Crawley Secondary School To Be Rebuilt After Council Approval

Plans to demolish and rebuild a Crawley secondary school have been approved by Crawley Borough Council.

Holy Trinity Church of England School, in Buckswood Drive, was given the go-ahead by the council’s planning committee on Tuesday, paving the way for a major redevelopment of the site.

The school, which first opened in 1969, was identified as being in poor condition in a government report published in 2022 as part of the School Rebuilding Programme.

The report said the buildings were in need of significant improvement.

The approved plans will see the existing main school building demolished and replaced with a modern, L-shaped, three-storey building.

The redevelopment will also allow the school to increase its student intake.

A spokesperson for Holy Trinity CE School said the current building is no longer fit for purpose, citing rising maintenance costs and safety concerns.

They said the project will provide a safe, modern learning environment and represents an investment in both local children and the wider Crawley community.

As part of the plans, the Young Building, which houses arts and design technology facilities, will be extended and refurbished.

Five new Multi-Use Games Areas will be created for use by students and the local community, alongside a new outdoor learning space.

The development will also include dedicated areas for a memorial garden and chapel.

A new pedestrian and cycle entrance will be introduced from Bewbush Drive, while the existing access from Burbeach Close will be closed.

Additional parking spaces will be added to the east of the site.

Building work is expected to take around three years and will be carried out in phases, allowing the school to remain open while the new building is constructed.

Once complete, demolition of the old building will create a central courtyard.

Councillor Kim Jaggard, who represents Maidenbower and is a former teacher, described the plans as an exciting development, saying they will make a significant difference to pupils.

One nearby resident raised concerns about screening between the school and neighbouring properties, as well as the impact of additional parking.

The school said the new parking spaces will be restricted to staff use and closed outside school hours.

More details can be found on the Crawley Borough Council planning website under reference CR/2025/0203/FUL.