified Crawley as a suitable location for a [[New towns in the United Kingdom|New Town]];<ref name="SuppMem"/> but it was not officially designated as such until {{nowrap|[[9 January]] [[1947]]}}.<ref name="Gazette">{{LondonGazette|issue=37849|startpage=231|date=10 January 1947|accessdate=2007-10-30}}</ref> The {{convert|5920|acre|ha|0}} of land set aside for the new town were split across the county borders between [[East Sussex]], [[West Sussex]] and [[Surrey]]. Architect [[Thomas Bennett (architect)|Thomas Bennett]] was appointed chairman of the Development Corporation for the town. A court challenge to 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.<ref name="vic">{{Cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=18414|title=Crawley New Town|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=British History Online|year=1987|author=Hudson, T.P. (Ed)|work=A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 6 Part 3: Bramber Rape (North-Eastern Part) including Crawley New Town}}</ref> This proposed filling in the gaps between the villages of Crawley, Ifield and Three Bridges.<ref name="cbc">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&strCSS=PB1_SS_MAIN&nodeId=241|title=New Town History|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2005|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref> 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.<ref name="13years">{{cite journal |last=Bennett |first=Thomas P. |authorlink=Thomas Bennett (architect) |year=1961 |month=January |title=Crawley after Thirteen Years |journal=Town & County Planning |volume=XXIX |issue=I |pages=18–20 |accessdate= 2007-08-13 |quote= }}</ref>
Work began almost immediately to prepare for 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.<ref name="vic"/> The neighbourhoods would consist mainly of three-bedroom family homes, with a number of smaller and larger properties. Each would be built around a centre with shops, a [[Church (building)|church]], a [[public house]], a [[primary school]] and a [[community centre]].<ref name="cbc"/> [[Secondary education]] was to be provided at campuses at Ifield Green, Three Bridges and [[Tilgate, Crawley|Tilgate]].<ref name="plan">{{cite journal | title=First proposed structure plan, 1947| journal=Nostalgia: A Crawley Observer Supplement| year=1995| issue=2| pages=3}}</ref> Later, a fourth campus, in Southgate, was added to the plans.<ref name="masterplan">{{Cite map|title=The Crawley Development Corporation's Master Plan for Crawley New Town|publisher=Crawley Development Corporation|year=1949}}</ref>
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 was in [[West Green, Crawley|West Green]], where new residents moved in during the late 1940s. In 1950 the town was visited by the then heir to the throne, [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Princess Elizabeth]], when she officially opened the [[Manor Royal, Crawley|Manor Royal]] industrial area. Building work continued throughout the 1950s in West Green, [[Northgate, Crawley|Northgate]] and Three Bridges, and later in [[Langley Green, Crawley|Langley Green]], [[Pound Hill, Crawley|Pound Hill]] and Ifield. In 1956, land at "Tilgate East" was allocated for housing use, eventually becoming the new neighbourhood of [[Furnace Green, Crawley|Furnace Green]].<ref name="vic"/>
[[Image:Woodfield Road, Northgate.JPG|thumb|right|Woodfield Road, a residential road in the Northgate neighbourhood]]
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 was given to an eventual expansion of up to 120,000.<ref name="vic"/>
Extended shopping facilities to the east of the existing high street were eventually provided. The first stage to open was The Broadwalk in 1954, following by the official opening of the Queen's Square development by [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Her Majesty The Queen]] in 1958. Crawley railway station was moved eastwards towards the new development.<ref name="vic"/>
By April 1960, when Thomas Bennett made his last presentation as chairman of the Development Corporation, the town's population had reached 51,700; {{convert|2289000|sqft|m2|-2}} of factory and other industrial space had been provided; 21,800 people were employed, nearly 60% of whom worked in manufacturing industry; 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.<ref name="13years"/>
[[Image:St Mary's Church, Southgate, Crawley.jpg|thumb|right|One of the neighbourhood churches: St Mary's in Southgate]]
A new plan was put forward by West Sussex County Council in 1961. This proposed new neighbourhoods at [[Broadfield, West Sussex|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 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.<ref name="vicdates"/>
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 the earlier neighbourhoods in which most of the housing was owned by the council.<ref name="vicdates"/>
In 1999, plans were announced to develop a 14th neighbourhood on land at Tinsley Green to the northeast of the town. However, these were halted when proposals for possible expansion at [[London Gatwick Airport|Gatwick Airport]] were announced.<ref name="nesector">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=PR1966&ssTargetNodeId=99|title=Council wins fight against new neighbourhood|accessdate=2007-08-21|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|date=[[2007-05-15]]|author=Janet Treagus|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref> As of 2008, discussions are underway with Horsham District Council concerning the possible future provision of new housing on Crawley's western fringes; much of the land proposed for development currently lies within Horsham's administrative boundaries.<ref name="wnw"/>
==Governance==
[[Image:WestSussexCrawley.png|thumb|right|Borough of Crawley shown within [[West Sussex]]]]
[[Image:Crawley Town Hall 01.JPG|thumb|right|Crawley Town Hall, on The Boulevard in the town centre]]
Crawley Urban District Council was formed in May 1956 from the part of the Horsham Rural District which covered the new town.<ref name="Gwynne165">{{cite book |last=Gwynne |first=Peter |title=A History of Crawley |origyear=1990 |publisher=Phillimore & Company |location=Chichester |isbn=0-85033-718-6 |pages=165| chapter=The New Town—Maturity}}</ref> The [[Local Government Act 1972]] led to the district being reformed as a borough in April 1974,<ref name="arms">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=INT010340&ssTargetNodeId=425&strCSS=PB1_SS_MAIN|title=Coat of Arms|accessdate=2007-09-01|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2007|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref> gaining a mayor for the first time.<ref name="mayor">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=INT010428|title=Past Mayors|accessdate=2008-04-09|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2007|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref>
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 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 [[martlet]]s 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 a phrase from the ''Epistulae'' of [[Seneca the Younger]].<ref name="arms"/>
Initially the district (and then borough) council worked with the [[English Partnerships|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 the council. The authority's boundaries were extended in 1983 to accommodate the Bewbush and Broadfield neighbourhoods.<ref name="guide">{{cite book | title=Crawley: Official Guide| last=Crawley Borough Council| date=1997| publisher=Local Authority Publishing Co. Ltd.| location=Wallington}}</ref>
The borough remains part of the local two-tier arrangements, with services shared with West Sussex County Council. The authority is divided into 15 wards, each of which is represented by two or three local councillors, forming a total council of 37 members. Most wards are coterminous with the borough's neighbourhoods, but two neighbourhoods are divided: Broadfield into North and South wards, and Pound Hill into "Pound Hill North" and "Pound Hill South and Worth". The council is elected in thirds.<ref name="bcfe">{{Cite web|url=http://www.boundarycommittee.org.uk/files/dms/Crawley_5885-5489__E__.pdf|title=Final recommendations on the future electoral arrangements for Crawley in West Sussex|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=The Boundary Committee for England|year=2002|format=PDF}}</ref>
[[2008|As of the 2008]] local elections, the authority is [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]-controlled, with seats allocated as follows:
{|class="toc" border=1 style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-right: 10pt"
!Political Party!!Seats held
|-
||Conservative||align="center"|26
|-
||Labour||align="center"|9
|-
||Liberal Democrat||align="center"|2
|}
The party gained control in May 2006 for the first time since the borough was created. Previously the authority had always been Labour controlled.<ref name="obs">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=496&articleid=1484774|title=Tories Take Control|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=Johnston Press Digital Publishing|date=[[2006-05-05]]|work=Crawley Observer}}</ref>
Crawley Borough is coterminous with the [[Crawley (UK Parliament constituency)|parliamentary constituency of Crawley]]. The current [[Member of Parliament]] for the constituency is [[Laura Moffatt]], a member of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] and the [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] to the [[Secretary of State for Health]], [[Alan Johnson]].<ref name="mp">{{Cite web|url=http://www.lauramoffattmp.co.uk/|title=Laura Moffatt—Labour Member of Parliament for Crawley|accessdate=2008-04-01|publisher=The Labour Party|year=2008|work=Official website of Laura Moffatt MP}}</ref><ref name="PPS">{{cite web|url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,,-3678,00.html|title=Laura Moffatt|accessdate=2008-04-01|publisher=Guardian News and Media Ltd|year=2008|work=Guardian.co.uk Politics website}}</ref> In the [[United Kingdom general election, 2005|2005 General Election]], the winning margin was the slimmest of any UK constituency: Laura Moffatt won by just 37 votes.<ref name="mp2">{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4521191.stm|title=10 things about the election|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=BBC|date=[[2006-05-06]]|work=BBC News Website: Election 2006}}</ref>
Since 1973, Crawley has been [[town twinning|twinned]] with [[Dorsten]], [[Germany]].<ref name="twin">{{cite journal | author=Ian Miller| title=Crawley Town Twinning| journal=Crawley Observer| date=[[2006-08-24]]}}</ref>
==Geography==
At {{coor dms|51|6|33|N|0|11|14|W|city}} (51.1092, -0.1872), Crawley is in the northeastern corner of West Sussex in [[South East England]], {{convert|28|mi|km|0|lk=on}} south of [[London]] and {{convert|18|mi|km|0}} north of [[Brighton and Hove]]. It is surrounded by smaller towns including [[Horley]], [[Redhill, Surrey|Redhill]], [[Reigate]], [[Dorking]], [[Horsham]], [[Haywards Heath]] and [[East Grinstead]].<ref name="towns">{{cite web|url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/census2001/ks_urban_south_east_part_5.pdf|format=PDF| title=Census 2001: Key Statistics for urban areas in the South East; Map 3|author=[[Office for National Statistics]]|publisher=statistics.gov.uk|accessdate=2008-04-17|year=2001}}</ref> The borough of Crawley is bordered by the West Sussex [[local authority|local authority area]]s of Mid Sussex and Horsham districts, and the [[Mole Valley]] and [[Tandridge (district)|Tandridge]] districts and the [[Reigate and Banstead|Borough of Reigate and Banstead]] in the county of [[Surrey]].<ref name="WestSussexBoundaries">{{cite web|url=http://www2.westsussex.gov.uk/site/maps/pdf/electoral_map.pdf|format=PDF| title=County of West Sussex: Electoral Divisions|publisher=West Sussex County Council|accessdate=2008-04-17|year=2006|work=West Sussex County Council website}}</ref><ref name="SurreyBoundaries">{{cite web|url=http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspages.nsf/LookupWebPagesByTITLE_RTF/Map+of+Surrey's+district+and+borough+councils?opendocument|title=Map of Surrey's district and borough councils|publisher=Surrey County Council|accessdate=2008-04-17|date=2008-04-08|work=Surrey County Council website}}</ref>
Crawley lies in the [[Weald]] between the [[North Downs|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]].<ref name="geolmap">{{cite web|url=http://www.soton.ac.uk/~imw/jpg/sussex.jpg|title=Geology of Surrey and Sussex, after Woodward (1904), based on Reynolds (1860; 1889)|accessdate=2008-04-01|publisher=Ian West and Tonya West|year=2008|work=Geology of Great Britain—an Introduction with Geological Maps (from the website of Southampton University)}}</ref><ref name="Gwynne3–4">{{cite book |last=Gwynne |first=Peter |title=A History of Crawley |origyear=1990 |publisher=Phillimore & Company |location=Chichester |isbn=0-85033-718-6 |pages=3–4| chapter=Crawley's Site and Situation}}</ref> A [[Fault (geology)|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]].<ref name="Gwynne3–4"/>
The town has no major waterways, although a number of smaller brooks and streams are tributaries for the [[River Mole, Surrey|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, Crawley|Tilgate Park]] and a mill pond at Ifield which was stopped to feed the Ifield Mill.<ref name="mill">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=INT010149|title=Ifield Mill Pond|accessdate=2007-08-10|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2007|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref>
In 1822 [[Gideon Algernon Mantell|Gideon Mantell]], an amateur fossil collector and [[palaeontologist]], discovered teeth, bones and other remains of what he described as "an animal of 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]].<ref name="AmSci">{{cite journal |last=Thomson |first=Keith Stewart |year=2006 |month=March–April |title=American Dinosaurs: Who and What Was First |journal=American Scientist |volume=94 |issue=2 |accessdate= 2008-04-01 |doi=10.1511/2006.58.209 |pages=209}}</ref> In 1832 he discovered and named the [[Hylaeosaurus]] genus of dinosaurs after finding a fossil in the same forest.<ref name="LindaHall">{{cite web|title=The Discovery of Hylaeosaurus, 1833|url=http://www.lhl.lib.mo.us/events_exhib/exhibit/exhibits/dino/man1833.htm|accessdate=2008-04-01|publisher=Linda Hall Library|year=2003|work=The Linda Hall Library, Kansas City website}}</ref>
===Climate===
Crawley has a [[temperate]] climate in common with most areas of Great Britain: its [[Koppen climate classification#GROUP C: Temperate/mesothermal climates|Koppen climate classification]] is ''Cfb''. Its mean annual temperature of 9.6 [[Celsius|°C]] is similar to that experienced throughout the Weald, and slightly cooler than nearby areas such as the Sussex coast and Greater London.<ref name="temperature">{{cite web|year = 2001|url = http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/tmean/17.gif|title = Mean Temperature Annual Average|publisher = [[Met Office]]|accessdate = 2007-08-22}}</ref> Rainfall is considerably below England's average (1971–2000) level of 838 mm, and every month is drier overall than the England average.<ref name="rainmean">{{Cite web|url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/areal/england.html|title=Met Office: averages 1971–2000|accessdate=2007-08-22|publisher=Met Office|year=2007|work=Met Office website}}</ref>
The nearest weather station is at [http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/EGKK.html Gatwick Airport].
<table align="center">
<td>{{Climate of Crawley and Gatwick}}</td>
</table>
===Neighbourhoods and areas===
[[Image:Shopping Parade, Southgate.JPG|thumb|right|The Southgate neighbourhood's parade of shops]]
[[Image:Crawley Neighbourhoods with Colours.png|thumb|right|Neighbourhoods of Crawley, identified in the table]]
There are 13 residential neighbourhoods,<ref name="CBCN">{{cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=870|title=Crawley Borough Council: Crawley's Neighbourhoods|accessdate=2008-04-02|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2008|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref> each with a variety of housing types: terraced, semi-detached and detached houses, low-rise flats and bungalows. There are no residential tower blocks. Many houses have their own gardens and are set back from roads. Each neighbourhood is based around a shopping parade, community centre and church, and has a school and recreational open spaces.<ref name="vicdates">{{Cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=18415|title=Growth of the New Town|accessdate=2007-08-07|publisher=Victoria County History|year=1987|author=Hudson, T.P. (Ed)|work=A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 6 Part 3: Bramber Rape (North-Eastern Part) including Crawley New Town}}</ref> The 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,<ref name="econhist">{{Cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=18418|title=Crawley New Town: Economic History|accessdate=2007-07-03|publisher=British History Online|year=1987|author=Hudson, T.P. (Ed)|work=A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 6 Part 3: Bramber Rape (North-Eastern Part) including Crawley New Town}}</ref> the number actually built ranged from 19 in the outlying Langley Green neighbourhood to just seven in West Green, close to the town centre.<ref name="13years"/>
Each of the 13 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.<ref>{{cite map |publisher= G.I. Barnett & Sons Ltd|title=Street Plan of Crawley|year=1970|cartography=Ordnance Survey|scale=5.6" = 1 mile|accessdate=2007-07-31}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Number<br>on map
!Name
!Colour
!Construction<br>commenced<ref name="vicdates"/>
!Population<ref name="stats">{{Cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/|title=Neighbourhood Statistics|accessdate=2007-08-07|publisher=Office of National Statistics|year=2007|work=National Statistics website}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#808080" | <font color="white"> 1 </font>
|[[Langley Green, Crawley|Langley Green]]
|Grey
|align="center"| 1952
|align="center"| 7,286
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#228B22" | <font color="white"> 2 </font>
|[[Northgate, Crawley|Northgate]]
|Dark Green
|align="center"| 1951
|align="center"| 4,407
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#FFA000" | 3
|[[Pound Hill, Crawley|Pound Hill]]
|Orange
|align="center"| 1953
|align="center"| 14,716
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#084C9E" | <font color="white"> 4 </font>
|[[Maidenbower, Crawley|Maidenbower]]
|Blue
|align="center"| 1987
|align="center"| 8,070
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#32CD32" | 5
|[[Furnace Green, Crawley|Furnace Green]]
|Light Green
|align="center"| 1960
|align="center"| 5,734
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="red" | <font color="white"> 6 </font>
|[[Tilgate, Crawley|Tilgate]]
|Red
|align="center"| 1955
|align="center"| 6,198
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#7DF9FF" | 7
|[[Broadfield, Crawley|Broadfield]]
|Sky Blue
|align="center"| 1969
|align="center"| 12,666
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#CC7722" | 8
|[[Bewbush, Crawley|Bewbush]]
|Light Brown
|align="center"| 1975
|align="center"| 9,081
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#991199" | <font color="white"> 9 </font>
|[[Ifield, Crawley|Ifield]]
|Purple
|align="center"| 1953
|align="center"| 8,414
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#000080" | <font color="white"> 10 </font>
|[[West Green, Crawley|West Green]]
|Dark Blue
|align="center"| 1949
|align="center"| 4,404
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#800000" | <font color="white"> 11 </font>
|[[Gossops Green, Crawley|Gossops Green]]
|Maroon
|align="center"| 1956
|align="center"| 5,014
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#964B00" | <font color="white"> 12 </font>
|[[Southgate, Crawley|Southgate]]
|Brown
|align="center"| 1955
|align="center"| 8,106
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#FDE910" | 13
|[[Three Bridges]]
|Yellow
|align="center"| 1952
|align="center"| 5,648
|-
|}
[[Image:Lowfield Heath (E) 01.JPG|thumb|right|Church Road in Lowfield Heath village, looking east towards St Michael's church. No houses remain here; a hotel, depots and light industrial units have replaced the earlier development.]]
There are areas which are not defined as neighbourhoods but which are closely associated with Crawley:
* The [[Manor Royal, Crawley|Manor Royal]] industrial estate is in the north of the town. Although it is part of the Northgate ward, it is allocated a colour: its street name signs feature the word "INDUSTRIAL" on a black background.
* Crawley's town centre is in the southernmost part of Northgate. Its street name signs do not follow the standard format of the neighbourhood signs, but display only the street name.
* [[Gatwick Airport]] was built on the site of a manor house, Gatwick Manor, close to the village of Lowfield Heath. Most of the village was demolished when the airport expanded, but some buildings, including the [[Listed building|Grade II*-listed]] St Michael's church,<ref name="StMLH">{{cite web|url=http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/diocesesparishes/rcsale/lowfieldheath.html|title=Lowfield Heath St Michael|accessdate=2008-03-31|publisher=The Archbishops' Council|year=2007|work=The Church of England website}}</ref> remain. These lie on the airport's southern boundary, between the perimeter road and the A23 close to Manor Royal. In the picture, the road to the left, ''Old Brighton Road South'', is truncated abruptly at the airport boundary, a short distance from the runway.
* [[Worth, West Sussex|Worth]] was originally a village with its own civil parish, lying just beyond the eastern edge of the Crawley urban area and borough boundary;<ref>{{cite map |publisher= Ordnance Survey|title= Sheet 187: Dorking, Reigate and Crawley|year= 1980|scale= 1:50,000|series= Landranger Series of Great Britain}}</ref> but development of the Pound Hill and Maidenbower neighbourhoods has filled in the gaps, and the borough boundary has been extended to include the whole of the village. The civil parish of Worth remains, albeit reduced in size, as part of the [[Mid Sussex]] district.
==Demography==
{| class="wikitable" align=left
|-
! Year
! Population<ref name="popC">{{Cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_table_page.jsp?data_theme=T_POP&data_cube=N_TPop&u_id=10076730&c_id=10001043&add=N|title=Crawley District: Total Population|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=National Statistics|year=2001|work=A Vision of Britain Through Time website}}</ref>
|-
| 1901
|align=right |4,433
|-
| 1921
|align=right |5,437
|-
| 1941
|align=right |7,090
|-
| 1961
|align=right |25,550
|-
| 1981
|align=right |87,865
|-
| 2001
|align=right |99,744
|}
[[Image:Crawley Population Graph.png|thumb|300px|Graph of population growth in Crawley 1901–2001. Horizontal axis: year. Vertical axis: population.]]
At the last [[United Kingdom Census 2001|census]] in 2001 the population of Crawley was recorded as 99,744.<ref name="census">{{Cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=3&b=277137&c=crawley&d=13&e=16&g=496061&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1|title=Key Figures for 2001 Census: Census Area Statistics|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=National Statistics|year=2001|work=Neighbourhood Statistics website}}</ref> This 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<ref name="popC"/>—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%.<ref name="popH">{{Cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_table_page.jsp?data_theme=T_POP&data_cube=N_TPop&u_id=10076808&c_id=10001043&add=N|title=Horsham District: Total Population|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=National Statistics|year=2001|work=A Vision of Britain Through Time website}}</ref>
The borough has a younger and more ethnically diverse population than that of West Sussex as a whole. Approximately 64.5% of the population is aged below 45, compared to 55% of the population of West Sussex, and 15.5% of people are from an ethnic background other than White British, compared to just 6.5% throughout the county. People of Indian and Pakistani origin account for 4.5% and 3% of the population respectively.<ref name="ethicityCry">{{Cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=277137&c=crawley&d=13&e=16&g=496061&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=87|title=Ethnic Group (UV09) dataset|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=National Statistics|year=2001|work=Neighbourhood Statistics website}}</ref><ref name="ethicityWSx">{{Cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=3567640&c=west+sussex&d=180&e=15&g=494810&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=47|title=Ethnic Group (KS06) dataset|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=National Statistics|year=2001|work=Neighbourhood Statistics website}}</ref>
The borough has a population density of around 22 persons per hectare<ref name="density">{{Cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=277137&c=crawley&d=13&e=16&g=496061&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=789|title=Population Density (UV02)—Crawley Local Authority|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=National Statistics|year=2001|work=Neighbourhood Statistics website}}</ref> (54 persons per acre), making it the second most densely populated district in West Sussex, after [[Worthing]]. The social mix is similar to the national norm: around 50% are in the ABC1 [[NRS social grade|social category]],<ref name="ABC1">{{Cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=277137&c=crawley&d=13&e=16&g=496061&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=141|title=Approximated Social Grade (UV50)|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=National Statistics|year=2001|work=Neighbourhood Statistics website}}</ref> although this varies by ward, with just 44% in Broadfield North<ref name="bfield">{{Cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=5942660&c=broadfield&d=14&e=16&g=495926&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=141|title=Approximated Social Grade (UV50)—Broadfield North Ward|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=National Statistics|year=2001|work=Neighbourhood Statistics website}}</ref> compared to 75% in Maidenbower.<ref name="maidenbower">{{Cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=5942654&c=maidenbower&d=14&e=16&g=496051&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=141|title=Approximated Social Grade (UV50)—Maidenbower Ward|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=National Statistics|year=2001|work=Neighbourhood Statistics website}}</ref>
The proportion of people in the borough with [[higher education]] qualifications is lower than the national average. Around 14% have a qualification at [[National Qualifications Framework|level 4]] or above, compared to 20% nationally.<ref name="quals">{{Cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=277137&c=crawley&d=13&e=5&g=496061&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=103|title=Qualifications (UV24)—Crawley Local Authority|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=National Statistics|year=2001|work=Neighbourhood Statistics website}}</ref>
==Economy==
{|class="infobox"
! style="background:#ccccff" align="center" colspan=3|Labour Profile<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/la/2038431836/report.aspx?town=crawley#tabjobs |title=Labour Market Profile: Crawley |accessdate=2007-08-02 |work=Nomis official labour market statistics |publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]] }} Data is taken from the ONS annual business inquiry employee analysis and refers to 2005</ref>
|-
||Total employee jobs||79,700
|-
||Full-time||58,100||72.9%
|-
||Part-time||21,600||27.1%
|-
||Manufacturing||7,500||9.4%
|-
||Construction||1,800||2.2%
|-
||Services||70,100||87.9%
|-
|style="left-padding: 20pt"|Distribution, hotels & restaurants||19,600||24.6%
|-
|style="left-padding: 20pt"|Transport & communications||23,900||30.0%
|-
|style="left-padding: 20pt"|Finance, IT, other business activities||15,400||19.3%
|-
|style="left-padding: 20pt"|Public admin, education & health||9,600||12.1%
|-
|style="left-padding: 20pt"|Other services||1,600||2.0%
|-
|style="left-padding: 20pt"|Tourism-related||6,600||8.3%
|}
[[Image:Crawley - Manor Royal Ind Est.JPG|thumb|right|The junction of Faraday Road and Fleming Way, at the heart of the [[Manor Royal]] industrial estate]]
Crawley originally traded as a market town. The Development Corporation intended to develop it as a centre for manufacturing and light engineering, with a dedicated and purpose-built industrial zone.<ref name="econhist"/> The rapid growth of Gatwick Airport provided opportunities for businesses in 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 [[South East England Development Agency|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.<ref name="gatdiamond">{{Cite web|url=http://www.gatwickdiamond.co.uk/|title=The Gatwick Diamond|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=West Sussex Economic Partnership|year=2007|work=Gatwick Diamond website}}</ref>
Since the [[World War II|Second World War]], unemployment in Crawley has been low: the rate was 1.47% of the working-age population in 2003.<ref name="unemployment">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dDocName=INT010610&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&Rendition=Web|title=Unemployment|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2004|work=Crawley Economic Profile 2004|format=PDF}}</ref> During the boom of the 1980s the town boasted the lowest level of unemployment in the UK.<ref name="hansard">{{cite web | title = Debates for 9 Feb 1989 | work = House of Commons Hansard | publisher = HMSO | date = 1989 | url =http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm198889/cmhansrd/1989-02-09/Debate-4.html | accessdate = 2007-01-06 }}</ref> Continuous growth and investment have made Crawley one of the most important business and employment centres in the [[South East England]] region.<ref name="SuppMem"/>
===Manufacturing industry===
Crawley was already a modest industrial centre by the end of the Second World War. Building was an important trade: 800 people were employed by building and joinery firms, and two—Longley's and Cook's—were large enough to have their own factories.<ref name="fredgray"/> In 1949, 1,529 people worked in manufacturing: the main industries were light and precision engineering and aircraft repair. Many of the jobs in these industries were highly skilled.<ref name="fredgray"/><ref name="econhist"/>
Industrial development had to take place relatively soon after the new town was established because part of the Corporation's remit was to move people and jobs out of an overcrowded and war-damaged London. Industrial jobs were needed as well as houses and shops to create a balanced community where people could settle.<ref name="NTA1946"/> The Development Corporation wanted the new town to support a large and mixed industrial base, with factories and other buildings based in a single zone rather than spread throughout the town. A {{convert|267|acre|ha|0|adj=on}}<ref name="NTA1946">{{Citation
| last =
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| publication-date =1949-07-28
| date =
| year =1949
| title =New Towns Act 1946: Reports of the Aycliffe, Crawley, Harlow, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Peterlee, Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City Development Corporations for period ending 31 March 1949
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| publication-place =London
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}}</ref> site in the northeastern part of the development area was chosen. Its advantages included flat land with no existing development; proximity to the London–Brighton railway line, the A23 and the planned M23; space for railway sidings (which were eventually built on a much smaller scale than envisaged); and an adjacent {{convert|44|acre|ha|0|adj=on}} site reserved for future expansion, on the other side of the railway line (again, not used for this purpose in the end). [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Princess Elizabeth]] (later Queen Elizabeth II) opened the first part of the industrial area on [[25 January]] [[1950]];<ref name="miscellany"/> its main road was named Manor Royal, and this name eventually came to refer to the whole estate.<ref name="econhist"/>
The Corporation stipulated that several different [[Secondary sector of economic activity|manufacturing industries]] should be developed, rather than allowing one sector or firm to dominate. It did not seek to attract companies by offering financial or other incentives; instead, it set out to create the ideal conditions for industrial development to arise naturally, by providing large plots of land with room for expansion, allowing firms to build their own premises or rent ready-made buildings, and constructing a wide range of building types and sizes.<ref name="fredgray"/><ref name="econhist"/>
Despite the lack of direct incentives, many firms applied to move to the Manor Royal estate: it was considered such an attractive place to relocate to that the Development Corporation was able to choose between applicants to achieve the ideal mix of firms, and little advertising or promotion had to be undertaken. One year after Manor Royal was opened, eighteen firms were trading there, including four with more than 100 employees and one with more than 1,000.<ref name="econhist"/> By 1964, businesses which had moved to the town since 1950 employed 16,000 people; the master plan had anticipated between 8,000 and 8,500. In 1978 there were 105 such firms, employing nearly 20,000 people between them.<ref name="fredgray"/><ref name="econhist"/>
===Service industry and commerce===
While most of the jobs created in the new town's early years were in manufacturing, the [[Tertiary sector of economic activity|tertiary sector]] developed strongly from the 1960s. The Manor Royal estate, with its space, proximity to Gatwick and good transport links, attracted airport-related services such as logistics, catering, distribution and warehousing; and the Corporation and private companies built many offices throughout the town. Office floorspace in the town increased from {{convert|55000|sqft|m2|-2}} in 1965 to a conservative estimate of {{convert|453000|sqft|m2|-2}} in 1984.<ref name="econhist"/> Major schemes during that period included premises for the [[Natwest|Westminster Bank]] (later part of NatWest), [[British Caledonian]], and [[Paymaster-General|The Office of the Paymaster-General]]—a government ministry within the remit of [[HM Treasury]].<ref name="econhist"/> The five-storey Overline House above the railway station, completed in 1968, is used by Crawley's [[NHS Primary Care Trust]] and various other companies.<ref name="nhs">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nhs.uk/ServiceDirectories/Pages/Trust.aspx?id=5P6&v=6|title=NHS: West Sussex PCT|accessdate=2007-09-05|publisher=Department of Health|year=2007|work=NHS Choices: West Sussex PCT (list of sites)}}</ref><ref name="otheroverlinecos">{{Cite web|url=http://www.locallife.co.uk/crawley/jobagencies3.asp|title=Locallife Crawley|accessdate=2007-09-05|publisher=Locallife Ltd|year=2007|work=Locallife Crawley: Business directory}}</ref>
Major employers based in the town as of 2008 include [[Thales Group]], [[Unilever]], [[Doosan Babcock Energy]], [[GlaxoSmithKline]], [[Virgin Atlantic Airways]] and its associated travel agency [[Virgin Holidays]], [[Barclaycard]] and the Office of the Paymaster-General. [[British Airways]] took over British Caledonian's headquarters near the Manor Royal estate, renamed it "Astral Towers" and based its [http://www.baholidays.com/selectCountry.jsp British Airways Holidays] and [[AIRMILES]] divisions there.<ref name="baholidays">{{cite web|url=http://www.baholidays.com/packages/terms06.jsp|title=British Airways Holidays: Booking terms and conditions|accessdate=2007-09-05|publisher=British Airways Holidays Ltd|year=2007}}</ref><ref name="AIRMILES">{{cite web|url=http://www.airmiles.co.uk/tertiary/aboutus.do|title=About Airmiles|accessdate=2008-03-21|publisher=AIRMILES Travel Promotions Ltd, trading as AIRMILES|year=2008}}</ref>
===Shopping and retail===
[[Image:Crawley - High Street (N).JPG|thumb|right|Crawley High Street looking north, with the Saturday market in operation]]
Even before the new town was planned, Crawley was a retail centre for the surrounding area: there were 177 shops in the town in 1948,<ref name="fredgray"/> 99 of which were on the High Street.<ref name="econhist"/> Early new town residents relied on these shopping facilities until the Corporation implemented the master plan's designs for a new shopping area on the mostly undeveloped land east of the High Street and north of the railway line.<ref name="NTA1946"/> The Broadwalk and its 23 shops were built in 1954, followed by the Queen's Square complex and surrounding streets in the mid-1950s.<ref name="vicdates"/> Queen's Square, a pedestrianised plaza surrounded by large shops and linked to the High Street by The Broadwalk, was officially opened in 1958 by Queen Elizabeth II.<ref name="fredgray"/> The town centre was completed by 1960, by which time Crawley was already recognised as an important regional, rather than merely local, shopping centre.
[[Image:Crawley - County Mall (Friary Way Entrance).JPG|thumb|left|The Friary Way entrance to County Mall]]
In the 1960s and 1970s, large branches of [[Tesco]], [[Sainsbury's]] and [[Marks & Spencer]] were opened (the Tesco superstore was the largest in Britain at the time). The shopping area was also expanded southeastwards from Queen's Square: although the original plans of 1975 were not implemented fully, several large shop units were built and a new pedestrianised link—The Martlets—was provided between Queen's Square and Haslett Avenue, the main road to Three Bridges.<ref name="econhist"/> The remaining land between this area and the railway line was sold for private development by 1982;<ref name="econhist"/> in 1992 a {{convert|450000|sqft|m2|-2}}<ref name="CMsize">{{Cite web|url=http://www.propertymall.com/press/article/433|title=Propertymall.com: Crawley, County Mall Shopping Centre|accessdate=2007-09-05|publisher=MaxiMalls.com Ltd|year=2007|work=www.propertymall.com}}</ref> shopping centre named County Mall was opened there.<ref name="mall">{{Cite web|url=http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?storyCode=3047252|title=The magnetic North|accessdate=2007-08-21|publisher=Property Week|date=2005-02-25|author=Christine Ease|work=www.propertyweek.com}}</ref> Its stores includes major retailers such as [[Debenhams]], [[Alliance Boots|Boots]], [[W H Smith]] and [[Bhs|British Home Stores]] as well as over 80 smaller outlets.<ref name="shops">{{Cite web|url=http://www.standardlifeweb.co.uk/retailerslist.php?user=countymall&all=true|title=Shopping|accessdate=2007-08-21|publisher=Standard Life Property|year=2007|work=www.countymall.co.uk}}</ref> The town's main bus station was redesigned, roads including the main A2220 Haslett Avenue were rerouted, and some buildings at the south end of The Martlets were demolished to accommodate the mall.
A regeneration strategy for the town centre, "Centre Vision 2000", was produced in 1993.<ref name="centrevision">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/groups/public/documents/strategypolicy/int010609.pdf|title=Town Centre Strategy—Consultation Document|accessdate=2008-03-31|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|date=[[2005-04-27]]|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref> Changes brought about by the scheme have included {{convert|50000|sqft|m2|-2}} of additional retail space in Queen's Square and The Martlets, and a mixed-use development at the southern end of the High Street on land formerly occupied by Robinson Road (which was demolished) and Spencers Road (shortened and severed at one end). An ASDA superstore, opened in September 2003, forms the centrepiece.<ref name="tcn">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/groups/public/documents/strategypolicy/int087038.pdf|title=Town Centre North, Crawley: Retail Assessment|accessdate=2007-09-09|publisher=Grosvenor Investments Ltd|year=2006|month=05|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref> Robinson Road, previously named Church Road, had been at the heart of the old Crawley: a century before its demolition, its buildings included two chapels, a school, a hospital and a post office.<ref name="thennow">{{cite book |last=Bastable |first=Roger |title=Then & Now: Crawley |origyear=2004 |publisher=Tempus Publishing |location=Stroud |isbn=0-7524-3063-7 |pages=9| chapter=Old Crawley}}</ref>
There are plans to expand Crawley's central shopping area northwards on to land currently occupied by the Town Hall and office buildings. The borough council's premises would be moved to a new site—possibly the land currently occupied by Sussex House on the High Street—and The Boulevard would become a large pedestrianised shopping area.<ref name="town centre north">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=780|title=Town Centre North|accessdate=2007-09-10|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2006}}</ref><ref name="town centre north2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawleytcn.com|title=Town Centre North|accessdate=2007-09-10|publisher=Grosvenor Estates|year=2007}}</ref> A {{convert|255000|sqft|m2|-2}} [[John Lewis (department store)|John Lewis department store]], to be opened in 2013, would be the [[anchor store]]. The scheme, named "Town Centre North", is designed to make Crawley a major regional shopping destination.<ref name="JLewis">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawleytcn.com/Shopping/ShoppingLanding.htm|title=Town Centre North: Shopping|accessdate=2007-10-21|publisher=Grosvenor Estates|year=2007}}</ref>
==Public services==
Policing in Crawley is provided by [[Sussex Police]]. The borough forms part of the North Downs division,<ref name="ssxdiv">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sussex.police.uk/npt/district_map.asp|title=Policing Your Neighbourhood: Local Policing|accessdate=2008-02-22|publisher=Sussex Police|year=2008|work=Sussex Police website}}</ref> and is itself divided into three areas for the purposes of neighbourhood policing: Crawley East, Crawley West, and Crawley Town Centre.<ref name="ssxdist">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sussex.police.uk/neighbourhood_policing/transferDistrict.aspx?district=Crawley|title=Sussex Police Online - District Crawley|accessdate=2008-02-22|publisher=Sussex Police|year=2008|work=Sussex Police website}}</ref> A separate division covers Gatwick Airport.<ref name="ssxdiv"/> There is a police station in the town centre, open for 16 hours a day.<ref name="policecry">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sussex.police.uk/npt/local_police_stations.asp?id=local&stationID=crawley|title=Policing Your Neighbourhood—Local Police Stations|accessdate=2008-02-22|publisher=Sussex Police|year=2008|work=Sussex Police website}}</ref> [[Fire service in the United Kingdom|Statutory emergency fire and rescue services]] are provided by the [[West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service]] which operates a fire station in the town centre.<ref name="fire">{{Cite web|url=http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/emergency-services/west-sussex-fire-&-rescue-service/08--contacts/|title=West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service: Contacts|accessdate=2008-02-22|publisher=West Sussex County Council|year=2008}}</ref> The [[South East Coast Ambulance Service]] is responsible for ambulance and paramedic services.<ref name="amb">{{Cite web|url=http://www.secamb.nhs.uk/about-us|title=South East Coast Ambulance Service—About Us|accessdate=2008-02-22|publisher=South East Coast Ambulance Service|year=2008|work=Secamb website}}</ref>
Crawley Hospital in West Green is operated by West Sussex [[Primary Care Trust]]. Some services are provided by the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare [[NHS Trust]], including a 24-hour walk-in centre for non-life threatening injuries.<ref name="hosp">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/pages/Hospital.aspx?id=RTP02|title=Crawley Hospital General Information|accessdate=2008-02-22|publisher=National Health Service|year=2008|work=NHS website}}</ref> The Surrey and Sussex has been judged as "weak" by the [[Healthcare Commission]].<ref name="trust">{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7050375.stm|title=Mixed marks for South East trusts|accessdate=2008-02-22|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|year=2007|work=BBC News website}}</ref>
[[Thames Water]] is responsible for all waste water and sewerage provision. Residents in most parts of Crawley receive their drinking water from [[Southern Water]]; areas in the north of the town around Gatwick Airport are provided by Sutton & East Surrey Water; and South East Water supplies Maidenbower.<ref name="water">{{Cite web|url=http://www.thameswater.co.uk/en_gb/Downloads/Flash_Documents/map.swf|title=Thames Water Service Area Map|accessdate=2008-02-22|publisher=Thames Water|year=2008|work=Thames Water website|format=SWF}}</ref>
[[EDF Energy|EDF Energy Networks]] is the [[Distribution Network Operator]] responsible for electricity.<ref name="elec">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Electricity/AboutElectricity/DistributionCompanies/|title=National Grid: Distribution Network Operator (DNO) Companies|accessdate=2008-02-22|publisher=National Grid|year=2008|work=National Grid website}}</ref> Gas is supplied by [[Scotia Gas Networks|Southern Gas Networks]] who own and manage the South East Local Distribution Zone.<ref name="gas">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/About/How+Gas+is+Delivered/|title=National Grid: About the Gas Industry|accessdate=2008-02-22|publisher=National Grid|year=2008|work=National Grid website}}</ref>
The provision of public services was made in co-operation with the local authorities as the town grew in the 1950s and 1960s. They oversaw the opening of a fire station in 1958, the telephone exchange, police station and town centre health clinic in 1961 and an ambulance station in 1963. Plans for a new hospital on land at The Hawth were abandoned, however, and the existing hospital in West Green was redeveloped instead.<ref name="vic"/> Gas was piped from Croydon, {{convert|20|mi|km|0}} away, and a gasworks at Redhill, while the town's water supply came from the [[Weir Wood]] reservoir south of East Grinstead and another at [[Pease Pottage]].<ref name="vic"/><ref name="oldphotos">
{{cite book |last=Green |first=Jeffrey |coauthors=Peter Allen |title=Crawley New Town in old photographs |origyear=1993 |publisher=Alan Sutton Publishing |location=Stroud |isbn=0-7509-0472-0}}</ref>
==Transport==
Crawley's early development as a market town was helped by its location on the London–Brighton [[turnpike]]. The area was joined to the [[Rail transport in Great Britain|railway network]] in the mid-19th century; and since the creation of the new town, there have been major road upgrades (including a [[motorway]] link), a [[guided bus]] transit system and the establishment of an airport which has become one of Britain's largest and busiest.
===Road===
[[Image:M23 Motorway West Sussex.jpg|thumb|right|The M23 motorway between Junctions 9 and 10]]
The London–Brighton turnpike ran through the centre of Crawley, forming the High Street and Station Road. When Britain's major roads were classified by the British government's Ministry of Transport between 1919 and 1923,<ref name="cbrdhistory">{{cite web |url= http://www.cbrd.co.uk/indepth/roadnumbers/history.shtml|title=CBRD In Depth: Road Numbers—How it happened|accessdate=2008-03-31|publisher=Chris Marshall|year=2001|work=CBRD website}}</ref> it was given the number [[A23 road|A23]]. It was bypassed by a new dual carriageway in 1939 (which forms the A23's current route through the town), and then later to the east side of the town by the [[M23 motorway]], which was opened in 1975. This connects London's orbital motorway, the [[M25 motorway|M25]], to the A23 at [[Pease Pottage]], at the southern edge of Crawley's built-up area. The original single-carriageway A23 became the A2219.
The M23 has junctions in the Crawley area at the A2011/[[A264 road|A264]] (Junction 10) and Maidenbower (Junction 10A). The end of the motorway at Pease Pottage is Junction 11. The A2011, another dual-carriageway, joins the A23 in West Green and provides a link, via the A2004, to the town centre. The A2220 follows the former route of the A264 through the town, linking the A23 directly to the A264 at [[Copthorne, West Sussex|Copthorne]], from where it then runs to [[East Grinstead]].
===Rail===
[[Image:Crawley Station 01 (07-07-2007).JPG|thumb|right|Crawley station, with five storeys of offices above the ticket office and concourse area]]
The first railway line in the area was the [[Brighton Main Line]], which opened as far as [[Haywards Heath]] on [[12 July]] [[1841]] and reached Brighton on [[21 September]] [[1841]]. It ran through Three Bridges, which was then a small village east of Crawley, and [[Three Bridges railway station|a station]] was built to serve it.<ref name="VicKeithTBB4">{{cite book|last= Mitchell|first= Vic|coauthor= Keith Smith|title= Southern Main Lines: Three Briges to Brighton|year= 1986|publisher= Middleton Press|location= Midhurst|isbn= 0-906520-35-5|pages= 4}}</ref>
A line to [[Horsham]], now part of the [[Arun Valley Line]], was opened on [[14 February]] [[1848]]. [[Crawley railway station|A station]] was provided next to Crawley High Street from that date.<ref name="VicKeithCL4">{{cite book|last= Mitchell|first= Vic|coauthor= Keith Smith|title= Southern Main Lines: Crawley to Littlehampton|year= 1986|publisher= Middleton Press|location= Midhurst|isbn= 0-906520-34-7|pages= 4}}</ref> A new station was constructed slightly to the east, in conjunction with the Overline House commercial development, and replaced the original station which closed on [[28 July]] [[1968]]. The ticket office and Up (London-bound) platform waiting areas form the ground floor of the office building.<ref name="GBody">{{cite book |last= Body|first= Geoffrey|title= PSL Field Guide: Railways of the Southern Region|year= 1984|publisher= Patrick Stephens Ltd|location= Cambridge|isbn= 0-85059-664-5|pages= page 75}}</ref>
[[Ifield railway station]] is now within the Crawley urban area. Opened as ''Lyons Crossing Halt'' on [[1 June]] [[1907]] to serve the village of Ifield, it was soon renamed ''Ifield Halt'', dropping the "Halt" suffix in 1930.<ref name="VicKeithCL15">{{cite book|last= Mitchell|first= Vic|coauthor= Keith Smith|title= Southern Main Lines: Crawley to Littlehampton|year= 1986|publisher= Middleton Press|location= Midhurst|isbn= 0-906520-34-7|pages= 15}}</ref>
Regular train services run from Crawley to [[London Victoria station|London Victoria]] and [[London Bridge station|London Bridge]] stations, Gatwick Airport, [[Croydon]], [[Tunbridge Wells]], [[Horsham]], [[Bognor Regis]], [[Chichester]], [[Portsmouth]] and [[Southampton]]. Three Bridges has direct links with Brighton.<ref name="tt3">{{cite web|url=http://southernrailway.go-cms.co.uk/content/doc/pdf/timetable_a_157.pdf|title=West Coastway and Arun Valley: London, East Croydon, Gatwick Airport, Arun Valley & Brighton to Hove, Worthing, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, Chichester, Portsmouth & Southampton|accessdate=2008-04-07|publisher=New Southern Railway Ltd|year=2007|work=Southern timetable booklet 3 (at Southern website)}}</ref><ref name="tt2">{{cite web|url=http://southernrailway.go-cms.co.uk/content/doc/pdf/timetable_a_195.pdf|title=Brighton Main Line: London, East Croydon, Tonbridge and Redhill to Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges, Crawley and Horsham|accessdate=2008-04-07|publisher=New Southern Railway Ltd|year=2007|work=Southern timetable booklet 2 (at Southern website)}}</ref>
===Bus and Fastway===
Crawley was one of several towns where the boundaries of [[Southdown Motor Services]] and [[London Transport Executive|London Transport]] bus services met. In 1958 the companies reached an agreement which allowed them both to provide services in all parts of the town. When the [[National Bus Company (UK)|National Bus Company]] was formed in 1969, its [[London Country Bus Services]] subsidiary took responsibility for many routes, including [[Green Line Coaches]] cross-London services which operated to distant destinations such as [[Watford]], [[Luton]] and [[Amersham]]. A coach station was opened by Southdown in 1931 on the A23 at County Oak, near Lowfield Heath: it was a regular stopping point for express coaches between London and towns on the Sussex coast. This traffic started to serve Gatwick when the airport began to grow, however.<ref name="SouthdownDays">{{cite book |title=Southdown Days |last=Kraemer-Johnson |first=Glyn |coauthors=John Bishop |year=2005 |publisher=Ian Allan Publishing |location=Hersham |isbn=0-7110-3077-4 |chapter=Old Town, New Town |pages=48–55 }}</ref> When the National Bus Company was broken up, local services were provided by the new [[London Country South West|South West division]] of London Country Bus Services, which later became part of the [[Arriva]] group. [[Metrobus (bus company)|Metrobus]] acquired these routes from Arriva in March 2001, and is now Crawley's main operator.<ref name="goahead">{{Cite web|url=http://www.go-ahead.com/Main.php?sFileName=NewsRelease.php&iNewsId=130&s|title=Acquisition of Crawley Depot|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=Go Ahead Group|year=2001|work=Go Ahead Group website}}</ref> It provides local services between the neighbourhoods and town centre, and longer-distance routes to [[Horsham]], [[Redhill, Surrey|Redhill]], [[Tunbridge Wells]], [[Worthing]] and [[Brighton]].<ref name="buses">{{Cite web|url=http://www.metrobus.co.uk/service_index.php|title=Timetables & Route Index|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=Go Ahead Group|year=2007|work=Metrobus Website}}</ref>
In September 2003 a [[guided bus]] service, [[Crawley Fastway|Fastway]], began operating between [[Bewbush, Crawley|Bewbush]] and [[Gatwick Airport]].<ref name="fastway">{{Cite web|url=http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/cms-service/stream/asset/?asset_id=2383834&|title=Fastway: Phase One Service Launched|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=West Sussex County Council|year=2003|work=Fastway, Issue 6|format=PDF}}</ref> A second route, from Broadfield to the Langshott area of [[Horley]], north of Gatwick Airport, was added on [[27 August]] [[2005]].<ref name="route20">{{Cite web|url=http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/cms-service/stream/asset/?asset_id=2383828&|title=Fastway information and timetable from 27 August 2005|accessdate=2007-09-05|publisher=West Sussex County Council|year=2005|work=Fastway leaflet (2005) at West Sussex County Council Roads & Transport website}}</ref>
===Gatwick Airport===
{{main|London Gatwick Airport}}
Gatwick Airport was licensed as a private airfield in August 1930.<ref name="Gwynne147">{{cite book |last=Gwynne |first=Peter |title=A History of Crawley |origyear=1990 |publisher=Phillimore & Company |location=Chichester |isbn=0-85033-718-6 |pages=147| chapter=Into the Twentieth Century}}</ref> It was used during the [[World War II|Second World War]] as an [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] base, and returned to civil use in 1946. There were proposals to close the airport by the late 1940s, but in 1950 the government announced that it was to be developed as London's second airport.<ref name="Gwynne160">{{cite book |last=Gwynne |first=Peter |title=A History of Crawley |origyear=1990 |publisher=Phillimore & Company |location=Chichester |isbn=0-85033-718-6 |pages=160| chapter=The New Town—Maturity}}</ref> It was closed between 1956 and 1958 for rebuilding. [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Her Majesty The Queen]] reopened it on [[9 June]] [[1958]]. A second terminal, the North Terminal, was built in 1988.<ref name="baa">{{Cite web|url=http://www.gatwickairport.com/portal/controller/dispatcher.jsp?CiID=0fcae327ea262010VgnVCM100000147e120a____&ChID=594e1fb079432010VgnVCM100000147e120a____&Ct=B2C_CT_GENERAL&CtID=448c6a4c7f1b0010VgnVCM200000357e120a____&ChPath=Home%5ELGW%5EAbout+BAA+Gatwick%5EGatwick+lowdown%5EOur+history|title=Our History|accessdate=2007-08-01|publisher=BAA plc|year=2006|work=BAA Gatwick Airport website}}</ref>
An agreement exists between [[BAA plc]] and West Sussex County Council preventing the building of a second runway until 2019. Nevertheless, consultations were launched in 2002 by the [[Department for Transport]], at which proposals for additional facilities and runways were considered. It was agreed that there would be no any further expansion at Gatwick unless it became impossible to meet growth targets at [[London Heathrow Airport]] within existing pollution limits.<ref name="dft">{{Cite web|url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/archive/2002/fd/|title=The future development of air transport in the UK|accessdate=2007-08-01|publisher=Department for Transport|year=2003|work=Department for Transport website}}</ref>
==Sport and leisure==
[[Crawley Town F.C.]] are Crawley's main [[Association football|football]] team. Formed in 1896, they moved in 1949 to a ground at Town Mead adjacent to the [[West Green, West Sussex|West Green]] playing fields. Demand for land near the town centre led to the club moving in 1997 to the new [[Broadfield Stadium]], now owned by the borough council.<ref name="ctfc">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawleytownfc.net/page.php?pageid=37|title=Crawley Town Football Club - past and present|accessdate=2007-08-02|year=2007|work=Crawley Town Football Club website}}</ref> As of the [[2007-08 in English football|2007/2008 season]], Crawley Town play in the [[Football Conference|Blue Square Premier]], the highest level of non-league competition in England. Two other local teams play in the [[Sussex County Football League]]: [[Three Bridges F.C.]] and [[Ifield Edwards F.C.]]. [[Crawley Rugby Club]] is based in Ifield,<ref name="crfc">{{cite web|url=http://www.crawleyrfc.co.uk/|title=Welcome To Crawley RFC|accessdate=2008-03-17|year=2008|work=Crawley Rugby Football Club website}}</ref> and a golf course was constructed in 1982 at [[Tilgate Park]].<ref name="golf">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=229|title=Tilgate Forest Golf Centre|accessdate=2007-08-02|year=2006|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref>
[[Image:Crawley - K2 Leisure Centre 01.JPG|thumb|right|Entrance to the K2 Leisure Centre]]
The new town's original leisure centre was in Haslett Avenue in the Three Bridges neighbourhood. Building work started in the early 1960s, and a large swimming pool opened in 1964. The site was extended to include an athletics arena by 1967, and an additional large sports hall was opened by the town mayor, Councillor Ben Clay, and Prime Minister [[Harold Wilson]] in 1974.<ref name="wilson">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=PR1579&ssTargetNodeId=99|title=End of an era|accessdate=2007-08-03|year=2005|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref> However, the facilities became insufficient for the growing town, even though an annexe was opened in Bewbush in 1984.<ref name="leisure">{{Cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=18417|title=Crawley New Town: Social and cultural activities|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=Victoria County History|year=1987|author=Hudson, T.P. (Ed)|work=A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 6 Part 3: Bramber Rape (North-Eastern Part) including Crawley New Town}}</ref> In 2005, Crawley Leisure Centre was closed and replaced by a new facility, the K2 Leisure Centre, on the campus of [[Thomas Bennett Community College]] near the Broadfield Stadium.<ref name="K2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=580|title=K2 Crawley|accessdate=2007-08-02|year=2007|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref> Opened to the public on [[14 November]] [[2005]],<ref name="wilson"/> and officially by [[Sebastian Coe, Baron Coe|Lord (Sebastian) Coe]] on [[24 January]] [[2006]], the centre includes the only Olympic-sized swimming pool in [[South East England]].<ref name="Seb">{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/4640402.stm|title=Lord Coe opens K2 sports complex|accessdate=2007-08-03|year=2006|work=BBC News website}}</ref> In March 2008 the centre was named as a training site for the [[2012 Olympics]] in [[London]].<ref name="Olympics">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=PR2164&ssTargetNodeId=99|title=K2 Crawley makes Olympic training camp guide|accessdate=2008-03-31|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|date=2008-03-03|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref>
The Development Corporation made little provision for the arts in the plans for the new town, and a proposed arts venue in the town centre was never built. Neighbourhood community centres and the Tilgate Forest Recreational Centre were used for some cultural activities,<ref name="leisure"/> but it was not until 1988 that the town had a dedicated theatre and arts venue, at [[The Hawth]]. (The name derives from a local corruption of the word "[[Heath (habitat)|heath]]", which came to refer specifically to the expanse of wooded land, south of the town centre, in which the theatre was built.)<ref name="hawth">{{Cite web|url=https://tickets.hawth.co.uk/public/about_history.asp|title=History Of The Hawth|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2007|work=The Hawth, Crawley website}}</ref> Crawley's earliest cinema, the Imperial Picture House on Brighton Road, lasted from 1909 until the 1940s; the Embassy Cinema on the High Street (opened in 1938) replaced it.<ref name="miscellany"/><ref name="leisure">{{Cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=18405|title=Ifield|accessdate=2007-08-04|publisher=Victoria County History|year=1987|author=Hudson, T.P. (Ed)|work=A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 6 Part 3: Bramber Rape (North-Eastern Part) including Crawley New Town}}</ref> A large [[Cineworld]] cinema has since opened in the Crawley Leisure Park, which features [[ten-pin bowling]], various restaurants and bars and a fitness centre.<ref name="CLP">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=716|title=Leisure and Culture: Young People|accessdate=2007-08-04|year=2006|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref>
[[Image:Crawley - Memorial Park.JPG|thumb|left|The Memorial Gardens]]
Each neighbourhood has self-contained recreational areas, and there are other larger parks throughout the town. The Memorial Gardens, on the eastern side of Queen's Square, feature art displays, children's play areas and lawns, and a plaque commemorating those who died in two [[Second World War]] bombing incidents in 1943 and 1944.<ref name="miscellany"/> Goffs Park in Southgate covers {{convert|50|acre|ha|0}}, and has lakes, boating ponds, a model railway and many other features.<ref name="goffs">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=254|title=Parks and Gardens: Goffs Park|accessdate=2007-09-09|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2007|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref> [[Tilgate Park|Tilgate Park and Nature Centre]] has walled gardens, lakes, large areas of woodland with footpaths and [[Rights of way in England and Wales|bridleway]]s, a golfing area and a collection of animals and birds.<ref name="tilgatepark">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=256&strCSS=|title=Tilgate Park and Nature Centre|accessdate=2007-09-09|publisher=Crawley Borough Council|year=2007|work=Crawley Borough Council website}}</ref>
Crawley Museum<ref name="museum">{{Cite web|url=http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/museum_gfx_en/SE000454.html|title=Crawley Museum Centre|accessdate=2007-08-02|year=2007|work=24 Hour Museum website}}</ref> is based in Goffs Park. Stone Age and Bronze Age remains discovered in the area are on display, as well as more recent artefacts including parts of Vine Cottage, an old timber-framed building on the High Street which was once home to former ''Punch'' editor [[Mark Lemon]] and which was demolished when the ASDA development was built.<ref name="miscellany"/>
==Education==
{{seealso|Schools in Crawley, West Sussex}}
[[Image:Central Sussex College 01.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The main building of Central Sussex College]]
Maintained [[primary school|primary]] and [[secondary school]]s were reorganised in 2004 following the [[Local Education Authority]]'s decision to change the town's [[three-tier education|three-tier]] system of [[First school|first]], [[Middle school|middle]] and [[secondary school]]s to a more standard primary/secondary divide.<ref name="aot">{{Cite web|url=http://webserver01.westsussex.gov.uk/wscc/Assistant%20Chief%20Exec/Communications/Press%20Releases.nsf/0/1bd371a07ce7eccc80256b410037d4c7?OpenDocument&Click=|title=Stage two consultation on age of transfer for Crawley schools|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=West Sussex County Council|date=2002-01-13|work=Press Releases}}</ref> Since the restructuring, Crawley has had 17 primary schools (including two [[Church of England]] and two [[Roman Catholic]]) and four pairs of [[Infant school|infant]] and [[junior School]]s. Most of these were opened in 2004; others changed their status at this date (for example, from a middle to a junior School). [[Secondary education]] is provided at one of six secondary schools:
*[[Ifield Community College]]
*[[Hazelwick School]]
*[[Holy Trinity School, Crawley|Holy Trinity Church of England School]]
*[[Oriel High School, Crawley|Oriel High School]]
*[[St Wilfrid's Catholic School, Crawley|St Wilfrid's Catholic School]]
*[[Thomas Bennett Community College]]
Five of these have a [[sixth form]], and one is due to open at Oriel High in September 2008.<ref name="schs">{{Cite web|url=http://wsgfl.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/school-list/all-establishments---by-major-town/crawley/|title=Educational Establishments by Major Town: Crawley|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=West Sussex County Council|year=2007|work=West Sussex Grid for Learning}}</ref> The schools at Ifield and Thomas Bennett are also bases for the [[Local Authority]]'s [[adult education]] programmes.<ref name="AE">{{Cite web|url=http://wsgfl.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/school-list/all-establishments---by-type/adult-education-centres/|title=Adult Educational Centres|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=West Sussex County Council|year=2007|work=West Sussex Grid for Learning}}</ref>
Pupils with [[special needs]] are educated at the two [[special school]]s in the town, each of which covers the full spectrum of needs: Manor Green Primary School and Manor Green College.
[[Further education]] is provided by [[Central Sussex College]]. Opened in 1958 as Crawley Technical College,<ref name="ctc">{{Cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=18425#s5|title=Crawley New Town:Further Education|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=British History Online|year=1987|author=Hudson, T.P. (Ed)|work=A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 6 Part 3: Bramber Rape (North-Eastern Part) including Crawley New Town}}</ref> it merged with other local colleges to form the new institute in August 2005.<ref name="csc">{{Cite web|url=http://www.centralsussex.ac.uk/news/newsdisplay.asp?newsid=152|title=Central Sussex College - A New Era|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=Central Sussex College|year=2005|work=Central Sussex College website}}</ref> The college also provides [[higher education]] courses in partnership with the universities at [[University of Chichester|Chichester]] and [[University of Sussex|Sussex]]. In 2004, a proposal was made for an additional campus of the [[University of Sussex]] to be created in Crawley, but as of 2008 no conclusion has been reached.<ref name="ssx">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sussex.ac.uk/press_office/bulletin/16jul04/article1.shtml|title=Innovative new campus set for Crawley, not Horsham|accessdate=2007-07-31|publisher=University of Sussex|date=2004-06-16|work=Bulletin}}</ref>
==Media==
Crawley has two local newspapers, each with considerable history in the area. The ''Crawley Observer'' began life in 1881 as ''Simmins Weekly Advertiser'', became the ''Sussex & Surrey Courier'' and then the ''Crawley and District Observer'', and took its current name in 1983.<ref name="news">{{Cite web|url=http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/RO/MG8.2.pdf|title=Newspapers in West Sussex|accessdate=2007-08-31|publisher=West Sussex County Council|year=2003|author=West Sussex Record Office|work=Local History Mini-guide to Sources No. 8|format=PDF}}</ref> The newspaper is now owned by [[Johnston Press]].<ref name="obs">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mediauk.com/newspapers/41801/crawley-observer|title=Crawley Observer|accessdate=2007-08-31|publisher=MediaUK|year=2007|work=MediaUK website}}</ref> The ''Crawley News'' was first published in 1979, and later took over the operations of the older ''Crawley Advertiser'' which closed in 1982.<ref name="leisure"/> The newspaper is now owned by the [[Trinity Mirror]] group and is a free publication.<ref name="cn">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mediauk.com/newspapers/13819/crawley-news|title=Crawley News|accessdate=2007-08-31|publisher=MediaUK|year=2007|work=MediaUK website}}</ref>
The town is served by the London regional versions of [[BBC London|BBC]] and [[Carlton Television|ITV]] television from the Crystal Palace or Reigate transmitters—although some terrestrial aerials in the town may pick up [[BBC South]] and [[Meridian Broadcasting|ITV Meridian]] signals from the [[Midhurst]] transmitter.<ref name="tv">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ukfree.tv/askforDTT.php?postcode=RH101BZ&goto=%2Ftransmitters.php&btnG=Go|title=Transmitters|accessdate=2008-03-31|publisher=UK Free TV|year=2007|work=UK Free TV website}}</ref>
[[Radio Mercury]] began broadcasting on [[20 October]] [[1984]] from Broadfield House in Crawley.<ref name="merc">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mercuryfm.co.uk/article.asp?id=557190|title=Information about Mercury FM|accessdate=2008-03-31|year=2008|author=GCap Media plc|work=Mercury FM website}}</ref> The station, now owned by [[Gcap Media]], broadcasts as Mercury FM from Kelvin Way in Crawley.<ref name="mercfm">{{Cite web|url=http://www.community-net.co.uk/members/aircheck/aircheck_UKSussex.htm|title=Aircheck UK - Sussex|accessdate=2007-08-31|year=2007|work=Aircheck website}}</ref> The group has a sister station, [[Classic Gold Digital Network|Classic Gold Digital 1521]], on the [[medium wave]] frequency.<ref name="gold">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mediauk.com/radio/23/gold-%28reigate-and-crawley%29|title=Gold (Reigate and Crawley)|accessdate=2007-08-31|publisher=MediaUK|year=2007|work=MediaUK website}}</ref> Local BBC radio was provided by BBC Radio Sussex from 1983; this became part of [[BBC Southern Counties Radio]] following a merger with [[BBC Radio Surrey]] in 1994.<ref name="scr">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mediauk.com/radio/278/bbc-southern-counties-radio|title=BBC Southern Counties Radio|accessdate=2007-08-31|publisher=MediaUK|year=2007|work=MediaUK website}}</ref>
==Notable people==
[[Mark Lemon]], the first editor of [[Punch magazine|satirical magazine ''Punch'']], lived at a house in the High Street for many years until his death in 1870. A [[blue plaque]] outside the George Hotel commemorates his time in the town.<ref name="townwalk"/> Serial killer [[John George Haigh]], the "Acid Bath Murderer", carried out some of his murders at a workshop in the West Green area after moving to Crawley.<ref name="haigh">{{Cite web|url=http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/weird/haigh/invest_5.html|title=Crime Library: John George Haigh|accessdate=2007-08-30|publisher=Turner Entertainment Digital Network, Inc.|year=2007}}</ref> The footballers [[Kevin Muscat]] (who has played for Australia since 1994 and had a nine-year spell in Britain, playing for four different clubs) and [[Faye White]], the [[Arsenal L.F.C.|Arsenal]] and [[England women's national football team|England women's team]] captain, were born in Crawley,<ref name="faye">{{Cite web|url=http://www.faye-white.co.uk/bio.htm|title=The official Faye White website!|accessdate=2007-08-30|year=2007}}</ref><ref name="kevin">{{Cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/world/players/7828/|title=CNN/Sports Illustrated: Kevin Muscat|accessdate=2007-08-30|publisher=CNN/Sports Illustrated (an AOL Time Warner company)|year=2001}}</ref> while [[Gareth Southgate]] (manager of [[Middlesbrough F.C.]] and a former England international) attended the town's Hazelwick School.<ref name="gareth">{{Cite web|url=http://archive.theargus.co.uk/1999/11/12/196562.html|title=Southgate plans a party|accessdate=2007-08-30|publisher=Newsquest Media Group|date=1999-11-12|work=The Argus}}</ref> [[Alan Minter]] also achieved sporting success: born in Crawley in 1951, he won a bronze medal at the [[1972 Summer Olympics|1972 Munich Olympic Games]] in the [[light middleweight]] [[Boxing at the 1972 Summer Olympics|boxing category]],<ref name="minter">{{Cite web|url=http://archive.theargus.co.uk/2001/3/21/180980.html|title=Boxing: Ross Minter carries on a boxing tradition|accessdate=2007-08-30|publisher=Newsquest Media Group|date=2001-03-21|work=The Argus}}</ref> and in 1980 became the WBC world [[middleweight]] champion by beating [[Vito Antuofermo]].<ref name="miscellany"/> Athlete [[Daley Thompson]] used facilities in Crawley to train for the Olympics in [[1980 Summer Olympics|1980]] and [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984]].<ref name="Daley">{{cite web|url=http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo050721/debtext/50721-27.htm|title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 21 Jul 2005 (pt 27)|accessdate=2008-03-17|publisher=The Information Policy Division, Office of Public Sector Information|date=2005-07-21|work=United Kingdom Parliament website: Hansard (House of Commons Daily Debates)}}</ref> Rock band [[The Cure]] were formed in Crawley in 1976 by [[Robert Smith (musician)|Robert Smith]], [[Michael Dempsey]] and [[Lol Tolhurst]], all of whom attended St Wilfrid's School.<ref name="cure">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A444980|title=BBC h2g2: The Cure|accessdate=2007-08-30|publisher=BBC|date=2005-08-12}}</ref> The same school also educated drummer [[Paul Stewart (musician)|Paul Stewart]], guitarist [[Kevin Jeremiah]] and keyboard player [[Ciaran Jeremiah]], all of the band [[The Feeling]].<ref name="feeling">{{cite news |title=Feeling Their Way to Number One |url=http://www.thisiscrawley.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=252665&command=displayContent&sourceNode=252664&contentPK=19921336&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch |work=Crawley News |publisher=East Surrey and Sussex News and Media |location=Reigate, Surrey |id={{ISSN|0961-4800}} |page=10 |date=2008-02-20 |accessdate=2008-02-20 }}</ref> The 21st [[Premier of Western Australia]] Sir [[Charles Court]] was born in Crawley, but migrated to Australia with his family before his first birthday.<ref name="Charlescourt">{{cite web|url=http://www.murdoch.edu.au/vco/secretariat/records/citations/court_c.pdf|title=Honorary Degree Citation: The Hon Sir Charles Walter Michael Court|work=Murdoch University website|accessdate=2008-03-31|date=1995-03-22}}</ref> According to the [[back-story]] created for the virtual band [[Gorillaz]], the fictional character [[2D (Gorillaz)|2D]] comes from Crawley.<ref name="2d">{{Cite web|url=http://fans.gorillaz.com/band/bio-2d.html|title=Gorillaz: Biography|accessdate=2007-09-18|publisher=Gorillaz Partnership|year=2005}}</ref>
==See also==
*[[New Towns Act 1946]]
*[[New towns in the United Kingdom]]
*[[Urban planning]]
*[[West Sussex]]
*[[St. Nicholas' Church, Worth|Worth Church]]
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
*[http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=25 Crawley Borough Council]
{{Crawley}}
{{West Sussex}}
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[[Category:Local government in West Sussex]]
[[Category:New towns in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Shire districts]]
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