Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

The application for a Sussex and Surrey Institute of Technology building on the College Road site was given the nod by the planning committee on Tuesday (April 23).

Paul Rolfe, associate principal of the Chichester College Group – the applicant – said Crawley was the lead on the Institute of Technology, which included the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex, with the University of Chichester going through the legal process to join the consortium.

He added: “The Institute of Technology will bring a range of major benefits. It will boost educational participation amongst residents at Level 4 and above. It will deliver a responsive, employer-led curriculum in digital, engineering, manufacturing as well as advanced construction.

The proposed new Crawley College block as seen from the South. Image: Bond Bryan

“It will house a green construction hub funded by the Crawley town’s fund. It will bring three universities to the town, where currently there are none. It will tackle social mobility challenges and the need to widen participation in higher education, particularly focussing on under-represented groups.

“It will also support local business growth and improvements in productivity by providing a pipeline of talent that we critically need.”

The plans also include a new sub-station and the reconfiguration of the parking layout, losing 87 spaces.

While the committee was unanimous in its support for the new building, they were concerned about the loss of parking spaces.

The proposed new Crawley College block as seen from the North West. Image: Bond Bryan

But officers said that the college’s travel plan would be updated to include the new building.

Students would not be allowed to park at the college but would be encouraged to find other ways to get to classes.

Only a very limited number of permits would be given to students in exceptional circumstances, with the spaces being taken up by staff.

The new building will include solar panels as well as rain-water harvesting which will be used to flush the lavatories.

Seven trees will be planted to replace the seven which will be felled during the development.

The new block will bring in 50 more staff members and 644 additional students.

The total number of staff at the campus will increase by 18 per cent to 332 and the student numbers by 15 per cent to 4,710.

To view the application, log on to crawley.gov.uk/planning and search for CR/2023/0734/FUL

Plans to build a four-storey technology building at Crawley College approved