Architecture and Masterplanning in Crawley
Before land in Crawley can go for planning, someone has to show how many homes fit and how they will look. We start with a capacity study, then develop a masterplan that respects neighbours, trees, levels and drainage. The design is tested for cost and buildability at every stage, so what gets approved is something that can actually be built.
Crawley · RH11Free site appraisal
Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.
- Free site appraisalNo cost, no obligation
- Legal fees coveredReasonable fees, on options and promotion
- Nothing to pay upfrontOn promotion: we fund planning
- Direct purchaseSuitable sites, with or without planning
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
Our work around Crawley
Our West Sussex coverage is centred on Crawley, postcode district RH11, and reaches 8 other places. Nearby, we also cover Horley, Horsham and East Grinstead, all within 8 miles. Within England, Crawley falls in the South East region.
Projects we can take on around Crawley include in-principle consents that still need detailed approval, land where self-build plots could suit the market and land with an expired or ageing consent. Because Crawley is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Send us the site address near Crawley and we will tell you what we think the planning route is.
How we work in Crawley
Funded on promotion
Where we promote your land, the design work is part of the planning work we fund, recovered from the sale proceeds only if the land sells with planning.
Buildability checked
We test every scheme for construction cost and practicality, so the consent we seek is for homes that can actually be built and then sold or let.
Drainage and ecology built in
Sustainable drainage, biodiversity and tree retention shape the layout from the first sketch, rather than being squeezed in after the homes are placed.
House types that suit the place
Homes designed to reflect local materials, scale and character, with layouts people want to live in, rather than a standard pattern book dropped onto the site.
Rules that apply in Crawley
Whether a field or large garden could take homes depends mostly on the council's Local Plan and national policy. Under the National Planning Policy Framework, plans define settlement boundaries, and land just outside Crawley may still come forward if it is allocated, previously developed or meets evidenced unmet housing need. Smaller housing schemes can also use Permission in Principle, an England-only route that settles location, use and amount first. Our free appraisal explains which route suits your land.
In England, the National Planning Policy Framework places strong weight on well-designed places, and the National Design Guide and National Model Design Code shape what councils expect. Many councils have adopted local design codes. Most applications must also deliver biodiversity net gain, which affects how much of a site is set aside for habitat.
| National planning policy | National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Plan |
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry. |
Common questions in Crawley
How many homes could my land take?
It depends on the size and shape of the site, the access, the character of the area, the open space and drainage the scheme needs, and local planning policy on density. Sites of the same size can have very different capacities. A capacity study is the reliable way to answer the question, and our free site appraisal gives an indicative figure.
Can a layout keep part of my land free from development?
Yes. A layout can be drawn to leave a paddock, a garden or a buffer next to your own home outside the development, and the boundary can be fixed in any agreement. We will explain how that choice affects the number of homes, the access and the value of the land being sold.
What is a design and access statement?
It is a short report submitted with certain planning applications that explains the design principles behind a scheme and how people will get to and move around it. In England and Wales it is usually needed for major development and for some smaller schemes in sensitive areas. Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own requirements for design statements.
Do new housing schemes need sustainable drainage?
In most cases, yes. National and local policy usually expects new developments to manage rainwater sustainably, for example with swales, ponds and permeable paving. In Wales, most new developments need separate approval from the local SuDS approving body. We design drainage into the layout from the start, because it can take up a real share of the site.
Do you take on planning and building work in Crawley?
Yes, on sites we buy, option, promote or develop in partnership in Crawley and elsewhere in West Sussex, including Horsham, Haywards Heath and Worthing. We do not take on planning or building work for third parties as a consultancy.
Read more: Architecture and Masterplanning · Guide: Planning permission explained for landowners