Category Archives: Planning

Council bosses need to answer for Cheesbrough’s toxic legacy

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The announcement of the departure from the council of its long-standing planning director has been widely welcomed by many residents. But as WAYNE MULLEN explains, after his four-year battle with the council over planners’ misconduct, some of those … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Clark, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Nicola Townsend, Park Hill and Whitgift, Planning, Shifa Mustafa | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Council planning chief Cheesbrough set to take ‘career break’

EXCLUSIVE: After nearly a decade in charge of Croydon’s planning department, one of Jo Negrini’s closest colleagues is to leave Fisher’s Folly. By our Town Hall correspondent, KEN LEE Heather Cheesbrough, Croydon Council’s “director of planning and sustainable regeneration” (try … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Brick by Brick, Business, CPO, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Jo Negrini, Planning, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Kerswell issues warning to staff over ‘verbal abuse’ at council

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Flashpoints between security guards and council staff after just two days of the new appointments-only system at Fisher’s Folly have seen workers told ‘we will not tolerate abuse of any form’. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Within two … Continue reading

Posted in 'Future Croydon', Bernard Weatherill House, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Katherine Kerswell | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Opportunity knocks as Negrini does a MIPIM turn for London

Watch out London. The capital city’s Mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, has made his first visit to MIPIM, the global property developers conference staged each spring in Cannes, with a notorious reputation in the past as a “booze and hookers fest”. … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Brick by Brick, Business, Croydon BID, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Jo Negrini, Jules Pipe, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Planning, Sadiq Khan, TfL, Tom Copley, Transport, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

East Croydon bridge to open in October, as MP fails to update

East Croydon Station’s Bridge to Nowhere is expected to be open, and finally allow pedestrians to go somewhere, in October. That’s according to Jeet Bains, the council cabinet member for planning and regeneration, in a speech at a Town Hall … Continue reading

Posted in Addiscombe West, Commuting, Croydon Council, Croydon East, Croydon West, East Croydon, Natasha Irons, Planning, Sarah Jones MP, TfL, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

The Masterplan has just one aim, to make money for Westfield

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The Town Hall planners handing over Masterplan responsibilities for the town centre to Westfield, as Inside Croydon reported this week, has left reader CARL LUCAS angry that our council will be missing a significant opportunity for a sustainable … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Business, Centrale, Croydon Council, Environment, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Michael Neal, Nicola Townsend, North End Quarter, Planning, Property, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

No Access Croydon: Kerswell closes off Fisher’s Folly to public

CROYDON IN CRISIS: At short notice, the council has announced that there will be no public access to the its offices without an appointment, in the latest cut in services under Mayor Jason Perry. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES The council’s … Continue reading

Posted in 'Future Croydon', Bernard Weatherill House, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Housing, Katherine Kerswell, Mayor Jason Perry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Perry’s council endorses scheme for 3,000 flats in town centre

CROYDON IN CRISIS: Getting rid of two-thirds of the retail space in the town centre and replacing it with flats is about all that execs from Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield were prepared to share to a council committee, reports our housing correspondent, BARRATT … Continue reading

Posted in "Hammersfield", Allders, Business, Centrale, Clive Fraser, Croydon Council, Helen Redfern, Housing, Ian Parker, Mayor Jason Perry, Nicola Townsend, North End Quarter, Planning, Sean Fitzsimons, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Croydon landmark has listed status rejected for a second time

The 20th Century Society, the organisation that seeks to protect and promote the best architecture built between 1901 and 2000, has described as “disappointing” the decision that its application for a listing for No1 Croydon has been rejected. Again. It … Continue reading

Posted in Addiscombe West, Art, East Croydon, Housing, No1 Croydon, Planning, Property | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Planning committee signs a blank cheque for Polaska scheme

Croydon is taking on significant risks by granting planning permission for 220 ‘later-living’ homes in Purley, a councillor warned a Town Hall meeting last night. By our housing correspondent, BARRATT HOLMES The majority of members of Croydon Council’s planning committee … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Neil Garratt, Planning, Polaska, Polaska Assets Ltd, Property, Purley, Purley Pool | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Council now to pay subsidy for Perry’s ‘free’ Purley Pool

Proposals buried in a planners’ report show that a vast development of retirement homes to be built by private developers are to have Croydon’s cash-strapped council picking up some of their construction costs for a swimming pool and leisure centre. … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Council, Croydon South, Housing, Mayor Jason Perry, Planning, Polaska, Polaska Assets Ltd, Property, Purley, Purley Pool | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Who can afford £4,000 per month for Purley later living flats?

CROYDON COMMENTARY: As local resident LUCIA BRIAULT explains, retirement housing complexes as proposed for ‘Purley Pool Towers’ offer sky-high living but at sky-high prices I’ll admit that I’m not a fan of flats. I guess the main reason is a … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Housing, Planning, Polaska, Polaska Assets Ltd, Property, Purley, Purley Pool | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Residents scathing of report on Purley retirement flats

The fix is in. Council planning officials who describe the ‘harm’ that 220 retirement flats would do to Purley have still recommended approval ahead of a committee meeting next week. And there could yet be hidden costs for Croydon with … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Chris Philp MP, Community associations, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, Croydon Council, Croydon South, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, HADRA, Holly Ramsey, Housing, Leisure services, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon Residents' Association, Parking, Planning, Polaska, Polaska Assets Ltd, Property, Purley, Purley Pool, Samir Dwesar, Selsdon Residents' Association, Simon Brew | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Site sold by council for £20m might now be worth £200m

Proposals to build 676 flats in tall towers overshadowing the Fairfield Halls are out for public consultation until the end of this week, from developers who nabbed a multi-million bargain in the cash-strapped council’s fire-sale Croydon’s long-suffering residents will be … Continue reading

Posted in Brick by Brick, Business, College Green, Croydon Council, Delta Properties, Delta Properties Ltd, Fairfield, Housing, Planning, Property, Tapestry Croydon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Plans submitted for 288 homes on Norbury sports ground

Housing correspondent, BARRATT HOLMES, looks at a planning application for a £75m scheme that the developers hoped you might never notice What do you mean, you had no idea that there have been plans submitted for a massive development of … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Environment, Housing, Lambeth Council, London-wide issues, Merton, Nicola Townsend, Norbury, Norbury Park, Planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

After 12 years, Lidl set to unveil plans for Hamsey Green store

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. Having thwarted … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Chris Philp MP, Croydon South, Lidl, Planning, Sanderstead | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Councillor reviews Nando’s pitch for Crystal Palace Triangle

Almost exactly a year since McDonald’s abandoned their proposals to bring Big Macs, McFlurries and a whole heap of mopeds and potential trouble to the Crystal Palace Triangle, now another fast food giant is eyeing the area for a new … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Claire Bonham, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

75% object to revised scheme for Purley’s 220 retirement flats

As the British Virgin Islands comes in for renewed criticism for being ‘a magnet for… money laundering and tax evasion’, Croydon’s Tory MP appeals for public support for a development proposed by a subsidiary of a shadowy company based in … Continue reading

Posted in Community associations, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, Croydon Council, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, HADRA, Housing, Leisure services, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon Residents' Association, Planning, Polaska, Property, Purley, Purley Pool, Selsdon Residents' Association | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

NHS plans bring Coulsdon’s eight-year saga close to an end

Residents’ associations in and around Coulsdon are encouraging their members and other locals to weigh-in with support for plans to build the long-promised NHS medical centre on the site of a former primary school on Malcolm Road. With £9.8million funding … Continue reading

Posted in Cane Hill Park Residents' Association, Chris Philp MP, Community associations, Coulsdon, Coulsdon Medical Centre, Coulsdon Town, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, Croydon NHS Trust, Croydon South, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, HADRA, Health, Old Coulsdon Residents' Association, Place Review Panel, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

For planner Cheesbrough, budget increase is ‘non-negotiable’

CROYDON IN CRISIS: All those public consultations that don’t ever make any difference to what the council sets out to do? This week, one director made it clear that they are indeed pointless exercises, as KEN LEE reports Croydon Council … Continue reading

Posted in Alasdair Stewart, Business, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Karen Agbabiaka, Louis Carserides, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Sutton’s £2.3m heritage buildings sale to owner of derelict pub

INSIDE SUTTON: Confidential documents show that the council has done a property deal for two of the borough’s historic buildings with an offshore company linked to the developer responsible for the long-neglected Fox and Hounds pub on Carshalton High Street. … Continue reading

Posted in Carshalton and Wallington, Community associations, Elliot Colburn, History, Planning, Property, Pubs, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Buyers found for two former private schools in South Croydon

EXCLUSIVE: The slow saga of the closure of Old Palace School may be about to take a significant step over the future of its former prep school, while Coombe House by Lloyd Park, offered at £6m, is ‘sold subject to … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Housing, Oakwood, Old Palace, Planning, Property, Schools, South Croydon, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Plans announced for ‘community centre’ in former Norbury pub

New owners of The Norbury, the big old boozer on London Road that closed its doors nearly five years ago, have put forward a set of proposals for public consultation to refurbish the building as a community centre, to be … Continue reading

Posted in Norbury, Norbury Hive, Planning, Property, Pubs | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Residents’ associations reject developer’s revised Purley plans

Polaska’s 220-unit ‘later living’ development was deemed ‘wholly unacceptable’ by the GLA last year. Now groups representing hundreds of locals say updated parking proposals could be the ‘death knell’ for businesses in the area. EXCLUSIVE by PEARL LEE, our south … Continue reading

Posted in Community associations, Coulsdon West Residents' Association, Croydon Council, East Coulsdon Residents' Association, HADRA, Housing, Leisure services, Mayor Jason Perry, Old Coulsdon Residents' Association, Planning, Polaska, Property, Purley, Purley BID, Purley Pool, Selsdon Residents' Association | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments