Crawley High Street was first designated as a conservation area in November 1986. The site on which the conservation area is based has a long history, dating back to Norman times and beyond. The High Street includes a number of features which contribute to its character and setting. In particular, the buildings and open spaces have a unique relationship to one another. The area is characterised by a number of prominent features, including the area in front of The George known as the The Square, the wooden gallows, Broad Walk Piazza, and the War Memorial.

A key objective of the conservation area is to protect the open square, greens, small pedestrian alleyways and historic buildings from inappropriate development, and ensure that any new development is sympathetic to the character and appearance of the area.

The conservation area statement was revised in December 1998 and provides a character appraisal for the area and guidance that should be followed when any development takes place. The Conservation Area boundary was amended in November 2022 to include The Tree, the home of Crawley Museum. At the same time St John’s House at the southern end of High Street was removed, as was a section of The Broad Walk which is now included in the Queens Square and The Broadway Conservation Area.

Central Crawley CAAC provides comments on planning applications that are submitted within Dyers Almshouses Conservation Area, High Street Conservation Area, St Peters Conservation Area, and the Sunnymead Flats Conservation Area.