‘A kick in the teeth’: Council reject planning application for seven affordable homes

A council has been accused of breaking a pledge to increase affordable housing in the borough, after rejecting a planning application for seven homes at social rent.

Croydon council had encouraged the Crystal Palace Community Land Trust (CLT) to put together a community building project for seven affordable homes on a small infill site on The Lawns, just south of Beulah Hill, as part of a project which began in 2018.

The council’s planning department had been sitting on the application for more than a year, before rejecting it on September 2.

The Trust, made up of volunteers dedicated to providing affordable housing in the borough, has said it attends to appeal the decision.

The CLT team said: “Our board has put thousands of hours into setting up the Community Land Trust, making sure it is well governed and financially managed. 

“We have had countless meetings with Croydon’s elected mayor, cabinet members, ward councillors and council officers, and London’s deputy mayor for housing. 

“We’re so proud of how the community has come together to try and build homes for people priced out of the area. We don’t want this effort to be wasted, so we intend to appeal.”

A spokeswoman for Croydon council said the local authority “must ensure” developments are well-designed and protect the character of the areas neighbourhoods.

She said: “The planning service has advised CLT on their application design and is committed to working with the applicants on a revised design, should they submit a new application.”

This comes after Croydon council pledged to increase affordable housing in the borough at a full council meeting in April 2024.

At a council meeting last week, Liberal Democrat councillor Claire Bonham challenged the Conservative-led council on its decision.

She said: “This is deeply disappointing news. SE19 is one of the most unaffordable parts of the borough so this housing was desperately needed – it’s such a kick in the teeth to the many volunteers from the CLT who have spent hundreds of hours of their own time on this. 

“I urge the Mayor and Deputy Mayor to meet with the Trust, support the application and doing everything they can to get this vital community project over the line.”

A council spokeswoman said: “While demand far outstrips supply in Croydon we remain committed to increasing affordable housing across the borough. 

“We have significantly improved management of our housing stock and are getting empty homes back into use more quickly. We continue to work closely with our housing association partners and the Greater London Authority (GLA) to increase the supply of new affordable and social housing and we are directly acquiring and building affordable housing.”

Pictured top: Cllr Claire Bonham outside The Lawns (Picture: Cllr Claire Bonham)