Forestfield and Shrublands Conservation area consists of two estates containing a total of 196 homes built on the land immediately to the south of St Leonards Drive in Furnace Green in the area that, 400 years ago, was home to Tilgate Furnace and it's furnace pond (see here for details).

The award winning design of the estates was created by architects Phippen Randall Parkes and built by the Crawley Co-Partnership Housing Association, which was formed in 1962 by local resident John Pennel. This was part of a government sponsored initiative which allowed for public funds to be advanced for the building of houses on a co-operative basis.

SHRUBLANDS

Shrublands, better known to locals as the 'Cheese Houses', was designed by Peter Phippen based on a questionnaire completed by members of the Association which showed that they wished to be own homes with above average space and privacy in an estate with landscaped areas and a controlled environment. Construction started in 1965 and was completed by 1968, with homeowners being granted a 99 year lease with the requirement that they pay ground rent towards the upkeep of the area. The 71 properties of the estate, which covers 6.75 acres, are constructed from beige concrete blocks and all are based on the same distinctive design of mono pitched roofs with matching garages. The interior layout of the houses has been designed so that all living rooms face south in order to obtain the maximum amount of daylight and the external layout of the estate is such that all gardens have access onto pathways which ultimately give access to the green in the centre of the estate, on one side of which is a residents social club.