Category Archives: Heather Cheesbrough

Westfield non-developers facing £5m fine for failed supermall

Posted on January 24, 2023 by insidecroydon

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council concedes it is virtually powerless over land-owners and developers for long-delayed regeneration scheme, as influential scrutiny chair admits her committee is not convinced things will change. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES The company formed 10 years ago … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, CPO, Croydon Council, Growth Zone, Heather Cheesbrough, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning, Property, Rowenna Davis, Tony Newman, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Planners’ misdeeds continue to pile disgrace on our borough

Posted on January 18, 2023 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: After the latest revelations of deceit and delay by the council’s planning department, costing the borough tens of thousands of pounds when supporting a profit-hungry developer, iC reader IAN KIERANS says it is time that the Mayor and … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry, Park Hill and Whitgift, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Home owner’s victory after four-year battle with planners

Posted on January 17, 2023 by insidecroydon

The planning department at Croydon’s dysfunctional council has been caught out yet again after the collapse of a developer’s appeal – but only after incurring huge and avoidable costs. Our housing correspondent, BARRATT HOLMES, unravels a saga of deceits and … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Chris Clark, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Jade Appleton, Katherine Kerswell, Nicola Townsend, Park Hill and Whitgift, Parking, Paul Scott, Planning, Property | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Ex-porn baron strips Croydon’s planners of all arguments

Posted on December 23, 2022 by insidecroydon

The council planning department’s feeble case over the Heath Clark playing fields in Waddon has been thrown out by an unimpressed Planning Inspector, who ruled in favour of David Sullivan’s property company. By BARRATT HOLMES, housing correspondent One of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Andrew Pelling, Business, Coombe Wood School, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Paul Scott, Planning, Robert Canning, Schools, St Andrew's, Tony Newman, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Council planning approvals being ‘sold’ for £1,500 per flat

Posted on December 2, 2022 by insidecroydon

STEVE WHITESIDE, a former council planner, has been carefully monitoring development applications around the borough over several years. In the course of that work, he has observed a systemic move by the council to attach money-spinning legal agreements to approved … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Kenley, Planning, Property, Sanderstead | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Tory Bains is forced to confess: planning is ‘all but broken’

Posted on December 2, 2022 by insidecroydon

Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on the latest confessions to emerge from the Conservative council’s cabinet The planning department at Croydon Council is “all but broken”, according to a Planning Advisory Service report. The Planning Advisory Service is part of … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Environment, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Jeet Bains, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning, Scott Roche | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Cash-strapped council hiring in expensive lawyers for planning

Posted on November 10, 2022 by insidecroydon

The residents’ fight-back against over-development continues, despite efforts by an external legal adviser to get councillors on the planning committee to alter their rulings. By STEVE WHITESIDE A year ago, I suggested on these pages that there might be “glimmers … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Property, Purley, Sanderstead | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Cancelled planning committees are ‘shouting incompetence’

Posted on October 7, 2022 by insidecroydon

There’s growing concerns over the disorganisation of the council planning department, after last night’s scheduled meeting of the planning committee in the Town Hall Chamber had to be cancelled because of “issues with publication of reports”. The cancellation means that … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Neal, Planning, Property, South Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Council delays and lack of enforcement cause residents misery

Posted on September 29, 2022 by insidecroydon

Council planners have ignored an Order from a High Court judge over the granting of retrospective permission for a block of flats in Sanderstead. But as STEVE WHITESIDE explains, the case of 54 Arkwright Road is far from an isolated … Continue reading →

Posted in Aventier, Business, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Planning, Property, Purley, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, Sanderstead | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Consultation on Selhurst new stand is extended by two weeks

Posted on August 24, 2022 by insidecroydon

Politicians moved unusually swiftly to avoid grounds for legal objections after council officials originally allowed only two weeks for the public to view plans for Crystal Palace’s £100m redevelopment Croydon’s neo-con politicians, Progress MP Steve Reed OBE and the Conservative … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Community associations, Croydon Council, Croydon North, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Crystal Palace FC, Football, Heather Cheesbrough, Louis Carserides, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning, South Norwood, Sport, Steve Reed MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Part-time Perry’s video nasty leaves out all the gory bits

Posted on August 18, 2022 by insidecroydon

CROYDON IN CRISIS: This website’s hashtag when describing the choice of a Mayoral system for running the council was #ABitLessShit. In his first 100 days in office, Jason Perry has done his best to prove that having a Tory Mayor … Continue reading →

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Mayor Jason Perry, Nick Hibberd, Planning, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Oversupply of flats in borough is due to ‘profit over need’

Posted on August 3, 2022 by insidecroydon

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Official government data shows that the council’s build-at-all-cost approach that has blighted parts of the borough has created a glut of over-priced ‘executive apartments’. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES The proliferation of block after block of expensive flats … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Epsom and Ewell, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Jo Negrini, London-wide issues, Paul Scott, Planning, Surrey, Tandridge District Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

‘Abrasive’ lobbyist smoothing the way for Selhurst’s new stand

Posted on July 20, 2022 by insidecroydon

Crystal Palace’s £100m new stand at Selhurst Park has the backing of fans (natch), support from councillors and approval from the planning department. Yet the club has gone out and hired a planning lobbyist. STEVEN DOWNES profiles Terrapin’s man hoping … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Christopher Herman, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace FC, Football, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Kingston, Louis Carserides, Paul Scully MP, Planning, Property, South Norwood, Sport, Stella Nabukeera, Steve Parish, Stuart King | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lobbyist to meet councillors over Selhurst stadium proposals

Posted on July 15, 2022 by insidecroydon

South Norwood councillors will next week be meeting with a representative of a lobbying firm working for Crystal Palace Football Club to discuss issues around the stalled development of a new £100million stand at Selhurst Park. According to a spokesperson … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace FC, Football, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Louis Carserides, Planning, South Norwood, Sport, Stella Nabukeera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

This is £12m Fairfield ‘plaza’ that Mayor Perry wants to create

Posted on July 14, 2022 by insidecroydon

Existing designs for a public open space between the town’s major arts centre and Croydon College have been derided as ‘jokey’, ‘crass’ and ‘one gigantic hardscape of pink and grey candy stripe concrete’. By STEVEN DOWNES Mayor Jason Perry’s announcement … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Environment, Fairfield, Fairfield Halls, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Jo Negrini, Mayor Jason Perry, Place Review Panel, Planning, Queens Gardens | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Planning chief’s position untenable as developers’ charter axed

Posted on June 22, 2022 by insidecroydon

Town Hall correspondent PEARL LEE on the seismic shift going on in the council’s planning department Croydon’s part-time Mayor, Jason Perry, will deliver on one of his key promises tonight when, at his first council cabinet meeting since his election … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Chris Philp MP, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Kenley, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Neal, Paul Scott, Planning, Property, Sanderstead, Shifa Mustafa | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Croydon’s planners out-strip other boroughs in permissions

Posted on May 5, 2022 by insidecroydon

EXCLUSIVE: Research based on government figures confirms that Croydon’s planning department has been out-stripping other south London boroughs in giving permission to property developers – at times by a rate of more than 5 to 1. By STEVEN DOWNES Research … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Planning director worried about her career? So she should be

Posted on April 22, 2022 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: As someone who spent their career working on local authority planning matters, STEVE WHITESIDE has found council director Heather Cheesbrough’s attempt to gag one of the Mayoral election candidates just the latest example of shameless arrogance So Heather … Continue reading →

Posted in Aventier, Business, Croydon Council, Environment, Heather Cheesbrough, Kenley, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Councillors slam Bellway’s ‘sham’ consultation over Lido site

Posted on April 19, 2022 by insidecroydon

Councillors in Waddon have written to a development company that wants to build a 10-storey residential tower block next to the Purley Way playing fields and accused them of running a “sham” public consultation and treating residents with “utter contempt”. … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Joy Prince, Parking, Planning, Property, Purley Way, Purley Way Lido, Robert Canning, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Council’s planning chief attempts to gag Mayor candidate

Posted on April 14, 2022 by insidecroydon

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Heather Cheesbrough has lied about her qualifications and covered up for planning staff with too-close connections with private developers. Now she’s trying to block an election candidate calling for her to be sacked. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES … Continue reading →

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Brick by Brick, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Planning, Val Shawcross, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Council planners urge developer to pre-empt Local Plan

Posted on March 29, 2022 by insidecroydon

It isn’t only over suburban blocks of flats that the council planning department appears to work against the interests of the residents they are supposed to serve. Housing correspondent BARRATT HOLMES reveals how officials have been persuading one developer to … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Pelling, Business, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Croydon South, Environment, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Joy Prince, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Neil Garratt, Planning, Property, Purley Way, Purley Way Lido, Robert Canning, Sadiq Khan, Waddon, Wing Yip | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Time to open up Croydon’s planners to independent scrutiny

Posted on March 26, 2022 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The close working relationship between senior council planners and profit-hungry developers building in the borough is under increasingly close scrutiny. Here, IAN KIERANS suggests some ways for residents to get the answers that they are seeking The MP, … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Chris Philp MP, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Heather Cheesbrough, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Suspicions over secrecy surrounding Slominski’s return

Posted on March 24, 2022 by insidecroydon

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 →

Posted in Business, Chris Philp MP, Community associations, Coulsdon, Coulsdon East, Croydon Council, Croydon South, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, Heather Cheesbrough, Nicola Townsend, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Pelling set to run as independent for Mayor, and in Waddon

Posted on March 23, 2022 by insidecroydon

EXCLUSIVE: After 40 years in Croydon politics, councillor decides to run as the ‘non-party’ candidate, offering to axe council rent increases, sack a distrusted council planning director and start a forensic investigation to recover the millions lost on the Fairfield … Continue reading →

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Community associations, Croydon Council, Fairfield Halls, Hamida Ali, Heather Cheesbrough, Planning, Tony Newman, Val Shawcross, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

London Mayor joins critics of ‘unlawful’ Local Plan review

Posted on February 21, 2022 by insidecroydon

‘Ludicrous’, ‘grotesque’ and ‘vandalism’ are some of the milder rebukes aimed at the council’s planning department’s latest piece of developer-friendly work. And now Sadiq Khan has joined the critics, while a Tory MP is threatening a Judicial Review. EXCLUSIVE By … Continue reading →

Posted in 2022 council elections, 2022 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Pelling, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Planning, Sadiq Khan, Val Shawcross, Waddon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments