For some time, Croydon’s Labour-run council has been granting planning permissions indiscriminately. Over 90% of all applications are getting approved by the Planning Committee.
In particular, they are routinely allowing family housing to be destroyed and replaced with small blocks of flats. Neighbouring Bromley and Sutton do not allow this.
We do need more homes, but blocks of flats should go first on Croydon's many brownfield sites. If the Council focused on brownfield sites then they would have no reason to destroy houses in suburban areas, which changes the character of the community and removes much-needed homes for families.
I believe the Council should not destroy any family home until all the brownfield sites in Croydon have been used – which estimates suggest we are at least 10 years away from needing to do. It is time for the Council to stop destroying family homes and pursue a Brownfield First policy.
How can you help make this happen?
One way to make planning decisions more accountable would be to have local “Area Planning Committees” where we divide Croydon up into three areas (such as north, central and south) and have only councillors from that area sit on its planning committee. They would be able to make decisions for that area on smaller planning applications - for example those with less than 50 units. At the moment, councillors from distant parts of Croydon who do not understand our area decide applications in our neighbourhood – often imposing very bad schemes without due consideration to the wishes and needs of the community.
Many other councils including the London Boroughs of Kingston and Barnet, and Wiltshire and Durham amongst others have Area Planning Committees
Let’s have Area Planning Committees in Croydon!
It is time for us to stand up to the Council on behalf of residents across Croydon and demand change. Please join me as your Parliamentary Candidate by taking the following steps:
- Sign a petition on this website calling for the council to stop destroying family homes (instead pursuing a “Brownfield First” policy) and calling for Area Planning Committees.
- There is a review going on regarding council Governance run by Dame Moira Gibb. Please email her directly explaining your views about how the council currently handles planning applications (i.e. often ignores the protestations of residents) and suggest to Dame Moira that she recommends Area Planning Committees in Croydon. Her email address is: moira.gibb@crinanhoward.com. Please do copy me into your email using mario@mariocreatura.org.uk.
- Tell the people responsible for planning in Croydon how angry we are about what they are doing to our communities. Email them directly:
- Leader of the Council, Cllr Tony Newman (Labour): tony.newman@croydon.gov.uk
- Chair of the Planning Committee, Cllr Toni Letts (Labour): toni.letts@croydon.gov.uk
- Attend a demonstration at the next meeting of Croydon Council on the steps of the Town Hall on Monday 1st April from 600pm-630pm and then the council meeting afterwards in the public gallery of the Council Chamber. From around 830pm onwards planning will be debated and Area Planning Committees will be proposed and voted on. The Town Hall address is: Town Hall, Katherine Street, Croydon CR0 1NX
- Forward this page to all your friends and neighbours!
What the council is doing is totally unacceptable, totally unnecessary, and is destroying our communities by ignoring passionate residents.
Please join this campaign to stop them.
Mario Creatura, Prospective MP for Croydon Central
