KEN LEE reports on a troubling development involving an HMO development in Selhurst
The move to get a change of use to an 11-bedroom, 16-occupant HMO – including the provision of parking spaces, cycle storage, communal garden and bin storage – at 1-11 Neville Road was “supported” by residents who had no idea their details had been taken by someone and added to the application, which was filed in early May.
Selhurst ward councillors Catherine Wilson and Mohammed Islam are on the case. On a neighbourhood WhatsApp group, Councillor Islam communicated his anger over the “alarming” move that “needs thorough investigation”.
Residents were alerted to the misuse of their persoanl details by long-term Neville Road resident Rebecca Reeves. Catherine Graham, who lives on Sydenham Road – and one of the residents within a 10-minute radius of the application site – says she was shocked when Reeves came to the front door with a list of those who had supposedly given their “approval” to the application.
HMO from home: the disused offices on Neville Road that a mystery developer wants to convert into housing
“I was horrified when I was told that our address had been used without my knowledge or permission,” Graham told Inside Croydon.
“It is not just that, but whoever did this made a mistake with our postcode. I had never heard of this project and will now object.
“In fact, I am worried to think of how many other applications have been given the go-ahead based on the false identities of supporters. I know they are not checked, as the council has not contacted us to verify this use of our identity.”
The project is fronted by an agent from Bromley, meaning that the beneficial owner of the scheme is unknown. Reeves has strong arguments against the conversion.
“Since HMOs have come into place on Neville Road, there have been two stabbings on the road. They don’t bring anything useful to the area or road; they bring drugs, unsociable behaviour, alcohol and burglary to an area which is meant to be ‘upcoming’.
“The thought of having another HMO on a little road just seems bizarre and outrageous to me.
“On Neville Road we have very limited parking so inviting 16 more tenants in there will be a lot of arguing over the parking spaces.
“In 21 years of living on the road I have never felt more unsafe to step out of my house.
“I have a very young grandchild who likes to play in the garden and if this HMO goes ahead she won’t be able to do this, as the applicant wants to remove our very high fence and replace it with a smaller fence where people can see into our garden.”
Reeves says that she has spoken with Croydon Mayor Jason Perry, who told her that he doesn’t want any more HMOs in the area as they negatively impact the community. Which sort of ignores the quasi-judicial nature of the planning system, where Mayor Perry is supposed to have no say over individual applications.
Mayor Perry has said nothing, however, about the serious allegation that the planning system over which he presides has effectively been “gamed” by a version of identity fraud, with the misuse of residents’ details without their knowledge or permission, and without council officials conducting any checks.
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