Purley Planning Summary – 3rd April 2022

The current volume of planning applications and decisions in the PWRA area can make it challenging to keep up with what is being proposed for our area. Consequently the PWRA Planning Officer now prepares a summary of planning activity in our area so we can more easily track this, and determine the action we will take for new planning applications.

We believe that this will also be useful for members and publish it here so YOU can quickly see what we believe to be the most significant planning matters in the PWRA area, the actions we will be taking / have taken, and enable members to take their own actions (eg objecting or supporting new planning applications).

Please do read through this Planning Summary, and we strongly urge you to also take the actions that we at the PWRA will be taking (see Objection reasons in RED INK) in response to the new applications listed.

Who should you contact?

In addition to taking action through Croydon Council’s planning portal, or by writing to the Planning Officer responsible for an application, we also strongly urge you to send your responses directly to the members of the planning committee. They are listed below, together with their Council e-mail addresses:

Purley Planning Summary – 3rd April 2022

Running Total of Additional Housing Units in the PWRA Area (from 2018):

Total: 3271 housing units

of which:

Approved: 1719 housing units

Pending: 646 housing units

Refused: 775 housing units

Withdrawn: 131 housing units

Applications Granted

131 Woodcote Valley Road (Ref: 20/04952/FUL) 8 flats (2 x 1 bed, 2 x 2 bed, 4 x 3 bed) with 4 car parking spaces.

1 Smitham Bottom Lane and 98 Higher Drive have been granted. They may not show on the Council Planning Register as such until S.106 Agreements, or similar, are signed.

Applications Refused

86 Foxley Lane (Ref: 20/05698/FUL) 2 storey side extension for 2 flats (1 x 1 bed, 1 x 1 bed). Comment: This proposal was refused by the council and now also at appeal> Planning Inspector’s reasons for rejecting the appeal: The development would cause harm to the character and appearance of the area, the living conditions of future and neighbouring occupants, and potentially be at risk of surface water flooding.

87-89 Foxley Lane (Ref: 20/02239/FUL) 23 flats and 5 houses. Comment: This proposal was refused by the council and now also at appeal. Planning Inspector’s reasons for rejecting the appeal in summary: Considered individually and cumulatively the benefits of the proposal do not overcome the significant weight the Inspector put on; harm to the character and appearance of the surrounding area, the heritage asset behind it (Webb Estate), trees, the living conditions of future, occupiers, and highway and pedestrian safety.

23 Russell Hill (Ref: 21/034952/FUL) Extension and conversion of existing property to create 6 flats. Comment: Reasons for refusal: i) The proposal would fail to retain and / or extend existing soft landscaping that contributes to the character of Russell Hill, ii) Detrimental to amenity of adjoining occupiers, iii) The development would provide poor quality residential units (limited outlook and access to sunlight and daylight, lack of privacy, cramped internal accommodation, lack of private amenity space and failure to demonstrate the highest standards of fire safety), iv) The development would result in a detrimental impact on highways and pedestrian safety as a result of unsafe access for pedestrians, unsafe manoeuvring and unusable car parking space.

Significant New Applications

861 Brighton Road (Ref: 22/01085/FUL) Conversion of house into 4 flats (1 x 3 bed, 1 x 2 bed, 2 x 1 bed) Comment: This is the second application on this property. In February a similar proposal was refused for providing poor quality accommodation. The application revises the mix of flats (2 x 1 bed, instead of 2 x 2 bed). PWRA previously objected based on loss of a Family home and car parking / highway concerns (the property is opposite Christchurch School). Whilst the applicant now proposes the development be ‘car free’ propose objecting on the same grounds as before.

2a Grasmere Road (Ref: 22/00865/FUL) Demolition of family home and construction of 7 flats (5 x 1 bed, 1 x 2 bed, 1 x 3 bed) with 7 car parking spaces. Comment: Another application on this property. The same objections to this proposal apply. Object based on: Loss of a family home, Overdevelopment, Out of keeping, detrimental to the amenity of adjoining occupiers, Highways.

46 Grasmere Road (Ref: 22/00292/FUL) Demolition of existing Family home and construct 5 flats (1 x 1 bedroom, 3 x 2 bedrooms, 1 x 3 bedrooms) with 5 car parking spaces. Comment: This is the fourth application for this property since 2019. The most recent (3rd) for 8 flats was refused. This proposal is slightly smaller in footprint than that which was refused. Nevertheless propose objection based on: Loss of a family home, Overdevelopment, Out of keeping, detrimental to the amenity of adjoining occupiers, Highways.

6 Oscar Close (21/06018/FUL) Demolition of existing Family home and construct 2 pairs of 4 bed semi-detached houses with 4 car parking spaces. Comment: Object based on: Overdevelopment, detrimental to the amenity of adjoining occupiers, Highways (esp cumulative impact on the Russell Hill Road area, given the ongoing developments in this area). It is also worth noting that this property is only ~15 years old and hence built to modern standards.

20 Russell Hill (Ref: 22/01226/FUL) Comment: FYI The former Bicycle Shop has an application for a gym.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *