Crawley is a town and borough in north-east West Sussex, 28 miles south of London and 18 miles north of Brighton and Hove, with a population of 118,493 at the 2021 Census. It became a market town in 1202, was designated a new town under the New Towns Act 1946, and grew in 1974 to take in Gatwick Airport. Wikipedia describes it as the main centre of industry and employment between London and Brighton, with a large industrial area serving manufacturing and service companies, many tied to the airport.
We arrange business mortgages for limited companies buying or refinancing the premises they work from in Crawley. We are a broker and never lend. This is finance secured on a commercial building your company occupies, not a residential mortgage.
Why do so many Crawley, Sussex firms want owner-occupier mortgages on Manor Royal?
The new town's Development Corporation chose a 267-acre site in the north-east for industry, close to the London to Brighton railway, the A23 and the planned M23. Princess Elizabeth opened the first part on 25 January 1950, and its main road, Manor Royal, gave the estate its name. The Corporation deliberately spread the space across several industries and a wide range of building types and sizes, letting firms build their own premises or rent ready-made ones.
That mix is why the estate still suits owner-occupiers: a small engineering firm, a freight forwarder and a trade counter can each find a building to buy. A company that has rented its unit for years and wants to buy it from the landlord is a common case. Our owner-occupier mortgage guide covers how lenders assess that purchase.
Airport logistics, energy and security firms in Crawley
ONS UK Business Counts 2026, local units.
Show as a table
| Sector | Businesses | Crawley share | UK share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and building trades | 555 | 11.8% | 12.4% |
| Business support services | 525 | 11.2% | 8.1% |
| Professional, scientific and technical | 520 | 11.1% | 13.9% |
| Transport, logistics and storage | 475 | 10.1% | 4.2% |
| Retail | 460 | 9.8% | 9.3% |
| Restaurants, cafes and pubs | 315 | 6.7% | 6.2% |
| Information and communication | 290 | 6.2% | 6.1% |
| Health and social care | 250 | 5.3% | 5.6% |
| Wholesale | 230 | 4.9% | 3.7% |
- 4.4xenergy supply50 businesses
- 3.3xwarehousing and logistics125 businesses
- 2.7xpostal and courier services150 businesses
- 1.9xsecurity services45 businesses
A figure of 2.0x means the trade makes up twice the share of local businesses that it does across the UK.
Gatwick shapes Crawley's 4,690 business units. Transport and logistics make up 10.1% of firms, 2.41 times the UK share, with warehousing at 3.32 times and couriers at 2.71 times. Energy supply firms run at 4.37 times the national rate and security firms at 1.88 times. The town also has more large employers than most, with 60 units of 250 or more staff. Freight and logistics businesses buying a unit near the airport are assessed on contracts and accounts, and the property itself tends to hold value thanks to demand from similar occupiers.
How does Gatwick affect commercial property finance in the Borough of Crawley?
The airport's rapid growth created openings in aviation, transport, warehousing and distribution, and the Gatwick Diamond partnership was formed by local businesses and government to protect the area's economic standing. For a lender, a building whose value depends on airport demand is usually easy to relet, which helps the valuation. Lenders also look at concentration risk: in April 2020 the Centre for Cities named Crawley the place in Britain at highest risk of job losses in the COVID-19 recession, so expect questions about how your income would hold up in a downturn.
Road links matter as well. The M23 joins the M25 to the A23 at Pease Pottage, with junctions 10 and 10A serving the town, which is why logistics buyers look closely at sites on the eastern side.
Crawley's stock grew 22.1% since 2016
Valuation Office Agency, non-domestic rating stock of properties, March 2026. Average rateable value is the VOA's estimate of annual rent, not a sale price.
- Industrial and warehouse730properties on the rating listDown 5.2% since 2016Average rateable value £113,900factories, workshops, warehouses and trade units
- Offices1,250properties on the rating listUp 34.4% since 2016Average rateable value £39,300offices, including converted buildings
- Shops and retail580properties on the rating listDown 1.7% since 2016Average rateable value £67,500shops, showrooms and retail warehouses
- Other commercial1,140properties on the rating listUp 54.1% since 2016Average rateable value £108,200pubs, hotels, surgeries, nurseries, garages and more
Crawley estates, from Gatwick Gate to Rutherford Way
Named estates and parks listed on Google Maps near Crawley, October 2026. Listed to show where premises trade locally; we have no connection with the owners or agents.
- Retail ParkCrawley RH11 7ST
- Meadowbrook Industrial EstateMeadowbrook Industrial Centre, Crawley RH10 9SA
- Maidenbower Business ParkCrawley RH10 7NN
- Sussex Manor Business ParkCrawley
- Forge Wood Industrial EstateCrawley RH10 9PG
- Rutherford Way Industrial EstateCrawley RH10 9LN
- Gatwick Gate Industrial EstateCharlwood Rd, Lowfield Heath, Crawley RH11 0TG
- Church Road Industrial EstateCrawley RH11 0PQ
- Birchfield Park Industrial EstateCharlwood RH6 0DZ
- Burstow Park Business CentreShipley Bridge, Copthorne, Horley RH6 9TF
- Maple Business ParkShipley Bridge, Horley RH6 9TG
- Cophall Farm Business ParkCopthorne, Crawley RH10 3HZ
Crawley's rating list is up 22.1% to 3,700 premises. Offices rose 34.4% and other property 54.1%, while industrial units fell 5.2% to 730. Those units average £113,900 in rateable value, about three times the West Sussex average for an industrial unit. For a smaller firm, that means finding a modest unit to buy takes patience and quick finance.
What deposit and tax should I budget for a business property loan in Crawley, England?
Expect lenders to fund 70 to 75% of the price or valuation, with up to 80% for strong cases. Indicative rates are 6.0 to 7.5% a year for owner-occupiers, terms run 5 to 25 years and arrangement fees are typically 1 to 2%, all subject to status, accounts and valuation. SDLT is charged at HMRC's non-residential rates: 0% up to £150,000, 2% from £150,001 to £250,000 and 5% above (rates as at October 2026; check the current rates before you buy).
Illustrative example. An aviation services company buys a light industrial unit for £700,000. A 75% loan of £525,000 leaves a £175,000 deposit, and SDLT is £24,500, so the business needs £199,500 in cash before fees. See our costs page for the fees that sit on top.
Commercial lending to a limited company is unregulated and falls outside the FCA's regulated mortgage perimeter; where a deal would be regulated, for example lending to a sole trader or individual, or a property where the borrower or a close family member will live in part of it, we refer it to an appropriately authorised firm. More towns are on our West Sussex business mortgages page.
Where Crawley companies buy premises
Manor Royal
The original new-town industrial estate in the north-east of Crawley, opened in 1950 and planned for a mix of manufacturing rather than a single dominant employer. Its varied building sizes suit engineers, distributors, trade suppliers and office users, and most owner-occupier enquiries in the town involve a unit here.
Gatwick Airport
Brought inside the borough in 1974, Gatwick was the second busiest airport in Britain by 2024. Around it sit companies in aviation services, freight, warehousing and airline support, and buildings close to the terminals tend to attract a deep pool of possible occupiers, which a lender's valuer notes.
Three Bridges and Pound Hill
Older communities absorbed into the new town as it grew, on the eastern side near the railway and the M23. Local parades of shops, small offices and service businesses are typical here, and semi-commercial buildings with a flat above are assessed on separate criteria from pure commercial units.
Town centre and High Street
The High Street follows the old London to Brighton turnpike and the core of the medieval market town. Retailers, restaurants and professional practices buy freehold shops and offices here, and older buildings can carry conservation or listing points that the lender's solicitor will check.
Ifield
A village in the west of the town, absorbed into the new town, with its historic water mill and mill pond. Premises here are mainly local shops and service businesses rather than industrial units, so buyers are often family companies buying the shop they already run.
