A housing developer wants to build nearly 170 homes around a Grade II-listed Art Deco diving board.
This will make an interesting feature: the diving board, listed because of its design and concrete construction
The site of the former Purley Way Lido has been disused since the end of 2018, after the garden centre that had been based there for nearly 40 years closed for business.
Today, Bellway announced that they had exchanged contracts to acquire the land for an estimated 168 homes. Subject, of course, to planning permission being granted by Croydon Council.
When Purley Way Lido opened in 1935, it was just across the busy A23 from Croydon Airport. The Lido closed in 1979 and the pool filled in for the garden centre.
The illustration of generic blocks of flats distributed with Bellway’s announcement today
Today, the site off Waddon Way is adjacent to Croydon’s Hilton Hotel, and a short walk from the council-owned Colonnades centre, with acres of playing fields on its doorstep.
In their announcement this morning, Bellway said, “The homes will be built around the existing Grade II-Listed diving board, which will sit at the centre of the development.
“The diving board was given listed status in 2013, as it remains almost perfectly intact following the demolition of the lido.”
Bellway says that they are in discussions with Croydon Council and the Greater London Authority over the scheme, “which will comprise a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments for both private sale and affordable rent”.
The scheme will also include 6,000sq ft of commercial space for up to five retail or office units. Bellway are promising “an estimated £2.5million” in community and infrastructure contributions as part of the development.
“We are honoured to be able to deliver new housing on a site with so much recognisable history, both within the development and around it,” said Daniel Bradbury, Bellway’s south London regional director.
The Purley Way Lido, with feature diving board, in its pomp in the 1930s
“This development is being designed to suit a range of homebuyers’ requirements, with everything from starter homes to family living spaces.
“We are currently finalising our designs for a high-quality development which will frame the listed centrepiece and will fit seamlessly into this vibrant part of Croydon.
“We aim to begin construction work later this year and to have the first of the homes ready for occupation in 2022.”
But local residents have already been in touch with Inside Croydon to air a seemingly perennial planning concern: parking.
“Why is there no commitment to work with the local community on the design of this scheme?” they said.
“I hope that Bellway recognise that finding somewhere to park on-street in this part of Waddon is already nigh impossible.
“Unless they want a fight with existing local residents, their plans had better provide truly adequate off-street parking.”
- If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, or want to publicise your residents’ association or business, or if you have a local event to promote, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
- Inside Croydon works together with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and BBC London News
- ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: Croydon was named the country’s rottenest borough in 2020 in the annual round-up of civic cock-ups in Private Eye magazine – the fourth successive year that Inside Croydon has been the source for such award-winning nominations
- Inside Croydon: 3million pages views in 2020, viewed by 1.4million unique visitors
