The audience heard how Willmott Dixon is committed to supporting business growth across the South East, and the importance of establishing and maintaining positive relationships with local authorities to stimulate more growth across Sussex.

The event also saw Chestnut Tree House – the children’s hospice for Sussex – presented with a cheque for £7,104.12 which was raised by the team at Willmott Dixon following a sponsored skydive.

The new base in Crawley expands the company’s presence as it looks to deliver more projects that play a key role in the county’s future. The opening comes shortly after the successful completion of L3 Technologies’ new flight simulator production and training facility on Gatwick Road in Crawley.

Willmott Dixon which built the world-leading Nexus facility for L3 Technologies adjacent to another project it delivered - South East Coast Ambulance Service’s new home at Gatwick Diamond – and is plotting more opportunity by opening its new office at the Regus in Manor Royal Business Park, Crawley. Another project the company recently completed was the Littlehampton Wave leisure centre, opened its doors to the public in March.

Russell Miller, Willmott Dixon Director for Delivery in Sussex, explained: “Willmott Dixon has been well established in the county since 1930 when we built Bailiffscourt at Climping near Littlehampton for Lord Moyne. Since then we’ve grown across Sussex and opening our new Gatwick hub, close to where many of our people live, is a natural evolution. 

“Gatwick is a thriving area and has, along with Sussex, a really bright future with many bold and imaginative initiatives to encourage growth and investment. We want to be part of shaping that by basing ourselves in an area close to our partners and customers.”

Cllr Peter Lamb, Leader of Crawley Borough Council, said: “Crawley Borough Council recognises that for our residents to thrive we need our economy to thrive. We're working hard, in partnership with private sector and public sector organisations, to ensure Crawley not only remains one of the best places in the region to do business, but keeps improving on that status. Willmott Dixon's decision to open an office in the town is a great testament to the impact of those efforts and their confidence in the future of Crawley's economy."

The new office in Gatwick has been designed to promote an agile, collaborative, project-led working approach. It will accommodate both preconstruction and operations staff, with partners and customers also encouraged to utilise the space.

Russell added: “We’re proud of our legacy in Sussex and are looking forward to being part of its future growth, as well as providing opportunities to help attract and retain the next generation of workers in the county.”

For more information on Willmott Dixon please visit www.willmottdixon.co.uk.

Picture 1: Speakers cutting the cake. Left to right - Roger Forsdyke, Willmott Dixon MD; Peter Hopkins, Lead Asset Strategy Manager, Surrey County Council; Russell Miller Willmott Dixon Director for Delivery in Sussex and Peter Lamb, leader, Crawley Council

Picture 2: Cake mapping Willmott Dixon’s presence in Sussex

Picture 3: Willmott Dixon skydive team presenting cheque to Chestnut Tree House