Crawley Borough Council has missed out on more than £1 million in potential revenue after failing to fully lease its newly built town hall, The Create Building, in West Sussex. Despite being open for over two years, more than half of the commercial office space remains unoccupied, significantly impacting the council’s projected income.
Located on The Boulevard, The Create Building offers 77,000 sq ft (7,154 sq m) of office space intended for commercial tenants. However, 55% of this space remains unlet, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). If fully occupied, the property could have generated up to £2.3 million annually for the council.
Instead, between March 2023 and March 2025, only 35,000 sq ft (3,252 sq m) was leased, bringing in £1,260,912 in rental income—a shortfall of £1,046,361. The nine-storey development, constructed between spring 2020 and late 2022, officially opened its doors in March 2023.
Council Seeks Long-Term Tenants to Boost Income
A Crawley Borough Council spokesperson confirmed that efforts are ongoing to secure new occupants for the remaining space. “We continue to explore opportunities with prospective tenants to fill the remaining commercial space in The Create Building,” the spokesperson said. “It is important that we get the right tenants to ensure long-term stability of income.”
The underutilisation of The Create Building has sparked concerns over financial planning and commercial viability, particularly as councils across the UK face growing pressure to optimise assets and boost local revenue.
