Tag Archives: Riddlesdown

Riddlesdown’s rangers have some new kids on the block

The annual visit of a herd of goats at Riddlesdown Common saw half a dozen nannies released last week to graze the steep slopes of the old quarry. “The quarry is an amazing habitat with chalk wildflowers, reptiles and butterflies … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Environment, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, South London Downs NNR, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Council delays and lack of enforcement cause residents misery

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

MP backs call to extend Surrey Hills beauty area into Croydon

A Croydon MP says that residents have a “fantastic opportunity” to take part in a public consultation which could see parts of his constituency, such as Farthing Downs and Happy Valley, Coulsdon Common and Rddlesdown, added to an Area of … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Philp MP, City Commons, Coulsdon, Croydon parks, Croydon South, Environment, Planning, South London Downs NNR, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The enforcers: residents making plans for council court action

Is something shifting in the Town Hall planning department? Amid news of the exit of a senior manager, and of director Heather Cheesbrough correcting her false claims on her online CV, and now a High Court ruling against the council’s … Continue reading

Posted in Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Nicola Townsend, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Let the drains take the strain: council acts to avoid flooding

Officials ask residents to report blocked gulleys to help reduce the risks of floods this winter A £162,000 flood alleviation project carried out in an area near Riddlesdown Station has been completed by the council before the worst of the … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Environment, Kenley, Muhammad Ali, Purley, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Buyers beware: High Court judge puts planners in the dock

A High Court judge has ruled against Croydon’s planning department, quashing the decision of a senior council official to grant permission for a block of flats in Sanderstead. Here, former council planner STEVE WHITESIDE explains how the court ruling could … Continue reading

Posted in Aventier, Business, Croydon Council, Heather Cheesbrough, Housing, Nicola Townsend, Planning, Property, Purley, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, Sanderstead, Selsdon & Ballards, Selsdon and Addington Village | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

There’s mushrooming interest in wildlife on local commons

NATURE NOTES: Winter visitors are eagerly awaited, while City Commons’ guided walks made some fascinating discoveries Winter birds, including redwing and fieldfare, are expected to start arriving on the green spaces in and around Farthing Downs, Coulsdon. These visitors fly … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Environment, Nature Notes | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Help the Commons rangers plan for 10 more years of care

City Commons, the organisation operated by the City of London which manages a selection of green spaces in and around Croydon, is preparing its 10-year management plans, and is seeking input from the public which might influence how it approaches … Continue reading

Posted in Activities, City Commons, Croydon parks, Environment, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

City Commons’ work recognised with 7 Green Flag awards

Seven green spaces in and around Croydon which are protected by the City of London Corporation have been granted prestigious Green Flag status. Coulsdon Common, Kenley Common, Farthing Downs and Riddlesdown, plus Spring Park and West Wickham Common in Bromley … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Environment, South London Downs NNR, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Goats settle in for their winter’s work at Riddlesdown Quarry

There are goats in Croydon. No kidding. That was the announcement made by City Commons yesterday, as goats were turned out to graze at Riddlesdown Quarry. City Commons is the part of the City of London Corporation which manages large … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Coulsdon, Croydon parks, Environment, Kenley, Nature Notes, New Addington, Old Coulsdon, Purley, Sanderstead, South London Downs NNR, Whitgift Foundation, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Delays at Croydon put Parkrun’s national return in jeopardy

Delays at Croydon Council could force the abandonment of the post-covid return of hundreds of popular Parkruns across England. Following the government’s “roadmap” out of lockdown, national organisers have been targeting June 26 as their English resumption date – but … Continue reading

Posted in Athletics, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Lloyd Park, Sport | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Work to stop floods in Kenley and Purley scrapped by council

Croydon’s bankrupt council has cancelled vital flood-prevention measures in the south of the borough because it has already spent the money it was given for the works. That’s according to the Town Hall opposition Tories, who say that funding had … Continue reading

Posted in Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Environment, Helen Redfern, Kenley, Purley, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, Section 114 notice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Residents on high alert to keep check on planning applications

BARRATT HOLMES, our overdevelopment correspondent, on the 9-9-9 emergency for some roads in the south of the borough Last week’s decision to delegate all planning decisions to council officials, removing even a vestige of cover offered by the planning committee … Continue reading

Posted in Community associations, Croydon Council, Housing, Planning, Property, Purley, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, Sanderstead | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The latest Croydon carbuncle: Riddlesdown’s own glasshouse

Another day, another Croydon carbuncle. This time it is a block of 18 flats in a gargantuan five-storey block plonked between the suburban detached houses of Mitchley Avenue, Riddlesdown, as proposed by Vita Homes.

Posted in Housing, Planning, Sanderstead | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sanderstead and Riddlesdown lead battle to save Green Belt

In 1953, the Coulsdon and Purley Urban District Council was granted a coat of arms, and this included two trees, one an oak to represent the Purley Oaks and the other a beech for Purley Beeches. In 2020, Croydon Council … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Butler, Community associations, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Environment, Housing, Mayor of London, Paul Scott, Planning, Purley, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, Sanderstead | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

CPRE makes appeal: just one week left to save the Green Belt

Conservation charity the CPRE has added its voice to residents’ associations across the borough calling on the public to take urgent action to try to save Croydon’s green spaces from development. Last week, Inside Croydon reported how the Labour council’s … Continue reading

Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Charity, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Environment, Housing, Paul Scott, Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

‘Absolute madness’: council eyes Green Belt for 6,000 homes

Remember all those solemn assurances from Alison Butler and Paul Scott that the Labour-run council will protect the borough’s precious green spaces? Guess what… Town Hall papers ahead of next Monday’s cabinet meeting show that the council is seriously considering … Continue reading

Posted in Addington, Croydon Council, Environment, Housing, Mayor of London, New Addington, Planning, Purley Way, Sanderstead, Selsdon & Ballards | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Crime and livestock attacks on Farthing Downs cause concern

Croydon councillors will turn up in Coulsdon this afternoon on the hottest day of the year, maybe the hottest day ever recorded in these islands, to bask in the sun and in the reflected glory of the decades of hard … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Croydon parks, Environment, Fracking, Friends of Farthing Downs, South London Downs NNR, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

National Reserve status granted for Coulsdon’s Farthing Downs

Croydon will get its own National Nature Reserve later this month, as more than 1,000 acres of chalk downland across Riddlesdown, Farthing Downs, Happy Valley, through to Kenley Common, Sanderstead and Whyteleafe will be formally declared by Natural England as … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Coulsdon, Croydon parks, Environment, Kenley, London-wide issues, Purley, Sanderstead, South London Downs NNR, Walks, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quarry in bloom guided walk, Riddlesdown, Jul 13

Posted in City Commons, Croydon parks, Environment, Wildlife | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Butterfly Walks, Kenley, Coulsdon and Riddlesdown, Jul-Aug

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Bird-watchers are on the look-out in annual species count

JOHN BIRKETT, of the RSPB Croydon group, spotted his first swallow of the summer at the weekend. He’s now preparing himself for a very long day on Thursday. Here, he explains why. Photos by JOHN FLYNN This month sees the … Continue reading

Posted in Community associations, Croydon parks, Environment, Lloyd Park, Nature Notes, Wandle Park, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Breakfast With The Birds, Riddlesdown, Apr 20

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Skull Island self-guided trail, Riddlesdown, Apr 15

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Happy Valley to be granted National Nature Reserve status

Some of Croydon’s best-known and most popular open spaces are to be afforded similar status to a National Park, giving protection from the threat of development. In a proposal to be considered by the City of London Corporation on Monday, … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Coulsdon, Croydon parks, Education, Environment, Old Coulsdon, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment