Category Archives: Menta Tower

Council to spend £1.1m of riots fund on business rate relief

Posted on September 28, 2012 by insidecroydon

Croydon Council last night unveiled a business rates reduction scheme using £1.1million-worth of the Mayor of London’s riots recovery fund – and targeted at an area away from the zone worst-hit by the arson, looting and rioting on 8/8 last … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Allders, Boris Johnson, Business, Cherry Orchard Gardens, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Fairfield, Mayor of London, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, URV, Vidhi Mohan | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Altitude 25 looks to off-load unsold flats as short-term lets

Posted on September 12, 2012 by insidecroydon

A new planning application for the Altitude 25 development at East Croydon, seeking to allow short-term, serviced lets of some of the unsold apartments, has cast further doubts on the council’s grand plans to build a city in the sky. … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Boris Johnson, Cherry Orchard Gardens, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Fairfield, IYLO, London Assembly, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Steve O'Connell | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bridge to Nowhere: US expert asks why contracts not enforced

Posted on July 16, 2012 by insidecroydon

A senior public architect in New York City has made a thinly veiled criticism of the handling of the £20 million “Bridge to Nowhere” at East Croydon station by local government funding bodies, including Croydon Council, suggesting that they made … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Business, Cherry Orchard Gardens, Commuting, Croydon Council, East Croydon, Jon Rouse, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Mary Portas, Westfield, Bradford and a £1bn hole in the ground

Posted on July 15, 2012 by insidecroydon

Shops and flats. That, in three words, appears to be sum and substance of the local Establishment’s superficial “vision” for Croydon’s future. It might be a slight improvement on “bread and circuses”, but not by much, and would seem to … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Allders, Business, Centrale, Cinema, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, David Lean Cinema Campaign, East Croydon, Gavin Barwell, Housing, IYLO, Jon Rouse, Menta Tower, Mike Fisher, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, Surrey Street, URV, Warehouse Theatre, West Croydon, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Mugger with the mic? Or taken for mugs in the audience?

Posted on July 13, 2012 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: A 15 per cent fall in turnover in the Croydon retail sector in five years? Solution: Build more shops! Expensive residential tower blocks left unfinished, unbuilt or unsold? Solution: Build more towers! CRO CRUSADER questions the logic of … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Allders, Business, Centrale, Cherry Orchard Gardens, Crime, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Central, Croydon College, Croydon Council, East Croydon, Education, Gavin Barwell, Housing, IYLO, Jason Perry, Jon Rouse, Menta Tower, Mike Fisher, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, Transport, Trinity School, URV, Vidhi Mohan, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“I’m no expert”: Gavin Barwell and his one-man show

Posted on July 13, 2012 by insidecroydon

DIAMOND GEEZER joined the audience in central Croydon for a one-man show that was a song and dance for big business and land owners, but did a soft-shoe shuffle when asked for solutions to the borough’s problems [4.30pm update – … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Allders, Business, Centrale, Charity, Cherry Orchard Gardens, Commuting, Croydon Central, Croydon College, Croydon Council, Croydon North, East Croydon, Education, Environment, Gavin Barwell, Housing, IYLO, London-wide issues, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, Schools, Transport, URV, West Croydon, Whitgift Centre, Whitgift Foundation, Whitgift School | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Addiscombe barbie at centre of a day of community events

Posted on July 13, 2012 by insidecroydon

The Sir Philip Game Centre continues its hectic schedule of community events this summer with a barbecue and family fun day tomorrow, Saturday, July 14 at Morland Avenue, Addiscombe. The Croydon Judo Club is co-hosting the event, with martial arts … Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, Addiscombe West, Cherry Orchard Gardens, Menta Tower, Property, Sean Fitzsimons, Sir Philip Game Centre | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Mind the gap! A prize for the Bridge to Nowhere scheme

Posted on July 12, 2012 by insidecroydon

Croydon is crowing about another “award” won by the council. This time it is the East Croydon Masterplan that won the prize from something called the New London Architecture awards. A “prestigious” panel of judges including David Burney, the commissioner … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Cherry Orchard Gardens, Croydon Council, East Croydon, Environment, Housing, Jon Rouse, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, URV, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Time to cast off Croydon’s Concrete Jungle image

Posted on July 12, 2012 by insidecroydon

Prominent Purley-based architect TARSEM FLORA has seen many visions for the borough left to gather dust. But he believes that Croydon can shed its reputation for brutalist architecture I am convinced that the public perception of Croydon as a concrete … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Housing, IYLO, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Purley, Ruskin Square, URV, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Yuppies, riots, the half-priced £1.5m flats and Rouse’s Folly

Posted on July 7, 2012 by insidecroydon

A constant theme in our council’s various “masterplans” is a massive increase in the number of people living in the centre of the borough – mainly in high-rise blocks. In doing this, CR0 CRUSADER asks, whose interests is our council … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Cherry Orchard Gardens, Commuting, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, East Croydon, Environment, Fairfield, Housing, IYLO, Jon Rouse, London-wide issues, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Unconnected Croydon and the £20m footbridge to nowhere

Posted on July 5, 2012 by insidecroydon

The incompetence of Croydon’s planners and politicians means that our council has been turned over by developers once more, hoodwinked into spending about £20 million of public money on what an official report this week concedes could become “a walkway … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Boris Johnson, Cherry Orchard Gardens, Commuting, Croydon Council, East Croydon, Environment, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, Transport, Warehouse Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Sun Lounge fails to shed much light on future of Croydon

Posted on July 2, 2012 by insidecroydon

An exhibition of architectural plans for a “New Croydon” is long on waffle and short on fresh ideas, says a disappointed CRO CRUSADER You might have expected that the grandly titled “New Croydon Architecture & Design Exhibition”, which is open … Continue reading →

Posted in Allders, Business, Centrale, City status, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Environment, Fairfield Halls, Housing, Jon Rouse, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, URV, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Regeneration posts that fail to offer a long-term future

Posted on June 29, 2012 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: Loyal reader CRO CRUSADER was unimpressed by our council squandering £350,000 in over-generous pay-offs to departing senior staff. But it also highlights a lack of continuity at the Town Hall in this vital area Given the austerity that … Continue reading →

Posted in Allders, Croydon Council, Housing, Jason Perry, Jon Rouse, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, Simon Hoar, South Croydon, Stephen McDonald, Steve O'Connell, Tim Pollard, Transport, Vidhi Mohan | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mental Tower video casts a shadow of doubt over Addiscombe

Posted on June 10, 2012 by insidecroydon

“The Jenga Tower”. “The Mental Tower”. The 54-storey centrepiece of this £20 million project beside East Croydon station may not yet have left the drawing board of Make architects, yet it has already attracted a couple of unfavourable nicknames. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, East Croydon, Environment, Housing, Menta Tower, Planning, Property | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Gavin Barwell on regeneration: public meeting, July 12

Posted on June 8, 2012 by insidecroydon

Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell is to hold a public meeting on July 12 to talk about the council’s plans for regeneration in the borough. Barwell’s own website states he will “outline the work of Croydon Council to regenerate the … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Central, East Croydon, Environment, Gavin Barwell, London-wide issues, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Latest Cannes trip gets Rouse his moment in The Sun

Posted on April 10, 2012 by insidecroydon

Maybe openness, transparency and accountability to public scrutiny does work. Since Inside Croydon was launched nearly two years ago, we have often returned to the council’s spending on its annual jolly to the South of France for £248,000 per year … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Croydon Council, Housing, Jon Rouse, Local media, Menta Tower, Mike Fisher, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, Simon Hoar, Tony Newman, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Shard overshadows copycat developers’ visions

Posted on April 9, 2012 by insidecroydon

South London commuters, arriving at London Bridge station, will be aware that the Shard nears completion. This Guardian piece by Jonathan Glancey from two years ago ably predicts the building’s influence on developers elsewhere – including Croydon Shard London Bridge, … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Cherry Orchard Gardens, Commuting, East Croydon, Environment, Housing, London-wide issues, Menta Tower, Outside Croydon, Planning, Property, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Psst. Croydon plans for the future. Quietly

Posted on April 7, 2012 by insidecroydon

This just in this morning, from the council’s “spatial” planning department. Undoubtedly, for anyone with any interest in the future of Croydon, as a resident or a business owner, this “framework” will be of avid interest. But does it strike … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon Council, East Croydon, Environment, Housing, London-wide issues, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, Transport, URV, Waste incinerator | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Croydon starts to gag councillors over planning bids

Posted on April 1, 2012 by insidecroydon

Another one of Croydon Council’s more ludicrous internal memos reaches us here at Inside Croydon. This one, from the council’s official solicitor, seeks to forbid councillors from talking to local residents on planning matters. Some times. They’re just not entirely … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Cane Hill, Clare Hilley, Croydon Council, Environment, Housing, Jon Rouse, Julie Belvir, London-wide issues, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Restaurants, Ruskin Square, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Another “prize”: Mental Tower’s dodgy planning award

Posted on February 8, 2012 by insidecroydon

Some bad news as far as Oscar Dahling and James Hogg, the self-appointed local representatives for the Mental Towers, are concerned. Hogg and Dahling, who some suspect to be readying themselves to run as developer-friendly Conservative candidates on Croydon Council, … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Boris Johnson, Commuting, East Croydon, Housing, Mayor of London, Menta Tower, Planning, Property | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Croydon: connected, capable and confident. Unrecognisable?

Posted on January 25, 2012 by insidecroydon

A press release whizzes across the desk here at Inside Croydon Towers. We weren’t sent it directly, but hey ho…. The release was sent apparently on behalf of Develop Croydon, the organisation of big retailers and developers with multi-million pound … Continue reading →

Posted in Boris Johnson, Business, Centrale, Cherry Orchard Gardens, City status, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Central, Croydon College, Croydon Council, Jon Rouse, London-wide issues, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Ruskin Square, Steve O'Connell, URV | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Blurred vision leaves Croydon with empty concrete canyons

Posted on January 13, 2012 by insidecroydon

CROYDON COMMENTARY: After all the hand-wringing and wailing, with senior figures at the Town Hall claiming to have “done all that they could” to persuade Nestlé to stay in Croydon, ANDREW PELLING, right, says that the multi-national may not be … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Andrew Pelling, Art, Boris Johnson, Business, Centrale, Coulsdon, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Central, Croydon College, Croydon Council, Croydon South, David Lean Cinema Campaign, Gavin Barwell, Housing, Jon Rouse, Ken Livingstone, Kenley, Mayor of London, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Purley, Ruskin Square, Simon Hall, URV, Whitgift Foundation | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Boris is back in town as questions tower over O’Connell

Posted on November 21, 2011 by insidecroydon

ANDREW PELLING wanted to speak to the elected London Mayor at an event in Croydon on Tuesday, and found it would cost him £260 for the privilege Boris is in town tomorrow at the Develop Croydon Conference. If you want … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Andrew Pelling, Boris Johnson, Broad Green, Business, Croydon 8/8, Croydon Central, Croydon Council, Crystal Palace FC, Jon Rouse, London Assembly, Mayor of London, Menta Tower, Planning, Steve O'Connell, Transport, Waste incinerator, Whitgift Centre | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Police have moral duty to give 8/8 evidence” Paddick says

Posted on November 3, 2011 by insidecroydon

Brian Paddick, the Liberal Democrats’ Mayoral candidate for London, today strongly criticised Croydon police. Having rounded on the Met’s handling of the situation generally that led to Croydon’s riots on 8/8, Paddick, a former Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Met, … Continue reading →

Posted in Brian Paddick, Broad Green, Business, Crime, Croydon 8/8, Fairfield Halls, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Menta Tower, Planning, Property, Riots Review Panel, West Croydon | Leave a comment

Litter-picker Barwell now has a big mess to clear up

Posted on July 23, 2011 by insidecroydon

Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell is out picking up litter in Brickfields Meadows this morning, although he has a far bigger mess to clean up following the decision of his Conservative colleagues on the council’s strategic planning committee to grant … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiscombe West, Boris Johnson, Croydon Central, Gavin Barwell, Menta Tower, Steve O'Connell | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment