How the Menta tower will overshadow East Croydon and parts of Addiscombe: central Croydon is afflicted with more than its fair share of real skyscrapers

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Last month, David Callam wrote about the importance of housing as an election issue, nationally and locally. Here, ROD DAVIES calls for a fair distribution through the borough of high-density developments

What’s good for the goose …

The previous Conservative administration at Croydon Council bequeathed us a Planning Masterplan that saw high density development primarily concentrated in the town centre, with significant impacts on the quality of life for the adjacent areas, while protecting the vast majority of the rest of Croydon from anything greater than low-rise, low-density development – regular two-storey houses to you and me.

The Masterplan did allow for developments in Purley town centre and New Addington.

Well, lo and behold, the Conservatives in Purley have organised a campaign to oppose what they call a 16-floor “skyscraper” that they say will tower over the residents, fundamentally change the character of the place, black out daylight and worst of all create homes for poor people! (if you follow link, you can express your views).

From the East Croydon perspective, my first question is: “Does 16 floors count as a skyscraper?”

Well compared with the 50+ floors that the Tories gave permission to build to Menta at Cherry Orchard Road, 16 floors is rather dinky. In fact the Purley proposal is dwarfed by virtually all the developments planned or underway next to the established residential areas on the periphery of the town centre. Of course 16 floors is not a skyscraper, it’s just a fairly average block of flats!

Question 2: Why shouldn’t social housing for poor people (which seems to be anyone with a combined household income of less than £75,000 pa) be built in Purley?

Surely, as part of Croydon, and Greater London, Purley should do its bit in providing much-needed homes? Or is it that Croydon town centre should contain special areas – ghettos – for poor people? Evidently, the Croydon South Conservatives think that should happen and there should be no social housing in Purley.

Well, everyone has their opportunity to express their opinion about this proposed development, and I really do think that the Croydon South residents should “man up!” and shoulder a proportion of the burden of providing social housing. Surely if the rude and sullen poor were exposed to the refined manners of the good people of Purley and Croydon South, they would emulate them, and become quite civilised poor people?

I encourage everyone to express their opinions via this survey and make sure that the council hear a true Croydon voice!

I really do think that in terms of High Rise developments, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

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