Last night the Labour controlled planning committee approved the construction of another poorly designed and wholly inappropriate block of flats at 34 Brownlow Road. This was for a 4-storey block comprising of 7 flats. This will replace the lovely existing detached family home. The block of flats will be next to a line of chalet bungalows in Brownlow Road, and therefore totally out of character with the local area. Further, no buildings in the surrounding streets are 4 storeys high. Residents in Brownlow Road and Rushmead Close will now have this massive building overlooking their properties, resulting in a loss of sunlight and privacy. The white coloured building is poorly designed and will do nothing to enhance the character of the area.
A large number of local residents wrote to the Council strongly objecting to the building, and they spoke passionately against the development at the committee meeting. Yet their views were completely ignored by most Labour members on the committee. In the end 5 Labour members on the planning committee voted to support the application, while all 4 Conservative and 1 Labour member agreed with residents and voted against the development. As there was a tie, the Labour Chair of the committee unfortunately used his casting vote to support the application.
Under Labour the destruction of Park Hill continues, with permission being granted to another inappropriate block of flats. The only way to stop this is to vote for a Conservative Council in Croydon in 2022.
