‘Underwhelming’ block of flats rejected by planners for not fitting with area

By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter

Planners at Croydon council have rejected a move to build a 12-storey block of flats for being too tall and ‘underwhelming’.

The 116 flats were planned on a site next to the Wing Yip Chinese supermarket in Purley Way.

The two hexagonal towers would have replaced furniture shop Natuzzi Italia and a branch of Halfords.

The council’s planning department refused the application last month after it received nearly 30 objections from members of the public.

It listed seven reasons for refusal, including flats not receiving enough sunlight and the development did not fit in with the area.

In a report, the block’s design was described as “underwhelming”.

It read: “Given the scale of the development, one potential source of justification would be for this to form a landmark building that would inform and form a design benchmark for the future development of Purley Way.

“However, the design is at present underwhelming, nor is it exceptional, such to justify such an approach and departure from current adopted policy.”

It said the height of the development would have a “detrimental effect on the townscape” and did not provide high quality public space.

But the managing director of applicant Stonegate Homes, Jack Simmons, said the scheme was of a “high quality’.

Mr Simmons said: “It is a crying shame that the officers didn’t seem minded to approve the application. It has been in the system for nearly two years, with a huge amount of resource put into the project.

“I was very surprised, it is a high-quality scheme which has been well thought through.”

Mr Simmons added that Stonegate Homes was now deciding whether it will resubmit plans or appeal the council’s decision.