Canning & Clyde Road Residents Association
Previous News
January 2011
PARKING - HAVE YOUR SAY
As the vast majority of residents in our two roads are vigorously opposed to the proposed increase in chargeable parking hours, we have submitted an objection taking into account comments that residents have made. This is reproduced below.
We must stress, however, that the Council will take special notice of how many residents send in individual comments. Please let the Council have your opinion - whether you are for or against the proposals. Our Parking Alert! newsletter gives both email and postal addresses. Click here to view the newsletter.
Objection from the Canning & Clyde Road Residents Association
The Canning & Clyde Road Residents
Association would like to object vigorously to the proposed changes to
the Controlled Parking Zone by increasing the chargeable hours from 9.00
am–5.00 pm, Monday to Saturday to 8.00 am-Midnight, seven days a
week. This would make a huge negative difference to our residents.
We have consulted with our residents and there is very strong opposition.
In the interests of diplomacy we have here damped the tone of a number
of the responses. Croydon Council’s staff and elected representatives
should, however, be fully aware of the outrage caused by the proposal.
Residents firmly believe that Croydon Council’s proposals are merely
an income generation scheme which goes against the philosophy of a residents
parking scheme which is supposed to be for the benefit of local residents.
Overall parking for the vast majority of residents in our roads is not
a problem so there is no reason to extend the hours. There is no congestion
to alleviate and there is not a problem with shoppers using our roads
to park – we are not the town centre.
Above all residents have strongly expressed serious concern about the
effect this will have on family and friends who visit. It is seen as effectively
a tax on family and social life.
It will adversely affect both local businesses (which need assistance
in current recessionary times and provide local employment) and local
facilities such as churches and halls with the associated clubs and support
networks for young families eg mothers and babies, brownies etc.
We note the inadequacy of consultation. Two notices in Canning Road, one
in Clyde Road and one (predictably vandalised) between the two, in white
paper wrapped so neatly round silver lamp posts as to be near invisible
do not constitute notifying people; hardly anyone has spotted them. There
is nothing in the December Your Croydon about these proposals. A lot of
people do not read the local press. There are many, many roads affected
by these proposals where the residents will be affected but do not have
an association to inform them or campaign on their behalf. Croydon Council
has to weigh this all up when counting the number of individual objections.
The proposals are seen as unnecessary on the parking front, unfair, hypocritical
and a gross overstepping of the mark by Council officers and elected representatives.
Last time Croydon Council tried to impose similar changes, they were forced
to back down at the last minute. The proposals are no more acceptable
now. You can rest assured that, should the Council go ahead against the
public’s wishes and impose seven day a week, 8.00 am to midnight
charging, it will be remembered for a very long time – in the same
way that residents still remember the 27.3% Council Tax rise in 2003.
December 2010
PARKING - CONSULTATION ON PROPOSED INCREASES IN HOURS
Croydon Council has already decided to
increase parking charges. There is also an increase in the cost of single
residents permits from £48 to £70 and of a second from £80
to £116.
It will be consulting with residents on proposals to increase chargeable
hours throughout Croydon. Currently in our area people are charged between
the hours of 9.00 am and 5.00 pm, Monday to Saturday. The Council is proposing
to charge people between the hours of 8.00 am and midnight, every day
including Sunday.
Councillor Phil Thomas said this proposal is to meet increasing costs.
Any surplus would be spent on highways and traffic-related expenditure.
Councillor Phil Thomas has also said that, if public opposition is strong
enough, the Council will think twice about the increase in hours. Do please
let us, your Councillors and the Council know what you think. We need
to know your views before 4 February 2011.
SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS EITHER SIDE OF EAST CROYDON STATION
This follows on from the item in our
September newsletter about the Draft East Croydon Masterplan. What happens
to the two sites, Ruskin Square and Cherry Orchard Road, will have a big
impact on our area and Croydon generally.
The two developers who own the land either side of East Croydon Station
are intending to submit outline planning applications by Christmas. There
is a difference between outline planning permission and full planning
permission. Outline planning permission establishes the principle that
buildings can be constructed on that spot. The developer cannot, however,
go ahead until it has further submitted a ‘reserved matters’
application. This would give greater detail of design, materials etc.
Here is what the developers are proposing at the current time.
Ruskin Square
This is the land between the station and Dingwall Road. It is owned by
Stanhope Schroder who have been waiting to develop the site for a number
of years but were prevented by the Council backed Arrowcroft arena proposal
that was eventually rejected by the Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government. While they have been waiting, the market value of
the land has dropped considerably and we now have a credit crunch. This
means that, whereas before Stanhope Schroder were willing to go ahead
and build speculatively without first securing tenants, they can no longer
afford to do this. They have to secure at least one tenant before building
the first office block; they hope this would then set the ball rolling
for other tenants to become interested.
Stanhope Schroder are seeking outline planning permission for five office
blocks near the station. On the land bordering Lansdowne Road, they are
planning residential accommodation of 500 units. Why does Croydon need
more office blocks when there are some standing empty? The reason is that
the existing office blocks were built in pre-computer and pre-airconditioning
days. The floors are just not tall enough to accommodate raised floors
to hold under-floor computer cables and lowered ceilings to insert airconditioning
units. Added to this, plant (i.e. boilers etc) is old, which means high
maintenance costs.
The proposed offices would probably be around nine to ten storeys; this
is what Stanhope Schroder consider commercially viable in the current
climate. The designs they are submitting initially may look rather boring.
They say this is partly to meet more stringent energy regulations (i.e.
less glass and more concrete to reduce heat loss). To counterbalance this,
they have held a mini competition for landscape designers and say some
interesting ideas have come out of it. The idea is to make the area at
ground level pleasing and attractive. If outline planning permission is
granted, the winning landscape designers will work with architect Foster
& Partners on the detail. They say the buildings will be of high quality
to appeal to their target investors i.e. pension companies and financial
institutions looking for long-term investments.
Cherry Orchard Road
This is the site on Cherry Orchard Road from (but not including) the Post
Office building to opposite Oval Road; there is a further plot of land
on the corner of Oval Road, Cherry Orchard Gardens, where the empty blocks
of flats now stand. Menta acquired the buildings on these sites over a
few years. The Porter & Sorter would be demolished.
They are proposing a 53 storey residential tower block opposite Oval Road,
Menta say “An essential part of Menta’s proposals … is
the proposed 53-storey tower designed by world-class architects Make.
At 171m, the tower will be one of the finest examples of high-rise living
in the UK – as far removed from the tower blocks of the 1960s and
1970s as it is possible to be.“ The flats will be one, two and three-bedroomed
for private sale. The tower will be roughly twice the height of the NLA
Tower (Number One Croydon). The proposed block on the Cherry Orchard Gardens
site will have 72 affordable homes for rent and for part-buy/part-rent,
all managed by a housing association.
They also want to build a hotel and 10-storey office block on the site
of the Porter & Sorter with ground floor restaurants and bars. Menta
are offering 530 square metres over two floors of space for community
use, eg pre-school facility and are currently trying to find an organisation
to take over the running and presumably ongoing costs of such a space.
Their plans include steps leading down from the new bridge.
The new bridge – Network Rail land
There will be a new railway bridge funded mainly by Network Rail and partly
by Croydon Council. This bridge will link all the platforms at East Croydon
Station.
Stanhope Schroder have already agreed to donate part of their land to
create a new exit from the bridge to the roundabout linking Dingwall and
Lansdowne Road. On the other side, the bridge will go ahead regardless
of whether or not Menta are granted the planning application they seek.
Your views?
Do please let us, your Councillors and Croydon Council have your views!
It is very important that they know what residents think.
THE SNOW - Shopping essentials
If you have difficulty getting out in
snow or icy weather to buy essential household goods or food, we have
one or two residents who have volunteered to help. They can offer shopping
for basic items from the shops at the bottom of the road. If you would
like
such assistance, please contact Anne.
If you are someone who is also able to volunteer to do a little basic
shopping, please could you contact Anne? Many thanks.
October 2010
CLYDE ROAD - DRIVING THE WRONG WAY
A variety of residents over a period
of time have expressed safety concerns about people driving the wrong
way up Clyde Road. We have contacted both our Safer Neighbourhood Police
Team and the Council about this.
One of the Council’s Senior Engineers has notified the Parking Enforcement
team who are able to collect video evidence using their video enforcement
vehicle. They hope that the video evidence may also give some assistance
to the Safer Neighbourhood Team or form a deterrent to vehicles travelling
the wrong way down Clyde Road.
ADDISCOMBE RAILWAY PARK
Do you fancy becoming involved in helping
to plan and look after Addiscombe Railway Park? For those new to our area,
it’s a stretch of parkland that runs from the end of East India Way
(opposite Canning Road), across Dalmally Passage and on up to Black Horse
tram stop. There used to be a railway station next to Acharya’s Addiscombe
Convenience Store. It opened in 1864 and trains ran to London Bridge and
Cannon Street. The station
closed in 1997 and the buildings were demolished in 2001. The park follows
the old
railway line.
One of our Councillors, Sean Fitzsimons, is looking to start a Friends
of Addiscombe Railway Park. This would give those interested the opportunity
to make suggestions for planting and use of parts of the park eg as a
play area, perhaps roll your sleeves up and do something practical. Sean
hopes to arrange a meeting to find out if enough residents are interested
in knowing more. If you are, it’s important that you let him know.
The meeting may be some date in November. If you would like to know when
a definite date has been arranged, please contact either Councillor Sean
Fitzsimons or Gordon
September 2010
OPERATION CLYDE HALL
The owners of Clyde Hall, a charitable
Trust, have put Clyde Hall up for sale. Ever generous, the Trustees of
Clyde Hall have given first option to buy to Surrey Opera who have used
the hall for over 20 years.
In order to avoid potential demolition by a possible developer and to
preserve Clyde Hall for its own and wider community use, Surrey Opera
are launching Operation Clyde Hall. They intend to set up a limited company
called Clyde Hall Ltd to buy and run the hall. This would have a separate
legal identity from Surrey Opera. The company would allow Surrey Opera
and The Addiscombe Christian Church to continue to use the hall. In return
Surrey Opera would maintain and eventually improve the building. As the
hall is not currently in continuous use, some income may be raised by
letting the hall to other groups.
Surrey Opera can only do this if they can quickly raise £500,000
before the end of the year. They hope to do this by issuing shares to
people interested in preserving the building for community use. Developers
and speculators need not apply! If you are not in a position to become
a shareholder, perhaps you could offer your services and skills which
might benefit the hall.
If you would like to know more, please contact Jonathan Butcher on 020
8654 9306 or email jonathanbutcher@blueyonder.co.uk very soon. It would
be helpful if you could contact him before the 21 September launch.
We as a residents association wholeheartedly welcome and support this
brave venture. We have to point out, however, that we are not here giving
investment advice. People must make their own personal decision about
investing in Clyde Hall.
EAST CROYDON MASTERPLAN
Carry on reading! The East Croydon Masterplan
may sound dull but it is an extremely important document that will affect
our area. It is one of several masterplans being drawn up by Croydon Council
for different parts of the town. They will form part of a Core Strategy
for Croydon. The underlying thought is that Croydon must change and adapt
in order to flourish.
Below are some of the key points. We would encourage you to find out more
detail either online or by visiting any library or one of the exhibitions.
Do please give your thoughts directly to the Council, our Councillors
and to us. We would very much like to hear what you think, preferably
by 17 October.
The East Croydon Masterplan has been drawn up by (amongst others) Croydon
Council, Menta (who own land by the station along Cherry Orchard Road),
Stanhope Schroder
(who own land by the station along Dingwall Road), Network Rail and Transport
for London.
The plan covers the station and the area bounded by George Street/Lower
Addiscombe Road (name changes on the bridge) between Dingwall Road and
the NLA Tower; Cherry Orchard Road to Oval Road; the nearest part of Dingwall
Road and Lansdowne Road.
The main proposed features are:
A new bridge across the railway with access to platforms and linking Cherry
Orchard Road (nearly opposite Cedar Road) to Lansdowne Road (by the roundabout
with Dingwall Road).
The ability to be able to walk round all four sides of the station, the
new bridge being one of these walkways.
The entrance to East Croydon Station would be more open and include more
ticket barriers (by the removal of Smiths). Green roofs (i.e. with plants)
on the platform canopies. Possibly two extra platforms.
Modifying the area around the train station and bus station so it would
work better. This would include a longer tram platform, extending the
bus station to include an extra bus stop, rethinking pedestrian crossings,
moving where people in cars can drop off friends and family back as far
as Orchard Road.
An emphasis on including plants throughout the whole area, for example
trees along Dingwall Road.
The Stanhope Schroder side would contain modern offices (possibly five
blocks) alongside the station bordering Dingwall Road and high density
housing (possibly four blocks) bordering Lansdowne Road. They would have
a green square, Ruskin Square, providing lunchtime, evening and weekend
activities.
The Menta side would contain a grand staircase leading up to the new bridge;
there would be some unspecified access to the bridge for people not able
to manage these. Next to this would be a very high rise residential tower
block with ground floor
commercial use including a café, restaurant and bar. On the other
side of the steps would be a tall residential building. The Porter &
Sorter pub would be demolished and replaced with a building of unspecified
‘mixed use’.
Menta also own the land on the corner of Oval Road and Cherry Orchard
Road where the blocks of flats are currently empty. It would build more
high density housing but not as tall as on the station side of the road.
The Royal Mail building will remain as it is.
All work would happen gradually over a period of time in a co-ordinated
way.
How to find out more about the East Croydon Masterplan
Copies of it in every Library.
Download from www.croydonthirdcity.co.uk
and click on the link
Exhibition 18&19 Sept, 9am- 5pm, NLA Tower
Drop in 16 Oct, 10am- 3.30pm Fairfield Halls
BUBBLY BBQ
Many thanks to the 70 or so people who came along to our Bubbly BBQ and helped to make it such an enjoyable event.
Thanks to our Councillors, MP and GLA Member who
came to this and our AGM.
Special thanks to Linda for her as ever excellent
raffle ticket
selling skills, to Doug, Mark and Robert for all the barbecuing, to those
who helped set up and carry chairs and tables to and from the church and
to the church for lending them to us. Huge fun!
ADDISCOMBE RAILWAY PARK
The second phase of the Addiscombe Railway Park is now open. You can now walk or cycle all the way from East India Way (opposite the bottom of Canning Road) to Blackhorse Tram Stop. It's a pleasant ten minute walk. Take a look!
EAST CROYDON
For news of East Croydon Station and the surrounding area, see E Croydon Gateway page.
CLYDE ROAD - ONE-WAY
A number of residents have expressed concern at the number of cars driving the wrong way down Clyde Road which is one-way. It could cause accidents.
We have raised this with the Council and the Addiscombe Safer Neighbourhood Team (i.e. our local bobbies on the beat). Sergeant Simon Cooke has spoken to a number of people in Clyde Road and there are mixed views on the reasons for this. Some think it is delivery people driving up and down to find a house, some think the signing is not clear. Through Johnny, a council officer attached to our Safer Neighbourhood Team, they have been on to the Council. Simon has been sent to pace the road with a view possibly to putting arrows on the road to show more clearly that it is one way.
We shall keep an eye on the situation.
CANNING ROAD - FOUL WATER FLOODING
Following a heavy downpour in July 2007, some of the basements in Canning Road were flooded with foul water. This was an exact repetition of flooding exactly 10 years previously. In 1997, Thames Water inspected the main sewer and found it blocked in one place by tree roots which they cut out. Initially in 2007 they refused to accept that tree roots might have grown back and the sewer should be investigated.
Thanks to our terrier like persistence and the intervention of our MP, Andrew Pelling, Thames Water did eventually survey the sewer and found that indeed the tree roots had grown back. We are delighted to say that the offending roots have been removed and Thames Water have even volunteered to monitor the situation. We shall of course hold them to this. A big thank you to Andrew for his support.
EAST INDIA CONSERVATION AREA
We are now scheduled to have our Area Assessment and Management Plan consultation in 2010. These will partly determine what we can and cannot do in our area. A certain amount will be determined by what usually happens in conservation areas but we are keen for our residents to express their views. We'll let you know once we know it's happening.
Briefly, here's what has happened so far with the four things that have most affected residents.
Windows - you do not need planning permission to change windows if you own a whole house. You do need it if you own a flat. Although the official line the council officers give is that you should replace wood with wood, in practice planning permission was granted in July this year to Hyde Housing to replace the flat windows at 184 Lower Addiscombe Road with double glazed white UPVC replacement windows. The main thing is to choose the same style as the originals.
Fences/Walls - you do not need planning permission for demolishing or building a fence or wall at the front up to 1 metre in height.
Trees - You need permission to fell or heavily prune a tree with a trunk with diameter more than 75 millimetres.
Satellite dishes - You need permission to put one up at the front and anywhere prominent on the building.
We published some more information in our June newsletter. If you have any queries about changes you would like to make to your house, walls or trees, contact Paul Robertshaw, Conservation Officer, on 020 8726 6000 (ext 62251) or email Paul.Robertshaw@croydon.gov.uk
ADDISCOMBE RAILWAY PARK
In case you haven't discovered this yet - Addiscombe Railway Park is a stretch of green along what used to be the Addiscombe railway line. It starts at the bottom of East India Way. Currently it runs to Dalmally Passage. The Council, however, have successfully bid for funding to open up the remaining section to Black Horse Bridge.
The latest state of play is the old coal stock yard at the back of Harris & Bailey is being made into a football kickabout area aimed at older children and teenagers. The new section of the park from Dalmally Passage up to Blackhorse Lane tram stop is on schedule for a March 2010 opening. It will be the same kind of landscaping as the existing section. There will be footpath links from the main path to Woodside infant and junior schools.
Volunteering: The BTCV (Conservation Volunteers) have carried out various volunteering works in the park and will be back to resume projects in February / March. Anyone wishing to volunteer please contact Dave Johnson, Community Project Officer tel: 0208 726 0974 or e mail d.johnson@btcv.org.uk
LESLIE ARMS
The owner of the Leslie Arms is appealing against
Croydon Council's refusal to grant planning permission to turn the ground
floor of the pub into flats. If this fails, he will look at uses for the
original pub building that do not require planning permission (restaurant
/ pub / office / retail). What he decides will depend on what is financially
viable. He is willing to listen to residents' views on how the site including
the back may be developed. He has engaged architects who among other things
are suggesting how the forecourt may be improved, possibly with trees.
OUR NEW CHAIRMAN! - May 2009
We are delighted that Gordon Thompson has been elected our new Chairman. Here are some words from him.
I am most honoured to have been elected
by my fellow residents as Chairman (yes, with due apologies to the politically
correct, I am not a piece of furniture). There is no way that I could
ever replace the irreplaceable Steve (or even Andor, who stepped in so
nobly at a difficult time) but I will do the best I can to serve all the
residents, to work constructively with our MP, GLA Member and Councillors,
to challenge where necessary the ‘visions’ and follies of politicians
and planners, and to keep this part of Croydon (and Croydon in general)
a place which people love and want to live in.
PHOTO COMPETITION
FOR CANNING & CLYDE ROAD RESIDENTS
An anonymous donor has given us £100
to be used for a photography competition for people who live in either
Canning or Clyde Road. People are invited to send in photos that have
been
taken in what is now the East India Conservation Area.
There will be two prizes in each age range: 11–16, 18+. The competition
is open to amateurs only. Photos are to be taken within the East India
Conservation Area only. People can choose
whatever subjects they like. The donor suggested the following to kick-start
ideas: personalities, ethnicity / cultural, landscape / nature, historical,
buildings.
If you would like to submit a photo, please let Anne have a print (around
6”x4” or 5”x4” depending on the format of your camera)
by the end of November. The competition will be judged by a local professional
photographer and the results announced in our Christmas newsletter. The
mystery donor also expressed the wish that we should mount an exhibition
of photos submitted to the competition; we shall look into this.
THE BIG SQUEEZE - OVERCROWDING
ON TRAMS
Some of our residents have commented
on the overcrowding of trams during peak hours. Trams are now the responsibility
of Transport for London so we raised this with our GLA Member,
Steve O’Connell, who asked our views on campaigning for more trams.
We discussed this suggestion at our AGM and have made the following observations
to our GLAM. We have requested an improved tram service. We realise there
is no simple solution to
achieve this. How it is best achieved we feel is best left to the service
providers to investigate rather than just requesting more trams. We are
aware that improvements to the tram service
may involve a combination of measures. We would ask Transport for London
to investigate carefully the various possibilities and the knock-on effects
of each.
These are some of the ideas which have been suggested:
* Increasing the length of trams - although of course there would be major
implications in
having to change the length of all platforms;
* Increasing the frequency of trams - what effect would this have on other
road users eg longer
waiting times at junctions?
* Adjusting the signalling - again, what effect would this have on other
road users?
We would not want improvements to the tram service to be at the expense
of bus services which are largely good.
We acknowledge that demand for various types of transport often increases
to fill available capacity.
If you have any further comments, do please let us, Steve O’Connell
and our three Councillors, Andrew Price, Maria Garcia and Russell Jackson
know.
EAST CROYDON GATEWAY SITE (to left of station)
Gateway site (by East Croydon Station
on the other side of the tracks)
The owners and developers of the land, Stanhope Schroders, say they remain
very committed to Croydon and are working positively with Croydon Council.
They already have planning
permission for a development that was delayed by the Public Inquiry into
the unsuccessful Arena project. This included offices, retail, housing,
a new Warehouse Theatre and public park.
The economic climate has changed drastically. Stanhope, however, want
to proceed in a flexible manner that adapts to the market. Whereas before
they could have built offices speculatively, now they need to secure a
tenant before raising finance for building an office. They plan to secure
a tenant for their main office building fronting George Street but to
achieve this it will probably be 2/3 the size of the original.
For housing, they are in discussions
with Homes & Communities Agency (HCA) to see if they can bring forward
a residential block which would be 100% rented. If Stanhope can go ahead
with the office block, they would need to relocate the Warehouse Theatre.
They are in discussions with the Warehouse to see if it would be under
a residential block, as originally planned, or a freestanding building.
For the open space area, Stanhope would undertake some temporary treatment
so the area is clean and well managed. In order to attract a tenant, the
rents will have to be competitive so there will not initially be finance
for full-scale landscaping.
In the current very uncertain economic climate, Stanhope will have to
be very flexible to react to any occupier interest and adapt existing
plans accordingly.
CHERRY ORCHARD ROAD (to right of station)
Developer, Menta, have submitted a planning application to build four blocks (two of 27 storeys, one of 37 and one of 51 storeys). Please see special Cherry Orchard Road newsletter for more information. We sought residents' views on whether or not they would like us to make any comment on the application and, if so, whether for or against. As a result of views expressed, we have lodged an objection to the planning application. Click here to view the objection. As at June 2009 we are still waiting to hear the outcome of the application.
ARENA GATEWAY PROJECT NOT GOING AHEAD
Arrowcroft, the developer wishing to build a 12,500 seat arena by East Croydon Station have not challenged the decision of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government not to grant permission to build the arena.
Stanhope Schroders own the land and have planning permission from the Secretary of State for their own development including a park and new home for the Warehouse Theatre. They are in the strange position of having permission without having first liaised with Croydon Council who previously refused to engage with them. Stanhope Schroders hope to spend the next few months building a relationship with Croydon Council to arrive at a scheme that is acceptable all round. We shall continue to monitor potential developments.
ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE EAST CROYDON GATEWAY COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDER
On Thursday 7 August 2008 we learnt that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has not allowed Croydon Council to compulsory purchase the land by East Croydon Station in order to facilitate the Arrowcroft proposed development including a 12,500 seat arena. We heard last week that she had not granted Arrowcroft planning permission. Arrowcroft have until the middle of September to decide whether or not to appeal to the High Court.
ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE EAST CROYDON GATEWAY ARENA PLANNING APPLICATION
On Thursday 31 July 2008 we learnt that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, had accepted the Planning Inspector's recommendation not to grant planning permission for Arrowcroft's planning application to build a mixed development including a 12,500 seat arena on the land beside East Croydon Station and Dingwall Road.
Arrowcroft have six weeks in which to launch an appeal in the High Court.
See our E Croydon Gateway page for more information.
STEVE'S TREE
It was great to see so many residents and family at the planting of Steve's tree. Steve's family expressed their thanks to residents and to Andor and Andrew for their kind words. We were also very pleased to that Andrew Pelling, our MP, was able to attend and lay on some earth along with family and residents.
For those who haven't seen it yet, Steve's 'wonderful
tree', as he once called one of these, is an Indian Bean Tree. It is the
one with large purple/brown leaves on the triangle of green on the Addiscombe
Road between the top of Canning and Clyde Roads in front of the professors'
cottages. Next time you pass by, do give him a quick wave!
EAST INDIA CONSERVATION AREA
As of 26 March 2008, our two roads became part of the East India Conservation Area. This comprises the land (formerly Addiscombe Place) that was owned by the East India Company for training their cadets (see History of Addiscombe page). It includes Canning, Clyde, Elgin, Havelock, Outram, Ashburton Roads and Mulberry Lane.
We shall be looking in more detail at what being in a conservation area means at a later date. In the meantime, useful information can be found at English Heritage website for very basic information and the Communities and Local Government website for much more detailed information.
Croydon Council have a statutory obligation to consult with residents over the management of conservation areas. When we have a date for this, we will be involving our residents so you can have your say on how you would like your area preserved.
'Flip Flop and Fly'
Steve Collins (1947 - 2007)
'Once met, never forgotten' was typical of the many things people said about Steve when they heard he had died on 7 November. Steve was a real one-off in the nicest possible way. Whatever he did, he followed his instincts and pursued what he believed to be right with energy, enthusiasm and determination. He was also kind and gentle. Steve had had cancer for four years and right to the end maintained his courage and sense of humour.
Steve had three great interests in life: his local area (Addiscombe), rockets and music.
He founded the Canning & Clyde Road Residents
Association in 1979. A lot of Steve's work was connected with developments
in the area, whether to support or oppose. Steve always had his ear to
the ground and could effectively represent people's views. He expected
the same of politicians! When he felt politicians were not doing this,
he stood as an independent candidate in two local elections to drive home
the point that residents' views should come above party politics. Steve
energetically compiled and part wrote the two 'Books of Addiscombe' motivating
over 150 contributors in all.
Even more than that, Steve built a great sense of community in an area
with a very mixed population of long-term and short-term residents. It
was his innate friendliness and acceptance of all kinds of people, whoever
they were, that forged a real sense of belonging in an area that could
so easily be anonymous suburbia.
Those who attended Steve's firework parties will be well aware that he never lost his boyhood love of rockets. Already inventive, enthusiastic and proactive as a ten year old, he built one in his parents' back garden using various bits and pieces from his father's shed including fuel, retired to the coal bunker with a friend and launched it. Unfortunately it made a large hole in the lawn and blew out the neighbours' windows. The neighbours were very nice about it. A crowning moment in Steve's life was launching a military satellite at Cape Kennedy Space Center. Apparently this was not strictly legal but Steve as ever charmed his way.
Steve loved music, all kinds of music but especially blues. For many years he held big music parties at his house showcasing new local bands that he wanted to help promote. These parties became legendary. As was Steve's way, everyone was welcome to come and have fun. He would often don a short skirt (he had the legs for it) and bouffon wig for the occasion, his resonant voice being the only thing that made him initially recognisable - but then he had the personality to carry it off. He was a fan of Croydon's Big Beer Band. Steve was delighted to discover the blues music at Croydon's best pub, the Oval Tavern in Oval Road; once found, we hardly missed a Sunday while Steve was well. Steve being Steve largely planned his own funeral. 'For music as people are coming in we'll do "Up Above my Head" by Sister Rosetta Tharpe. For dispersing it will be Big Joe Turner "Flip Flop and Fly". Apparently the cremation fee includes an organist whether you want one or not but I can't think of anything I'd wish him to play.' One of Steve's brothers, Jeff, created a firework-like display of flowers complete with two real firework rockets to go on top of the coffin. There were both laughter and tears as this all descended, Tracy Island style, to the Thunderbirds theme tune, also Steve's choice. Some said they half expected the rockets to go off!
Steve's instructions also included 'I wish to be cremated
at Beckenham Crematorium ideally of a Thursday early afternoon. The event
is to be followed later that day by a rather good wake at the Oval Tavern,
Croydon. Of a Thursday evening they'll have live music afterwards.' Well,
this is precisely what happened. Graeme and his ever excellent bar staff
did us proud. We had a fantastic, fun party that Steve would have loved.
In fact - some of us sort of thought he was there enjoying it in his own
enthusiastic way. 'Flip, flop and fly - Don't care if I die!'
CROYDON CENTRE AREA ACTION PLAN
Update November 2007
As a statutory requirement,Croydon is obliged to make a plan for the future of the centre of Croydon. You may have read something in the local press recently about the World renowned architect, Will Alsop, who was hired by the Council to obtain ideas from the complete cross section of Croydon residents. Two of your committee members attended his intial presentation in January. Steve participated in one of the workshops and along with others was invited to draw how he thought Croydon should look!
Mr Alsop recently announced his ideas.
Mr Alsop's main ideas are reducing Wellesley Road from eight to two lanes,
redeveloping the Whitgift Centre, uncovering the Wandle River which for
many years has been culvetted underground, building a 30 storey eco tower
with series of plants on each floor, joining up different parts of central
Croydon with green walkways, building a lot of high rise housing to meet
the Government's housing targets for Croydon.
August 2007
UPDATE ON FLOOD (as at 5 August 2007)
Croydon Council
Croydon Coundil's Street Scene Team Manager (North) advised us that visual inspections of the gullies in Canning Road were undertaken; the Council's findings and intended actions are listed below. They were spotted clearing out some drains in the road earlier this week but they still do not look that clear to us. We shall see.
Canning Road
o/s 50 : collapsed lid and blocked gulley pot
o/s 57 : surface grille partially obscured with debris but pot clear
o/s 44 : gulley pot half fullo/s + opp Tierney Court : clear
o/s 7 : surface grille partially obscured with debris but pot clear
o/s 12 : clearo/s Cheyne Court : surface grille partially obscured with debris but pot clear
o/s 18 : clearo/s 23 : clear
o/s 29 : surface grille partially obscured with debris but pot clearo/s Neville Court : blocked
§ Veolia have been instructed to get the gulley tops cleared by their road sweepers in the first instance.
§ Veolia have also been requested to empty the gullies in both roads that are half or fully blocked with silt.
§ An order has been raised to have the collapsed gulley lid replaced in due course by our highway engineers.
Thames Water
We are pursuing matters with Thames Water to urge them to undertake a visual inspection of the Canning Road main sewer. Ten years ago it was blocked with tree roots.
Thames Water's comment in 1 August 2007 edition of the Croydon Guardian was simply that the drains have been in place for 150 years and were never built to cope with levels of rainwater that high - so of course they could not cope. What a plonker pull! Are they telling us that it's not rained that hard in the past 150 years? Twaddle!
July 2007
A MIGHTY FLOOD
Flood water coming up through a toilet in Canning Road
The flash storm at midday on Friday 20 July caused significant foul water flooding of basements in both Canning and Clyde Road. We are sorry if you were one of the people affected.
This is an exact repeat of a similar event precisely 10 years ago. At that time, after-the-event investigations for Canning Road revealed that the road drains hadn't been cleared for years and were blocked. In addition the main sewer in the road was over 80% blocked by tree root growth. Thames Water removed the roots and promised it would never happen again.
Well it has. Basically the sewers backed up because of lack of capacity. Our Councillors have promised swift action. They have asked the Street Scene Team to investigate the drainage system. They are trying to organise for us a special rubbish collection of flood spoilt household furnishings. For the time being we suggest you might like to put flood damaged items in your garden until your insurer says you can dispose of them.
OUR OPINIONS EXCLUDED
Anyone who saw the Croydon Expo model in the Whitgift Centre - this is all the new prospective development for central Croydon - should be tickled to know that along with several other residents associations we were specifically disbarred from taking part in the market research commissioned by Arrowcroft, the developer of the proposed arena. We have pursued this and questioned the validity of any results.
Our thanks to our MP, Andrew Pelling, for drawing this to our attention.
January 2007
NEW INITIATIVE FOR IMPROVING THE DEVELOPMENT OF CENTRAL CROYDON
Your committee stalwarts steeled themselves to attend a presentation by Will Alsop on 10 January 2007 to 'announce the beginning of a process of community engagement and visioning as part of the Croydon Metropolitan Centre Action Plan'. We thought this would be the usual bullship twaddle but the rather charismatic Will - who does have an excellent national and international reputation as an architect and planner - led us to the opinion that this was our opportunity to wipe the slate clean and think afresh about how we would like to see the centre of Croydon develop.
And he seriously meant wipe it clean and don't be impeded by what's there now. We are going to attend the first hands on with crayons (!) Will workshop on 31 January. Our councillor, Andrew Price, is attempting to arrange another workshop for the Addiscombe area.
December 2006
EAST CROYDON GATEWAY
We and four other residents associations representing over 4,300 households along with The Croydon Society got together to express our concerns about unclear aspects of the proposed arena site. Click here to see our letter and the reply from the Leader of Croydon Council.
As at 23 December 2006, we have still not heard a peep about the promised transport plan. We will continue to pursue this.
November 2006
CROYDON TRAMLINK PROPOSED EXTENSION TO CRYSTAL PALACE
Ken Livingstone's Transport for London (TfL) seem to have money burning a hole in their pocket. They think trams are a good idea and have been looking for anywhere to which they can extend the existing system. And it's going to be Crystal Palace - probably because it involves the least risk.
As far as we are aware, passenger need has not been established nor has any in depth route study been undertaken. Astonishingly it also appears that the London Borough of Croydon has not been involved in any discussions either. Under the Freedom of Information Act details were requested of meetings between the Council and Transport for London on this matter; the Council responded that there were none.
That implies that there has been no traffic impact study on how an extra six trams per hour will affect our area - in particular the Chepstow Road / Addiscombe Road junction. It is already difficult enough waiting for the lights at Clyde Road but this will be exacerbated by these extra trams. Heaven knows what it will mean for traffic on the Chepstow Road itself. Remember, trams have priority.
From 19 October until 18 December, Transport for London (TfL) will be asking people for their views on three potential route options for the proposed Croydon Tramlink extension to Crystal Palace.
Local residents within 1km of the route options will receive a consultation brochure with a feedback questionnaire and there will be exhibitions in the Crystal Palace area, staffed by members of the project team.
Anyone who wishes to take part in the consultation
can also reply online at www.tfl.gov.uk/croydontrams or by calling freephone
0800 234 6697.
For more information and to express your view, see the TfL website.
TREE PLANTING
Addiscombe Railway Park Phase 1
Tues 21, Weds 22 &Thurs 23 November
Meet the BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) on site each day between 10am and 4pm. Access to the site is either from Dalmally Passage or East India Way.
Please wear working clothes and stout footwear preferably Wellingtons. Bring your own packed lunch.
October 2006
PUBLIC MEETING - Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams
25th October 2006
SIR PHILIP GAME CENTRE
This open invitation came from the Metropolitan Police.
Residents of Addiscombe Ward were invited to a public meeting at the SIR PHILIP GAME CENTRE, Addiscombe.
The purpose of the meeting was to explain the concept of Safer Neighbourhood Teams and the purpose of Ward Panels which are made up from local residents.
It is the Ward Panel which determines the priorities for the local police team to tackle.
There was a good turnout. See the Safer Neighbourhoods website for more information on what these are.
September 2006
Residents Associations United
Five local residents associations and The Croydon Society have united to challenge the Council. See East Croydon Gateway page.
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If you don't already have a free addiscombe.net email address and would like one, email contact.us@addiscombe.net.
August 2006
Walkabout
Left to right: Trevor Philips (Environmental Services), Mike Fisher (Croydon Council Leader), Addiscombe Community Police Officer, Community Warden, Andor (from Canning Road)
The new Leader of Croydon Council, Mike Fisher, has taken it upon himself to visit all of the Croydon wards. On 21 August (2006) he walked about Addiscombe. It was really our opportunity to point out to the 'Man in Charge' those things that he could in his position fix.
In our patch we pointed out: the continuing deteriorating state of Clyde Hall; the need for some sort of safe crossing across the Lower Addiscombe Road close to Tesco Express; the inadequate bus/tram signing at the top of Canning Road; further afield the appalling derelict state of the Leslie Arms pub building; and the somewhat squalid state of the Lower Addiscombe Road from the Leslie Arms and Windmill Bridge.
The walkabout finished at the Warehouse Theatre where Addiscombe residents association representatives had a further opportunity to ask questions of the Leader. Most of the questions were about developments in Central Croydon, like the Park Place retail development, the future of Allders, the Fairfield Halls and of course what is going to happen at the East Croydon Gateway site and why is the Council still persisting with its preferred (when few of us want it) 12,500 seat arena scheme?
We will see how much of this turns into any action. Watch this page.
We took this opportunity to thank Trevor Phillips for quickly removing the fly tipping in The Narrows. His team really does respond within 24 hours. It's just a pity that the tipping happens in the first place.
Linear Park's New Name
New park East India Way end with 'informal play area'
New park Dalmally Passage end with NLA Tower in background
Yes, the 'linear park' has now been named.
We put forward all the suggestions made by our residents: Marshall’s
Farm / Williams Way, Railway Cuttings, Delderfield Common, Something connected
to East India, Motorman Smith Way, Woodside Walk, Woodside Parkway, Chatham
Line Lane, Addiscombe Railway Park, Something connected with the spice
trade (Cinnamon Park, Gallion Spice Park, Nutmeg Park, Spice Islands Park).
The name chosen by the Council is Addiscombe Railway Park.
On the evening of 22 August 2006 we along with representatives from other residents associations were invited for a tour of the new park. The overall opinion was one of disappointment. The new security fencing for neighbouring homes seems inadequate; the promised children's playground is not going to materialise; at the Dalmally Passage end the safety problem for people walking along the passage not being able to see round a corner has still not been sorted and the Council appears reluctant to do anything about any of this. There are no immediate plans to do anything with the other part of the promised park that runs between Dalmally Passage and Black Horse Road. We have no firm opening date for the existing section. There seems to be some confusion between different parts of the Council as to whether it will be open 24 hours a day or just during daylight hours.
When it opens, the new Addiscombe Railway Park will enable an off road walk between the rear of East India Way and Dalmally Passage. It consists of a dry path surrounded by natural vegetation. At the East India Way there is a slightly wide area that the Council has designated for informal play.
July 2006
Thank you!
Many thanks to the many people who braved the sweltering heat to attend our barbecue on Sunday (16 July)!
Special thanks to Linda Bailey for her excellent raffle fundraising and lashings of her social summer punch, social because people were amazingly relaxed after a couple of glasses. Thanks too to everyone who helped out on the barbecue.
The raffle, book sale and contributions raised almost £100 for asssocation funds. Thank you.
Badgers spotted in our roads
June 2006
Name that Park!
Work to complete the new linear park continues. The
park will run along the old Addiscombe railway track bed from the rear
of East India Way to Black Horse Lane and then Woodside.
The Council asked us to suggest suitable names for this new park. Many
thanks to everyone who suggested a name; we have submitted all suggestions
to the Council:
1. Marshall’s Farm / Williams Way
The site of the park cuts across - what in 1783 – was Marshall’s Farm.
The 300 acre farm consisted of scattered fields throughout Addiscombe and Woodside, extending from south of the Addiscombe Road to the north of Woodside Green.
He kept meticulous records of the varying soil conditions, field by field, and generously published his findings some 5 years later for the benefit of farmers everywhere.
His detailed maps, charts and tables are a wonderfully early record of Addiscombe.
2. Railway Cuttings - Tony Hancock shot scenes from The Rebel in Addiscombe
3. Delderfield Common - after the novelist who lived in Addiscombe and set his Dreaming Suburbs etc in a place based on Addiscombe
4. Something connected to East India
5. Motorman Smith Way - Motorman Smith was a railwayman based at Addiscombe Station who, in around 1957, was awarded for his bravery in saving a little girl who had slipped at the side of a train
6. Woodside Walk
7. Woodside Parkway
8. Chatham Line Lane - the South Eastern and Chatham Railway operated out of Addiscombe Station
9. Something connected with the spice trade: Cinnamon Park, Gallion Spice Park, Nutmeg Park, Spice Islands Park.
March 2006
Update from our MPand
Greater London Assembly Member
As you may be aware, Andrew Pelling is our MP and
Greater London Assembly (GLA) Member. Up to May he will remain a Croydon
Councillor (not for our own ward).
At our invitation he came to visit our five-person committee in
January and we put to him questions that some of our residents had raised:
Q. How much is the GLA costing the tax payer? How many staff are employed
and how much do quangos cost the tax payer?
A. In 2005 the whole GLA family had a budget of £10 billion. The
Mayor of London only needs one third of the Greater London
Assembly Members to vote with him on the budget to get it through.
In 2006 GLA buildings and staff will cost £848 million. When the
GLA started, there were 230 members of staff. Today there are 723 members
of staff in the strategic headquarters of the GLA
functional bodies. Across GLA organisations there are 150 press
officers.
Q. What will be the burden of the Olympics on London given the
track record of recent construction projects?
A. Mayor of London wants to put an additional £20 on Band D
Council Tax per year for ten years. The Government has agreed he can extend
this by two years if needed. He aims to raise
£625 million in total from London Council Tax payers. It is possible
the Government will turn to London tax payers to pay for Olympics if there
is a cost overrun.
As for construction works, the Government voted down London tax payer
being burdened with cost of any overrun.
Q. Transport for London - (a) Bob Kylie. How much has he been paid in
salary and golden handshake? No real improvement
in public transport - merely massaging of statistics.
A. Bob Kiley was one year into his second contract. (At the time of our
meeting compensation to him had not been finalised but turned out to be
£745,000. It does not, however, end there. He stays on as a consultant
to the Mayor in his Belgravia flat and will receive £113, 425 in
benefits - source BBC website).
Q(b). Why have fares gone up again but with no practical
improvement in services?
A. Transport for London have a pricing model but will not show
Andrew, an MP and GLA Member. Bus fares are set to increase over a number
of years at 10% above inflation. Tube fares at 1% above inflation.
Q(c). Why is Oyster not usable on railway network?
A. There is mistrust between the railway companies and Transport for London.
Q(d). Fare dodging. Why should others pay?
A. £28 million is being spent on a revenue protection team in 2006.
Q. Policing - why do we keep paying but nothing happens? Danger of vigilante
action. Need for zero tolerance of various forms of antisocial behaviour.
A. Police service costs £606 million a year from Council Tax bill,
72% of tax bill. When the GLA was set up, the Metropolitan Police
made it very clear they would not beheld accountable by the GLA.
Monitoring body is the Greater London Police Authority, half of
whose members are appointed (i.e. not elected by the public).
Q. What is the news on the East Croydon Gateway site?
A. Andrew, through the GLA, has seen the contract between
Arrowcroft and Croydon but it was so heavily censored as to be
meaningless. In effect the Council will not show even our MP and
GLA Member a copy.
Other points we raised
John Prescott's and Ken Livingstone's wrongly perceived need for excessive
housing density - such developments encourage short term tenants and lead
to eroding of community.
Individuals undertaking antisocial developments to increase value
of property at neighbours’ expense.
Contact Andrew: House of Commons,
London SW1A 0AA Tel: 020 7219 8472
E-mail: pellinga@parliament.uk
The New Park - Addiscombe
Entrance East India Way
Dalmally Passage looking through to Morland Road
The Park from Dalmally Passage looking towards East India Way entrance
In 2001, planning permission was granted to Bellway
Homes for the demolition of Addiscombe Station and the development of
the East India Way housing estate.
As part of the planning permission deal, Bellway would donate to
Croydon Council the old railway track area between the rear of the station
and Black Horse Road with a mind to the Council using the land as a public
linear park. In addition, Bellway gave the Council a sum of money for
security fencing the new park area and for the park’s ongoing maintenance.
We were told that work on the new park would commence as soon as the Bellway
development was complete (2002). In fact serious work only started this
January with the demolition of the old railway bridge and removal of the
embankment at Dalmally
Passage. Boundary security fencing is apparently just starting with planting
(native trees and shrubs) and a footpath still to come. The first phase
of the park is due to open this summer (2006) and will run between the
rear of East India Way and Dalmally Passage. We are not aware of any schedule
for the remainder of the park between Dalmally and Black Horse. Compared
to council promises of four years ago, strikes us that this is very little
very late.
.