Inside Croydon has received a note from the very helpful public relations person at GL Hearn, the private consultants that have been running the public consultation on proposals to knock down Taberner House and build private flats worth more than £100 million out on the Queen’s Gardens open space.
They tell us voluntarily that CCURV, the Croydon Urban Regeneration Vehicle, the joint venture between property developers Laing and the council, “will be presenting the current proposal, which is still subject to change, to members at the Strategic Planning Committee… and answering any questions they have regarding the developing scheme”. That meeting begins at 6.30pm tonight, at the Town Hall.
“There will be no opportunity for members of the public to comment during this meeting, but you will be able to attend if you wish to listen to the discussion.” How nice.
“This is not the final planning committee and we are some way off preparing the final planning application for submission but this is just another chance for
members to see the evolution of proposals.”
Our loyal reader will recall that the poorly publicised public consultation for this building project attracted just 53 visitors over the course of two days.
We contend that this was not out of any apathetic disinterest from the people of Croydon, but because those behind the consultation deliberately wanted to keep things quiet. Only one of the borough’s 13 public libraries was given leaflets about the consultation, and nothing could be found about it on the council’s own website.
What remains stubbornly unanswered is our question about how much this hitherto secretive consultation is costing the people of Croydon.
We asked Croydon Council, who responded that it was nothing to do with them, because the public “consultation” on what was being done with public property, including building on a public open space, was being handled by CURV.
Maybe the people at Croydon Council have forgotten that Croydon Council is a 50-50 “partner” in CURV. So Croydon Council Tax-payers will end up paying somewhere down the line.
Coming to Croydon
- Lakes Playground group’s fundraising Zumba-ween: Oct 26
- PJ’s enterprising look at Black History Month: Oct 29
- The Railway Children: Oct 30-Nov 2
- St Giles School open morning: Nov 13
- Secret Love at the Ashcroft Theatre: Nov 14
- Future Tech City: Nov 30
- Inside Croydon: Croydon’s only independent news source, based in the heart of the borough – 262,183 page views (Jan-Jun 2013)
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