The redevelopment of the County Buildings site in Exchange Road, Crawley, is critical to demonstrating progress for the One Public Estate (OPE) programme and plays a vital role in the wider regeneration of Crawley Town Centre.
The land known as County Buildings in Crawley was declared surplus to service use in 2018 (decision reference - FR17 17/18) and most of the buildings were subsequently demolished.
To support these ambitions, in September 2025 the Cabinet Member for Finance and Property made the decision to option the site to the West Sussex Joint Venture. The decision would enable a business case to be developed for the future development of the site.
After undertaking viability studies, the conclusion is that the county council’s best interests would be met if the land and any remaining buildings on the site are optioned to the county council’s Joint Venture Partnership, Kinsted Developments LLP, for a limited period of up to 5 years.
This will enable a business case to be developed for the future development of the site, in line with the criteria for joint venture projects using county council-owned land. Any final decision on the future of the site will depend upon the outcome of the business case and the consideration of that case by the joint venture partners.
The redevelopment of County Buildings will contribute towards the applicable aims with regards to the Crawley Growth Programme. The Crawley Growth Programme is a delivery mechanism and aims to achieve the economic growth outcomes agreed in the Crawley Growth Deal. The County Buildings form a key project within the Growth Programme.