Pease Pottage
An Introduction to the village...
Pease Pottage - so called, it is said, because convicts on their way to Horsham Gaol were given a bowl of pottage — is located mainly to the west of the A23/M23 at the junction with Horsham Road but includes properties to the east on Tilgate Forest Row and Old Brighton Road. It lies about half a mile from the built—up area of Crawley and takes a largely linear form along Horsham Road and Old Brighton Road.
There is a public house in the village,
The Black Swan Public House on Horsham Road. The village has a florist and there are other shops at the M23/A23 motorway service area that are well used by the community for convenience shopping. It has had some development of mixed housing in the past with 120 new homes built on the site of the old garden nursery centre (‘
Hemsleys’) during 2007/8.
There is a children’s play area on land to the rear of Barn Close/Horsham Road and the football pitches on Finches Field are very well used, as were associated changing facilities prior to demolition. There are no schools or nursery facilities. The surrounding countryside landscape of fields and woodland provides an attractive setting for the village.
The village has three warehouse distribution centres and a small office complex on Horsham Road. The new acute needs treatment facility at the southern end of Old Brighton Road will become the largest employer (100 jobs+) in the parish when fully operational.
Commuter traffic through the village is a problem at peak times, compounded by unrestricted commuter car parking for shared driving to Crawley and Gatwick. This parking, together with movements of distribution lorries using the warehouse buildings, can often restrict access at the junction of Horsham Road and Old Brighton Road South.
Conservation
According to MSDC’s Local Plan 2004, there is a Strategic Gap: Section 33.5: The area to the north of built-up area boundary of the village lies within the Pease Pottage - Crawley Strategic Gap.
Roads & Transport
Pease Pottage suffers from its proximity to the A23, with commuter traffic through the village a problem at peak times, compounded by unrestricted commuter car parking for shared driving to Crawley and Gatwick. This parking, together with movements of distribution lorries using the warehouse buildings, can often restrict access at the junction of Horsham Road and Old Brighton Road South.
Parking
There is a lack of suitable off street parking, cars parked along Horsham Road and Old Brighton Road South in Pease Pottage can contribute to the traffic difficulties.
Economic Characteristics
There is a single public house in the village, The Black Swan on Horsham Road. A second pub was recently razed to build houses. The village has a florist and there are other shops at the M23/A23 motorway service area that are well used by the community for convenience shopping
The village has three warehouse distribution centres and a small office complex on Horsham Road. The new acute needs treatment facility at the southern end of Old Brighton Road will become the largest employer (100 jobs+) in the parish when fully operational.
On the east side of the A23, along the Brighton Road are a number of businesses, including a Breaker's Yard, a privately run Detention Centre and a small business park at the Pavaillions which includes a Driving Test Centre.
Commuter traffic through the village is a problem at peak times, compounded by unrestricted commuter car parking for shared driving to Crawley and Gatwick. This parking, together with movements of distribution lorries using the warehouse buildings, can often restrict access at the junction of Horsham Road and Old Brighton Road South.