I wanted to give a brief planning update to you all.
Planning Enforcement
Planning enforcement remains a significant issue locally. There are a number of live investigations to breaches of planning permission across Purley and Woodcote.
Under the previous Labour administration, the number of planning enforcement officers was decimated, meaning investigations were unable to be fully investigated and very few enforcement notices were served, including none in Purley & Woodcote.
I am pleased that the current administration has increased the number of enforcement officers and that a number of notices have now been served in our ward.
However, I would like to cases taken more seriously and see swifter action taken. I am due to meet Heather Cheesbrough, the Council’s Director of Sustainable Planning and Regeneration next week. Planning enforcement will be one of the issues on the agenda. If there are any cases you would like me to raise with Heather, please email details to [email protected].
New applications
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75A Foxley Lane - 24/00632/FUL - Demolition of the existing house and the erection of three and half storey building comprising 8 new residential dwellings with associated car parking, refuse and cycle storage facilities and associated landscaping
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172 Foxley Lane - 24/00305/FUL - Change of use from single family dwelling (Use Class C3) to a 6-bedroom 7-person HMO.
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96 Foxley Lane - 24/00560/FUL - Demolition of existing outbuilding, erection of two storey detached house to the rear of 96 Foxley Lane fronting Peaks Hill Rise, provision of associated parking, refuse and cycle storage with landscaping.
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99 Downlands Road - 24/00400/FUL - Erection of a first-floor extension to the existing bungalow with front and rear dormer windows; External and internal alterations to accommodate a conversion of the existing dwelling house to a pair of 3-bedroom semi-detached dwellings with associated car parking, cycle and refuse stores and private amenity spaces.
To comment:
Use the online comments facility following instruction on the online planning register;
Email [email protected]
Or send a letter to: Development Management, Sustainable Communities, Regeneration and Economic Recovery Department, Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon CR0 1EA.
Please quote the application number in any correspondence.
Recent refusals
I welcome a number of recent refusals including:
- 172 Foxley Lane – A 7-person HMO refused on highways impact grounds (NB: a new application has been submitted)
- 30 Wyvern Road – 4 flats refused because there was no acceptable outdoor amenity space (NB: a new application has been submitted)
- 13A Russell Hill – 8 flats refused because of its bulk, design and massing
- Hartley Court, Hartley Down - 7 houses refused because of layout, scale and massing, vehicle safety and inadequate refuse storage.
New M&S – Planning Application
I recently met with the team who has submitted the proposal for the redevelopment of the former Milk & More depot on Brighton Road, which will include an M&S, 70 parking spaces and a creative and cultural centre.
Whilst this application is not in my ward, if approved, the site will bring huge benefits to Purley & Woodcote residents and I am strongly supporting the proposals. I encourage residents to share their views on the application: 823 Brighton Road - 23/04071/FUL so Council officers and the Planning Committee can see the strength of feeling.
Purley Pool Plans
The Purley Pool application is expected imminently and I will provide a comprehensive update on this separately as soon as it goes live on the Planning Portal.
It is thanks to the residents who voted for my ward colleagues and I that we are seeing meaningful change on planning locally. Please continue to be assured that I will always stand up for local residents across Purley & Woodcote in opposing inappropriate applications that do little to solve housing problems and for swifter enforcement when it comes to breaches of what has been granted.
Cllr Samir Dwesar
