More than a decade after the German supermarket chain paid £2million for the Good Companions pub at Hamsey Green, Lidl are primed to submit a revised planning application for the long-derelict site at the outermost edge of Croydon.
Derelict site: the Good Companions was bought for £2m and demolished more than a decade ago. The hoardings have been up ever since…
Having thwarted the bats and newts lobby – mainly by removing from the site all the trees in which any bats might have been roosting – the bargain-priced superstore business will still have to overcome the many objections raised to their previous attempts to develop the site, which focused on anticipated traffic congestion and the dangers to children attending the two schools along Tithepit Shaw Lane.
Other proposed developments in the neighbourhood, the building of housing on playing fields further south on Limpsfield Road (in Tandridge’s local authority area), may also need to be a factor in planners’ future considerations.
The German retail giant’s first planning application was in 2013, and was subject to objections from, among others, Sanderstead’s Conservative councillors. Those plans were rejected by Croydon planners, and Lidl also lost their appeal to the Planning Inspector for traffic and safety reasons.
A subsequent application, in 2016, would have seen homes demolished to make way for a two-storey building comprising a supermarket and four two-bedroom flats on the first floor, with a car park exit on Tithepit Shaw Lane within 30 feet of Hamsey Green School. It was suggested at the time that the store might attract 1,000 vehicles per day as well as regular visits by large delivery lorries. “It’s worse than before,” said objectors, who included local Tory MP Chris Philp.
Objections: previous Lidl buildings have been dismissedas just a big, ugly grey steel shed
But in the past few weeks, Croydon West’s Labour MP Sarah Jones received a letter on behalf of the developers.
The letter said: “Since our last planning application, we have been working diligently on this site with our consultant team to ensure that any revised proposals brought forward are carefully considered and that we can deliver a scheme that contributes to the local community.
“This has involved numerous design consultations and pre-application meetings with the Local Planning Authority over the last year.” That means Croydon’s planning department…
“We are now in a position to undertake public consultation with local residents. This is due to take place in February 2025 and we will shortly be issuing leaflets to local residents.
“The leaflets will provide details of the proposed scheme and the opportunity to provide their feedback either at an in-person event to be held in Hamsey Green or online…
“This feedback will be collated and reviewed prior to a formal planning application being submitted.”
Developer-run consultations usually deliver developer-friendly results. Inside Croydon would be keen to have sight of the Lidl leaflets if and when they drop on doormats in Warlingham.
Some locals remain sceptical. “The whole project has been a disaster,” one noted on social media.
“We do not need another supermarket. It really is a case of oversupply and the design Lidl want to install it is a case of overdevelopment of the plot.”
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