Inside Croydon

Two years ago, the council’s deputy leader gave her word that all the borough’s parks and open spaces would be protected from development. So guess what the Labour-run council has been caught out trying to do with a much-loved park that sits between Thornton Heath and Upper Norwood? KEN LEE reports

Heath Lodge provided housing within Grangewood Park until 2011. Allowed to fall derelict, the council now wants to flog it

Croydon Council is flogging off part of a public park to the highest bidder.

A disused and – thanks to malign council neglect over many years – now derelict park lodge in Grangewood Park is to be auctioned off, together with a parcel of park land.

Grangewood Park is in SE25, between Thornton Heath and Upper Norwood.

For the last decade, an active Friends group has been working tirelessly to help maintain and enhance the park, despite cuts to council budgets.

But the community group has consistently complained that its efforts were being undermined by a neglectful and incompetent council, and now they have evidence in black and white that parts of the public park is to be sold. Not that anyone at the council had the common decency to let them in on this Town Hall secret.

The asset-stripping sale of Heath Lodge and accompanying public green space has been organised by the council despite public assurances given by Alison “Lying Cow” Butler, the council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for housing. Continue reading →