September 2023 Councillors Update

Anti-Social Behaviour Walkabout 12th August 2023

Clive and Patricia carried out a walkabout with the local police Safer Neighbourhood Team. Visited Leslie Grove, Alpha Road, and Freemasons Road regarding Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB). We are trying to help residents source metal gates for the Alpha Road and Leslie Grove alleyways. Councillors also received concerns about supported housing buildings on Freemasons Road, where rough sleepers have been breaking into their facility and scaring many of the elderly residents of Windmill Bridge House. There has been a marked improvement after Patricia wrote to the management team.

We have been lobbying to cease high alcohol lager sales on Cherry Orchard Road, where many supported accommodation units are sited.

In August, a meeting was organised with Tunstall Road and Addiscombe Court Road residents with Sarah Jones MP. The follow-up in-person meeting will be held on 19 October 2023  at the Church of the Nazarene on Lower Addiscombe Road.

Addiscombe Night of Dance 15th August 2023

Addiscombe West Councillors attended the Leslie Park Road and Oval Road events. Watching the various Morris Groups dancing in the road outside the Oval Tavern was great fun.

Details of the event at  Croydon Night of Dance 2023 | Facebook

Councillor Estate Walkabout with Housing Officers on 15 August 2023:

Grass and Hedges need cutting back, plus more planting is required for some external areas of the Council estates. The main front doors at Gordon Crescent and Windmill Bridge House are insecure. Issues with Anti-social behaviour also picked up.

Squatters on Oval Road:

Cllrs worked with police to pressure land owners to remove the people squatting on the land between Oval and Cedar Roads. Squatters were defecating, leaving litter, damaging fences and taking drugs, visible to residents on Cedar Rd. Removed by Bailiffs 21 September 2023.

Keep our station ticket offices’ campaign 31 August 2023

We were at East Croydon. Helping to make this one of the largest-ever responses to a govt consultation. Many were unaware of the potential closure and that the Conservative Government ordered these closures. https://www.facebook.com/100064283965711/posts/681430434009749/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

Anti-social behaviour

We have received numerous reports of drug and alcohol-related anti-social behaviour from around the ward. There is a particular problem around East Croydon Station. Last year, the Tory Elected Mayor consulted on bringing back the Public Space Protection Order for the Town Centre, including both sides of Cherry Orchard Road, Altyre Road and Addiscombe Grove. Labour councillors responded to the consultation that the PSPO agreed needs to include these roads and some extra streets in Addiscombe West Ward to avoid displacement of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)  from the Town Centre.
The Elected Mayor ignored our advice and approved a PSPO that excluded virtually all Addiscombe West roads, including those listed initially in his original consultation proposals.

Patricia has been leading on this issue and continues to lobby Cabinet Member for Community Safety Cllr Kolade and has invited him to come along on a walkabout around the ward.

Business Walkabout 22 September 2023

Patricia and Clive walked around the local parades of Cherry Orchard Road and Lower Addiscombe Road with Carol Squires, Head of Employment, Skills and Economic Development at Croydon Council.

Ms Squires promised to bring my colleagues together to liaise on the challenges that you kindly highlighted, including:

  • Crime & Safety (especially the gates to the alleyway)
  • Public Realm (with a focus on the uneven pavements)
  • Business Support – including a focus on establishing a business voice/association for the traders).
  • Rubbish/Bin (as highlighted by the trader who kindly spoke to us.

Ms Squires said, “I cannot promise that we will have the funding to move everything forward, but I am sure there are some quick wins we can work on together”.

Leslie Arms Roundabout issues:

Suitability of pedestrian crossings at Lesley Arms roundabout tested with local disabled residents regarding wheel-chair and buggy use – Cllr Clive Fraser following up with Highways.

Have your say on options for the future of Croydon’s Maintained Nursery Schools.

This is an important issue locally as Tunstall Nursery School is at risk of closure.

The consultation asks residents to have their say on the proposal to reduce the number of Maintained Nursery Schools in Croydon by closures or mergers.

Maintained Nursery Schools are local authority-run schools that provide early years education and childcare to children aged two to four during school hours, usually 8.30 am – 3.30pm during term time. They do not usually include wrap-around care, and some have seen a fall in numbers over the past three years.

The schools receive government funding and run at higher costs than other early years providers, as they must function like a school and employ a headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, qualified teachers, and meet the same standards and requirements as schools.

The consultation document and questionnaire can be accessed and completed online at https://www.getinvolved.croydon.gov.uk/mns during the consultation period from 19 September to 17 October 2023. A question-and-answer document can also be accessed via the above weblink.

You can find more about Tunstall Nursery at the website Tunstall Nursery School

You can learn about the school’s financial information at Tunstall Nursery School – Schools Financial Benchmarking – GOV.UK (schools-financial-benchmarking.service.gov.uk)

Parking Policy Review

Croydon Council agreed in July 2023 to conduct a public consultation on Croydon’s new Draft Parking Policy. The consultation has now commenced and will last six weeks, concluding on 31 October.

The web address for Croydon’s Get Involved page is https://news.croydon.gov.uk/have-your-say-on-croydons-new-parking-strategy/

Sean has reviewed the draft policy and action. It is his view that the Tory Mayor has reduced the emphasis on reducing pollution and air quality, and there is no mention of how this policy could help the Council meet its agreed Net Zero 2030 commitments.

Council proposals to review Cherry Orchard Road to Shirley Road traffic issues:

Croydon Council officer Abu Barkatoolah is embarking on a series of meetings with councillors and resident groups in the Addiscombe West and East Ward to progress a review of traffic issues. He aims to develop an area-wide approach that instils a wider community involvement within the residential cell (bounded by Shirley Rd, Lower Addiscombe Rd , Cherry Orchard Rd and Addiscombe Rd) and those living on the adjoining main roads. He believes a collaborative engagement approach is vital to ensuring that viable solutions are developed by the wider community, which increases local ownership.

He will meet with 1) Ward Cllrs, 2) all the Resident Associations representatives in Addiscombe East & West and 3) Resident Associations/ community groups along adjoining main roads. The meetings will be focused on the following:

  1. Sharing information about the project’s scope, traffic data we have collected, engagement approach and the timeline for key activities will take us to spring of 2024 with a set of solutions developed and agreed by the community and Transport for London.
  2. Getting to know the various community groups(i.e. partners) and identifying groups/residents who do not normally engage with the council. It is very important to ensure we are inclusive in our approach.
  3. Providing information on the type of technical work required to test various options as identified by the community, as well as the importance of working closely with Transport for London, responsible for managing traffic on red routes and ensuring that buses and trams are not significantly affected.
  4. Understanding how Resident Associations can assist in reaching out to the broader community, local groups may have opportunities to carry out small-scale engagements to maximise contribution and participation.
  5. Identifying venues for engagement sessions and their suitability for various engagement activities without excluding those with mobility impairment.
  6. Understanding how Resident Associations could use their networks to publicise events and reach out to maximise participation.

 

Planning Issues

Croydon Park Hotel, Altyre Road:

Aug 2023 Revised planning application 23/00872/FUL originally lodged in March 2023

The proposed development comprises the demolition of existing structures with basement retained, site preparation and enabling works, and the construction of two buildings with a shared basement and ground floor level, comprising heights of 9 storeys, part 33, part 36 storeys, to deliver 447 residential homes (Use Class C3), and 204 sqm of community floorspace (Use Class F.1/F.2), highways/access works, landscaping, car (disabled parking only) and cycle parking, and other associated works

It is worth reading the revised planning statement Report Contents

Entrance space relocated to the greenhouse to provide more generous and green sense of arrival between the two building forms.

  • Reduction in the height of the tower from 39/38 storeys to 36/33 storeys with 20% affordable housing maintained.
  • Reduction in the number of proposed units from 455 to 447 build-to-rent homes. • Reduction in height of villa building from 12 to 9 storeys to tie into the mansion building datum.
  • Reduce the height of the mansion building by 600mm to coordinate with the revised entrance level.
  • 60% of units in the upper tower are dual aspect, an increase of 7% from planning submission.
  • Separation distances between the tower and mansion block increased to 10 metres (originally 9m at planning submission).
  • Tower form differentiation developed through height contrast of 36 & 33 storeys. This has been accentuated through the use of shadow gaps, contrasting colours, material & texture refinement.
  • Tower form refined/articulated to improve slenderness in accordance with OAPF guidance.
  • The mansion block plan was refined to reduce length and width to improve separation and perceived bulk.
  • Mansion block corridors were straightened, reduced in length, and made more generous in width.
  • Increase the community room size by 120 sqm and relocate to a prominent position near East Croydon Station.

Public Realm changes

  • More comprehensive public realm benefits are offered through improved junction crossings/connections to Park Hill Park, pavement upgrades and tree planting along Hazledean and Altyre Road. This has been developed further per Officers aspirations for the wider area.
  • The creation of a Pocket Garden to north improves the experience to Hazledean Road and provides a better outlook and DLSL for local residents
  • The public realm increased by an additional 376 sqm along Altyre and Hazledean Road with more urban greening, functionality and activity to both frontages (Total approx. 1570 sqm).
  • Increase in public realm offering by: o Proposal offset by an additional 1.2m from Hazledean road. (Total 7m to kerb line). o Tower offset by an additional 1.5m from Altyre Road. (Total 7.2m to kerb line) o Mansion block offset by an additional 2.4m from Altyre Road. (Total 13.3m to kerb line). Neighbouring Residents’ Impact
  • 94% VSC (15%) pass rate on surrounding residential properties, increasing by 8.3% from planning submission. A similar uplift of 7% in the daylight performance of the proposed homes to 73%.
  • The Villa building shifted south to relieve frontage to Hazledean Road and provide 18m separation from Latitude Apartments.
  • Separation distances between Altitude 25 and Longitude apartments increased and outlook/DLSL improved. Transport/Servicing
  • Basement reduced in size by circa 450sqm by virtue of reduced vehicle parking targeting 3% wheelchair parking provision.
  • Cycle storage access was improved via a dedicated cycle access lift from Altyre Road to the basement level.

2 Vincent Road:

Planning permission regranted Feb 2023. Councillors opposed the original application in 2019. However, following deferral by the planning committee in December 2019, the developer agreed to redesign the building to keep it more in keeping with the surrounding Victorian Buildings. The new developer, who rebuilt 4 Vincent Road has bought the site from the original owner, and has started work on the site.

City Link 28-Storey Co-Living Residential Tower wins planning appeal:

Details about the appeal can be found at Reference: APP/L5240/W/22/3305600 (planninginspectorate.gov.uk).
Non-material planning application has been lodged recently with the council as the new building has to install a second stair case. See https://publicaccess3.croydon.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=S098B5JL0BK00&activeTab=summary

Leslie Arms 

Two current planning applications submitted in 2019 19/02765/FUL and 19/02766/LBC Listed Building Application as it is a grade 2 listed building. Planning application for proposed works to the Grade II listed Leslie Arms public house. Works include change of use to the existing pub to support new community use/cafe, demolition of the existing rear hall to provide a new rear extension community space and 2 additional residential units.

Section 106 legal agreement has now been agreed and is lodged with the Council. Sean Fitzsimons has contacted the owner, Anwar Ansari for an update on future actions.