Canning & Clyde Road Residents Association

Croydon Gateway Site

Our letter printed in the Croydon Guardian on 4 May 2005

We and other local residents associations have watched with increasing horror the unfolding story of the proposed 12,500 seat arena development of the East Croydon Gateway site.

The Mayor of London (Ken Livingstone) gave his response on Croydon Council's preferred Arrowcroft arena scheme on 14 April 2005. Essentially he washes his hands of it. He raises questions about the viability of an arena, unresolved issues surrounding the transportation of 12,500 people to and from arena events, low level of affordable housing in the scheme, lack of planning as regards funding and staffing for the proposed a health centre and the eviction of the award winning Warehouse Theatre with no new proposed home. Ken Livingstone does not, however, direct Croydon Council to
refuse planning permission because of the potential costs that may be awarded against him should he do so.

Closer study of Ken Livingstone's report on the arena scheme reveals causes for alarm for Croydon residents.

The viability of an arena scheme is far from certain. If a resident ice hockey team and music concerts do not prove popular with punters, who will end up footing the bill for an underused arena?
Remember the Dome?

If the arena were to prove popular, there would be between two or three events per week. With 12,500 attendees, only 781 car parking spaces on site and the difficulties of negotiating Croydon bus and tram lanes, many cars will end up being parked in residential streets around Morland Road, the East Croydon end of Addiscombe and possibly further away. In his earlier report of 19 November 2003 the Mayor states that the central zone parking restrictions hours (Monday to Sunday 7.00 am to 12 am) would have to be extended.

These parking restrictions are exactly what local residents fought hard to defeat during late summer/autumn 2002. Hundreds of local residents marched on the Town Hall in opposition and the council was forced to climb down. Now the council is promoting a development that will likely lead
to their introduction.

And what about those who do not travel by car? How will the public transport system to East Croydon cope with 10,000 extra passengers from 6.30 to 8.00 pm, the second part of the rush
hour? Remember, when all jammed packed, a double decker bus carries 90 passengers, a tram 200 and a train carriage 80. Do the sums yourself. Even if East Croydon Station were to be
enlarged, the railway line network does not have the capacity to lay on extra trains. Basically public transport would jam solid. And there is no provision for coach parking. Network Rail has itself expressed serious concern about the practicalities of the arena scheme.

The Arrowcroft arena scheme is essentially an unattractive concrete jungle in an area already surrounded by railway lines, steel girders and overhead tram cables.

Why will the council not give genuine consideration to the alternative Stanhope Schroder plan that promises 4.5 acres of public green space (roughly half the site and twice the size of Queen's Gardens) plus a purpose-built theatre for the internationally acclaimed Warehouse Theatre Company? As Stanhope Schroder own the land, they could start regenerative development very quickly. The Arrowcroft scheme would require time consuming compulsory purchase of the land.

Why has the council heavily promoted the Arrowcroft scheme without adequately informing residents of the alternative Stanhope Schroder proposal?

Why has the large arena scheme been embedded as a change to the former Unitary Development Plan (UDP)? What genuine consultation has there been over this? We trust that the current public inquiry into the proposed new UDP will take these and all other comments into consideration.

Why has Croydon Council entered into a contract with Arrowcroft before the arena scheme has received planning permission? What is this contract about?

Can someone please give a convincing answer to these very important questions?