Purley Planning Summary – 3rd May 2021


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 May 2021

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

Total: 2694 housing units

of which:

Approved: 1478 housing units

Pending: 561 housing units

Refused: 533 housing units

Withdrawn: 122 housing units

Applications Granted

54 Brighton Road (REF: 20/01271/FUL) Conversion of existing house into 4 flats (1 x 1 bed, 1 x 2 bed, 2 x 3 bed). Comment: PWRA had objected (the only objectee)

6 – 16 Russell Hill Road (Tudor Court) (REF: 19/05952/FUL) Roof extension to create 6 new flats (2 x 1 bed, 4 x 2 bed) + three storey rear extensions, rear external balconies for the existing flats, and new front roof-lights.

14A Smitham Bottom Lane (REF: 20/04997/FUL) 6 flats (2 x 1 bed, 4 x 2 bed), and 3 terraced houses to the rear of the site, with a total of 9 car parking spaces. Comment: PWRA had objected.

Land R/O 56 Smitham Downs Road (REF: 20/05079/FUL) Demolition of garage and out-buildings and construction of a 4 bed house to the rear of existing. Comment: This is a corner plot and the access to the new house will actually be from Woodside Road.

Applications Refused

36a Box Ridge Avenue (REF: 20/06068/FUL) Conversion and extension of existing property into 5 flats (3 x 1 bed, 1 x 2 bed, 1 x 3 bed) Comment: Reasons for refusal; Out of keeping with the area, Sub-standard accommodation, Endanger road and pedestrian safety, Inadequate detail about tree protection and retention. PWRA had objected.

735 Brighton Road (Capella Court) (REF: 21/01156/GPDO) Conversion of first. Second, third and fourth floors into 97 flats with 24 car parking spaces. Comment: Reason for refusal; ‘The applicant has failed to demonstrate that the proposal would not unacceptably impact the local highway network by virtue of not demonstrating that sufficient on-street parking capacity within the locality of the application site exists to accommodate the anticipated parking overspill generated by the proposed development due to a failure to take into account committed development (and any associated parking overspill) within the local area, and by virtue of not demonstrating that the servicing arrangements for the proposed development, due to the absence of information demonstrating that these could take place on site, would not unacceptably impact the use and safety of the surrounding highway network.’ Quoting the whole paragraph for this refusal as it is the first time that I see reference to cumulative impact as a reason for refusal (my underlining). This is the second refusal for this proposed office conversion based on highway considerations.

75a and 75b Pampisford Road (REF: 21/00981/CONR) Construction of 2 semi and 1 detached house. Comment: This was an application to have a third cross-over for the development. It is refused on highway and pedestrian safety grounds.

51 Smitham Downs Road (Ref: 21/00995/GPDO) Proposal to add 2 storeys to this two storey house. Comment: PWRA had objected.

Significant New Applications

922-930 Purley Way (REF: 20/06224/FUL) The applicant has submitted (slightly) amended plans (same reference number as original) which; Reduce the height of the highest block from 12 to 10 storeys, Reduce the total number of flats from 155 to 141 (from the height reduction and increase in the number of 3 bed flats). The total number of car parking spaces remains at 6. Comment: PWRA has objected and these changes do not change the basis of our objection (Loss of family homes, Over-development, Out of character, Detrimental to the amenity of adjoining occupiers, Traffic and Highways).

15A Russell Hill (21/01485/FUL) Demolition of existing family home and construction of 8 flats (1 x 1 bed, 4 x 2 bed, 3 x 3 bed) with 4 car parking spaces. Comment: This property has had a similar application for 9 flats refused, and is taking this to appeal (REF: 20/03755/FUL). This is a scaled back version, to perhaps to try and avoid the appeal. Object based on: Loss of a family home; Overdevelopment, Inadequate amenity space, Obtrusive by design / Out of keeping, Overlooking, Traffic and highways.

5A Russell Hill Parade (REF: 21/01738/GPDO) This is a proposal to convert the ground floor of this property into 2 x 1 bed flats and a studio flat. Comment: The proposal ‘squeezes’ 3 flats into this property resulting in 3 small and irregularly shaped flats. Obviously there is no amenity or car parking space. Object based on: Overdevelopment / Poor accommodation, No amenity space.

Whytecliffe Road South (REF: 21/01753/FUL) This is the formal application for the 247 flats adjacent to Purley Station. Comment: This proposal was first seen by us in 2018/2019, and started as an integrated low rise development, stretching from Purley station to the first couple of houses on Whytcliffe Road North, for ~100 flats. The PWRA was prepared to support this initial proposal. Over the past couple of years (and I believe encouraged by Croydon planners) the proposal has grown into this one for 247 flats on a smaller site comprising the row of terraced housing on Whytecliffe Road South and the Station car park. Consequently the increased number of flats on a smaller site means that the height of the development will now be 8 storeys at its highest. The proposals do not include any car parking for the flats themselves (except some disabled spaces), but do partially replace those lost with the proposed redevelopment of the station car park. With the proposal for the new and enlarged Mosque and piecemeal redevelopment of the former NHS clinic and the adjacent workshops in Whytecliffe Road South, this proposal will put massive pressure on the road network in this area, and car parking across the whole town. Object based on: Overdevelopment, Out of keeping / Obtrusive by design, Inadequate amenity space, Poor accommodation, Overlooking, Traffic and highways.

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