Crawley Borough Council has launched a six-week public consultation on Crawley 2040: A new Economic Vision and Growth Plan, setting out a long-term ambition for the borough’s future growth.

The consultation was formally launched at the Invest Crawley Conference on 10 June, chaired by Jo Gumb of White Label Creative, with keynote speeches from Ian Duke, Chief Executive of Crawley Borough Council, and Councillor Michael Jones, Leader of Crawley Borough Council.

The new plan outlines how Crawley can build on its existing strengths to deliver sustainable and productive economic growth over the next 15 years. It aims to create the conditions for the town to realise its full potential as a leading economic centre in the South East.

Crawley already has a strong economic base, with an economy valued at almost £6 billion and a population of around 124,000. The borough has the second highest job density in South East England, supporting around 97,000 jobs—an increase of 8,000 over the past five years. Crawley is also ranked as the seventh most innovative place in the UK, based on patents per capita, and is home to more than 3,400 businesses, including 35 major global firms.

We have a strong and successful local economy, but we are ambitious for Crawley’s future. This plan sets out how we will build on our existing strengths to support sustainable growth, create new opportunities for residents and businesses, and ensure Crawley continues to thrive in the years ahead.

Councillor Michael Jones

Leader of Crawley Borough Council

The Invest Crawley Conference also highlighted progress on key infrastructure and partnership projects, including collaboration with Network Rail to develop plans for upgrading Three Bridges station and working with West Sussex County Council on a new Growth Deal for Crawley.

Residents, businesses and stakeholders are now invited to take part in the consultation. To share your views on the draft Crawley 2040: A new economic vision and growth plan, please visit our consultation page.

The consultation is open until 29 July 2026.