Langley Green, West Sussex
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| Langley Green | |
  Langley Green shown within West Sussex |
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| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| District | Crawley |
| Shire county | West Sussex |
| Region | South East |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CRAWLEY |
| Postcode district | RH11 |
| Dialling code | 01293 |
| Police | Sussex |
| Fire | West Sussex |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| European Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | Crawley |
| List of places: UK • England • West Sussex | |
Langley Green is a neighbourhood within the town of Crawley in West Sussex, England. Langley Green is in the north of the town and is bordered by Manor Royal to the east, Northgate to the south east, West Green to the south across the ring road and Ifield to the west. The main streets running through the community are Stagelands, Martyrs Avenue and Langley Drive. Many of the streets are named after trees and plants (Honeysuckle Lane, Hawthorn Close) animals (Hare Lane, Fox Close) or birds (Jackdaw Close, Swallow Road,Raven lane). A small shopping parade, St Leonards Church, The Dr. Johnson Pub and Langley Green Primary School formed the centre of the community.
Work started on Langley Green in the early fifties with workers being brought down from London by train and living in huts on site. After nine months workers were entitled to a council house, and many of the early population of Langley Green were builders by profession. As Langley Green was walking distance to the new factory estate, many of the factory workers brought down from London with firms such as APV also settled here. Houses in Langley Green ranged from two to four bedrooms, with a small number of flats and bungalows. Heating was by coal, with the coal being stored under the staircase. In some houses water was also heated by solid fuel burners. Many of Langley Green's residents became private house holders in the eighties when the Thatcher government had a policy of selling council houses to tenants. Over the years virtually every house on the estate had been improved. The addition of central heating has been almost universal. Other common improvements include double glazing, insulation of walls and roofs and removing of walls and doors to create bigger rooms.
Today the small neighbourhood is one the most multi cultural in Crawley and has a lively and friendly community. There were few ethnic families living in Langley Green before the late sixties. The first ethnic families tended to buy their own property and as these were limited at the time, the new immigrants concentrated in areas around Denchers Platt. Langley Green is now home to the Crawley Islamic Centre and Mosque.
In a recent incident Langley Green shopping parade was cordoned off when a routine police inquiry stumbled across bomb making equipment in a flat above the shops. This was a serious incident and the offenders have now been dealt with appropiately.
Perhaps the neighbourhood's most famous resident is boxer Alan Minter. In 1972 he won an Olympic bronze medal and went on to become world middleweight champion. Dr. Epstein was the neighbourhood dentist for many years and Dr. Clout is also remembered by many residents for his long service within the neighbourhood.
Gatwick Airport is also within the Langley Green Area and provides another important source of employment.
Langley Green is strongly associated with the vast population of Asians. The area has been known for its large communities of Indian and Pakistani residents many of whom have had generations of family in this area.
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