I’ve received a couple of emails from residents enquiring about the recent changes at 16-18 Park Road, whilst a planning application is still outstanding. I thought it might be useful to outline the situation.
Firstly, I wanted to say that I very much appreciate it when residents contact me with worries and concerns about building developments as it’s important that we work together to ensure that the local character is protected as much as possible in our lovely area. The house here is a stunning building and I understand why people have concerns about the preservation of the house as well as all of the trees in the grounds.
This site has been subject to planning applications over the last several years, which were refused. However, on 12th April 2023, planning permission was given for:
- Retention of the locally listed building on the site with the addition of a 2-storey rear extension to facilitate the conversion of the building into 4 flats
- Construction of 2 x pairs of semi-detached houses and 1 detached house on the corners of the site.
- A repositioned access point from Park Road and provision of 9 car parking spaces
- Retention of the boundary trees, with new soft landscaping across the site.
The planning application number is 19/06039/FUL and can be searched for on the planning portal at https://publicaccess3.croydon.gov.uk/online-applications/.
The planning consent set out a wide range of conditions, including ones on biodiversity and tree retention. The application also set out the tree protection plan and an arboricultural impact assessment. The application also states that all trees with a TPO will be retained. All of these documents are available on the planning portal and I would urge interested people to review the documentation. As this planning permission has been granted the developer is able to start work to the conditions outlined in the decision notice.
On December 2023, the developer submitted another planning application for the site (23/04596/FUL). This application is similar to the one above where permission has already been granted:
- Two-storey rear extension and refurbishment of 16-18 Park Road
- erection of 3 pairs of semi-detached houses
- creation of new vehicular access (and closure of existing)
- provision of parking bays, cycle and bin storage and associated landscaping
This application is awaiting a decision by the planning department and It is possible that the Planning Department might refuse it, in which case the existing permission given for 19/06039/FUL remains. It’s still possible to make comments on the application, which you can do on the planning portal. For guidance on making comments on a planning application, please see my earlier article: A short guide to making effective comments on a Planning Application.
As long as the clearance that has been carried out below is in accordance with the planning permission already given, then the developer is acting within the planning consent.
UPDATE: Planning consent for 23/04596/FUL was granted on 19 March 2024
