Residents delighted as they move into new Crawley council flats

Northgate Parade back in 2012. Photo: Google Street Maps

Carole Thompson is one of the new tenants at two two-bedroom and three one-bedroom flats which have been constructed on the site of a former off licence in Northgate Parade.

Another new resident is Elizabeth Oke who said she was over the moon to be able to move in to her flat.

The flats have triple glazed windows, mechanical ventilation and heat recovery systems, and photovoltaic panels on the roof providing power to communal areas.

Councillor Michael Jones, Cabinet member for Housing, said: “These new flats are another example of the good quality affordable homes we’re building for the people of Crawley. And they are just a small taste of what is to come, as this council moves forward with our ambition to build more than 1,000 new council homes here in the borough.

“It was such a pleasure to join housing officers to personally welcome our new residents as they picked up their keys, and to wish them many happy years in their new homes. They had to satisfy rigorous ‘local connection’ criteria set by the council to ensure local people who live and work in Crawley are given the recognition they deserve when it comes to our council housing waiting lists.

“It’s a great use of a small site and I am sure that Northgate residents will also be delighted to see the removal of the previous building, which did little to enhance the appearance of the neighbourhood. Having taken a peek at some of the unoccupied flats, I’m also pleased to see the solar panels and other eco features on these properties.”

Planning permission was granted in 2016 and the construction was undertaken by Sussex firm Cheesmur Building Contractors.