Category: Planning

Council granting outline planning permission for high-rise block of flats in Orchard Avenue is politically motivated

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Address: 
40 Orchard Avenue, Croydon, CR0 7NA

Proposal:
Demolition of an existing dwelling; erection of a three storey building with basement containing 8 two bedroom flats; formation of associated access and parking

Dear Save Shirley residents

Tell us the intensification of Shirley isn’t politically motivated.

On Thursday night six councillors voted to allow a detached residential home be demolished and in it’s place a high-rise block of flats.

However, we believe the Planning Committee did not judge the application on current planning policies, but on a prejudiced and vindictive rebellion against the Shirley Residents and a further assault on the character of the area.

We believed this is a direct response to the ‘Save Shirley’ campaign and our objection to the proposed Croydon Plan CLP2.

This application was not determined upon the current Planning Policies. It’s out of character with the area and shows a total disregard for the character of the area and surrounding properties in Shirley.

Worryingly, this will now set a precedent for the destruction of Shirley.

All six councillors are Labour. Their details are below. we urge you to email them to demonstrate how disappointed we are that the people in charge of Croydon’s planning applications make their decisions based on political point scoring.

Dear, Cllr [Insert name]

Ref: 15/05247/P

We object to the Planning Committee voting in favour of granting outline planning permission for 40 Orchard Avenue in Shirley.

We believe the Planning Committee did not judge the application on current planning policies, but on a prejudiced and vindictive rebellion against the Shirley Residents and the character of the area.

This application was not determined upon the current planning policies. It’s out of character with the area and shows a total disregard for the surrounding properties in Shirley.

We ask you to reconsider the application based on current planning policies adopted by the Planning Inspectorate.

Kind regards,

The members of the Planning Committee who voted in favour of the outline planning application were:

Cllr Paul Scott (Chairman) (Woodside)
paul.scott@croydon.gov.uk

Cllr Maddie Henson (Ashburton)
maddie.henson@croydon.gov.uk or tweet @MinsuR

Cllr Bernadette Khan (West Thornton)
bernadette.khan@croydon.gov.uk

Cllr Sherwan Chowdhury (Norbury Ward)
sherwan.chowdhury@croydon.gov.uk or tweet @SherwanCroydon

Cllr Jamie Audsley (Bensham Manor)
jamie.audsley@croydon.gov.uk or tweet @JamieAudsley

Cllr Humayun Kabir (Bensham Manor)
humayun.kabir@croydon.gov.uk

Save Shirley is a non-political campaign created by residents and MORA (Monks Orchard Residents’ Association). It’s backed by seven Shirley residents’ associations to oppose this current administrations politically motivated plan to wreck our residential neighbourhood.

Our fight goes on.

We would like to thank MORA member Lianne for speaking against the proposal at the planning meeting. Also to the Shirley residents that filled out the Public Gallery. You made sure our united voice of objection was heard. Thank you for your continued support.

Save Shirley
www.saveshirley.co
Follow us on twitter https://twitter.com/ShirleySave

Shirley residents out in force

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Croydon Town Hall was overwhelmed on Monday night with more than 450 Shirley residents to hear the Save Shirley petition of more than 3,600 signatures presented to the council and the debate that followed.

Our intention was to be heard, and we certainly did that. Cllr Tony (concrete) Newman, Leader of the council told the Croydon Advertiser: “I believe residents have legitimate concerns.”

So, thank you to all of you who queued down Katherine Street. The meeting was delayed by 20 minutes as council officials struggled to set up screens and speakers so everyone who had arrived for the meeting could watch the webcast and lively public debate.

And it went downhill from there, with the meeting being suspended by 15 minutes as Croydon CEO, Nathan Elvery and the Mayor left the meeting amidst utter chaos. There blatant bias culminated in the refusal to allow a vote. It’s obvious that there is no such thing as democracy in Croydon Council.

Save Shirley and MORA have called for a public meeting with Cllr Newman on the proposals, but he said he will not agree to this until the outcome of the public consultation on the proposals has been published.

We are not prepared to wait that long. So we’re starting to build momentum and have a few more things up our sleeves, but we still have a long way to go.

So we’d appreciate if you’d email him at tony.newman@croydon.gov.uk urging him to accept our invitation and keep the pressure on.

There will be more articles in the press. Croydon Advertiser has already published a couple of articles online already about the event:

http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Mayor-suspends-council-meeting-amid-row-vote/story-28601448-detail/story.html

http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Save-Shirley-campaigners-overwhelm-town-hall/story-28606260-detail/story.html

Then on Tuesday morning Save Shirley was invited for a TV interview on the London Live Breakfast Show, our local MP, Gavin Barwell, attended this.

It’s about 4mins in length, but the interview has also been posted online. http://www.londonlive.co.uk/news/2016-01-26/croydon-council-meeting-met-with-angry-crowds-over-development-plans

If you want to watch the meeting webcast, it’s available on catch-up now: http://www.croydon.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/207280

If you would like to read the speech Dave Greenwood presented you can download a PDF copy here.

www.saveshirley.co and follow us on twitter at https://twitter.com/ShirleySave

#SaveShirley

 

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Council meeting – We need your support

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Tomorrow night (Monday 25 January) at the Council meeting is a BIG opportunity for Shirley Residents to force Croydon’s councillors to rethink their plans.

If we don’t change their minds they will concrete over where we live and replace our houses with 4-storey blocks of flats, build gypsy/traveller sites in the Green Belt, allow housing on our precious green spaces and back gardens and completely change the character of Shirley.

We have a fight on our hands. This is why we need to pack the public gallery with residents and make as much noise as possible.

Meet us outside the Council Chamber at 5.45, Town Hall, Katharine Street, Croydon, CR0 1NX. The meeting starts at 6.30.

Thank you

Save Shirley is backed by the following residents’ associations
MORA (Monks Orchard Residents’ Association), Shirley Oaks Village, Spring Park (SPRA), Shrublands, Bishops Walk and Shirley Hills.

www.saveshirley.co
#SaveShirley

Save Shirley – Council Meeting 25 January

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Dear neighbour

Due to your support and signing the Save Shirley petition, we will be presenting the Save Shirley objections to the Croydon Local Plan on Monday 25 January 2016 at the Council meeting.

Now we need your support again. We need hundreds of you to fill the meeting and get vocal about our local area.

Come and join us. We will be meeting outside the Council Chamber at 5.45pm, and will be letting Croydon Councillors know exactly what we think about their plans.

So, please bring friends, families, neighbours and banners. But most importantly bring yourselves and your voices. We need to be heard.

Here are the details of the meeting:
The Council Chamber
Town Hall
Katharine Street
Croydon,
CR0 1NX

Below is our objection to the plans:
We call on Croydon Council to drop its demands for Shirley. We oppose the intensification associated with the gradual change of the area’s local character, de-designation of Metropolitan Open Land around Shirley, Gypsy Traveller Sites and development on garden land.

Full details of the meeting are available on the Council website – item 7
https://secure.croydon.gov.uk/akscroydon/users/public/admin/kab14.pl?operation=SUBMIT&meet=33&cmte=COU&grpid=public&arc=1

For campaign news and updates:
www.saveshirley.co

Save Shirley – urgent help needed

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Dear resident.

Thank you for your overwhelming support.

We received more than 3,500 signatures from all of you who object to Croydon Council’s plans for Shirley and the devastating effect it will have on where we live.

This means we can now take our objections to the council.

BUT before we get there we have a photographer from the Croydon Guardian tomorrow at 12.30 outside the Shirley library. They want to take photos of residents objecting to the plans.

We need to show strength in numbers. So, if you can spare 10 minutes of your time, we’d love to see you there.

Wickham Road
Shirley
Croydon
CR0 8BH

SAVE THE DATE – COUNCIL MEETING 25 JANUARY 2016

We can also update you as we have written to Nathan Elvery, Croydon Council Chief Executive. He has confirmed we can present our argument against the plans at the Council meeting on 25 January.
We need to pack the public gallery with residents. We are meeting outside at 5.45. The meeting will be held at:

The Council Chamber
The Town Hall
Katharine Street
Croydon
CR0 1NX

www.saveshirley.co