Category Archives: East Coulsdon Residents’ Association
Suspicions over secrecy surrounding Slominski’s return
Council directors are withholding information from a local MP on the date that a planning official started a new job. By STEVEN DOWNES The attempts to cover-up the close connections between Croydon Council’s planning department and some commercial developers who … Continue reading
Coulsdon RAs reject council planners’ charter for developers
Two of the borough’s biggest residents’ associations have joined forces to reject council proposals which would allow profit-hungry developers to build even more blocks of “overpriced executive shoeboxes” in their leafy suburban part of Croydon. The East Coulsdon RA and … Continue reading
#Macarnage: Formal complaint over planners’ too-close links
EXCLUSIVE: The council has approved a scheme for another block of flats which is to be built by a firm with close links to a senior member of the planning staff, and where another planner appears to have helped draw … Continue reading
#Macarnage: Planner Slominski returns with a promotion
EXCLUSIVE: Distrust of the council’s planning department, and director Heather Cheesbrough, has reached new highs after it was discovered that they have re-employed a developer-friendly official with blatant conflicts of interest. By STEVEN DOWNES Representatives of residents’ associations at a … Continue reading
Coulsdon gets cozy glow as Christmas lights are switched on
They said it couldn’t be done. Although, as “they” were Tory councillor Mario Creatura, aka the Coulsdon Grinch, nothing should be taken at face value. But thanks to the generosity and ingenuity of a grouping of local businesses and residents’ … Continue reading
Pankhurst points the way for a piece of Coulsdon history
Emmeline Pankhurst and Britain’s first public railway are the latest additions to the Coulsdon finial history and art trail, a community project designed and managed by local residents. The first three finials – small, stylised metal models – were positioned … Continue reading
Let there be lights! Coulsdon traders defy Grinch Creatura
A small group of Coulsdon business people, backed by the dynamic help of the chair of a local residents’ association, have defied their Tory councillors by having a whip-round and organising Christmas lights for the town in barely 48 hours. … Continue reading
Old Coulsdon village to fight against planning ‘intensification’
A residents’ association in the south of the borough is organising to defend what it calls its “leafy suburban character” against unbridled overdevelopment allowed by Croydon Council. “About eight out of 10 emails in my inbox relate to planning,” says … Continue reading
NHS alliance staging consultations in Coulsdon, Nov 4 and 5
A health services alliance organisation is to stage two consultation sessions next week to outline plans for the medical centre planned for Coulsdon town centre. The sessions will be held at Coulsdon Methodist Church on Thursday November 4 and Friday … Continue reading
Director refuses to admit conflict of interest over South Drive
A council director has told residents that there is nothing wrong whatsoever in a member of her planning staff providing pre-application advice to a developer, and then leaving their job at the council to work for the architects hired by … Continue reading
#Macarnage: Planning officer’s ‘leaving present’ to Coulsdon
EXCLUSIVE: The revolving door between the council planning department and private developers and architects is exposed over a scheme for 39 flats in Coulsdon. By STEVEN DOWNES Before Jan Slominski was hired as a senior planning adviser for the architects … Continue reading
Coulsdon comrades come together to mark Legion’s 100 years
On Monday, to mark the centenary of the establishment of the British Legion in May 1921, a ceremony was staged involving members of the Coulsdon Branch of the Royal British Legion and Coulsdon residents’ associations at the war memorial in … Continue reading
Coulsdon signs leave a trail of Saxon kings, cricket and plants
Visitors to Coulsdon town centre in recent months have been intrigued about the appearance atop street signage of some delicately crafted, colourful figures. It has now emerged that these finials are the work of two loyal Inside Croydon readers, Charles … Continue reading
Coulsdon councillors distance themselves from plotter Morgan
Our fringes of Surrey correspondent, PEARL LEE, on the latest developments in the intrigue and dispute around a residents’ association Coulsdon’s Tory councillors have finally called time on the illicit takeover of a residents’ association. Coulsdon Town councillors Ian Parker, … Continue reading
21,000 residents petition for elected mayor referendum
A costly legal battle is expected, as council leader looks to block the democratic will of the people. STEVEN DOWNES reports After 18 months of meetings and door-knocking, a campaign group led by seven residents’ associations has today handed in … Continue reading
‘This is an acid test of council’s approach to democracy’
Here’s the full text of the letter from the democratically elected mayor for Croydon campaign, delivered by hand today at the Town Hall. It includes the detailed legal argument, based on counsel’s advice, that supports DEMOC’s claim that the referendum … Continue reading
The Bourne Legacy: plaques walk that charts Coulsdon history
A local history society has pulled together a special walk that links a series of sites of interest in and around Coulsdon and Old Coulsdon. The Bourne Society has 23 blue plaques on display around the area, and their walk … Continue reading
College artists help brighten the bridge over the Brighton line
A run-down, forbidding-looking rail bridge has been brightened up by work from some local college students, CHARLES KING writes The footbridge over the Brighton Line between Coulsdon Town railway station and Coulsdon Woods, which was replaced in 2006 when the … Continue reading
Purley Tower public inquiry gives election boost to Philp
A public inquiry into Purley Baptist Church’s proposed development at Purley Cross will go ahead next month, despite the purdah on public bodies’ activities in the run-up to the General Election. The staging of such a hotly debated local issue … Continue reading
Residents gather to bring an end to ‘Tony and his cronies’
Our political correspondent WALTER CRONXITE reports that moves to have Tony Newman replaced by a more accountable, directly elected Mayor, are gathering pace Tony Newman’s having a mayor. Around 60 people turned up at Christchurch, Purley, last night for the … Continue reading
Changes to 404 and 434 will give Tollers Lane its missing link
CROYDON COMMENTARY: More bus route changes have been proposed by Transport for London and these, according to TOM BOWELL, pictured right, have much to recommend them The latest TfL bus route consultation, announced last week, looks at changes to routes … Continue reading
Coulsdon residents’ associations Christmas dance, Nov 30
Coulsdon marks 100 days to Armistice centenary with poppies
Remembrance Sunday may seem a little far off just yet, away through the mists of autumn, but large British Legion-style poppies have already started appearing around Coulsdon and other parts of Croydon. Of course, 2018 marks the centenary of the … Continue reading
