NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRES

Assessment 2014/2015

Date: 11 May 2015

CONTENTS

SECTION 1: Introduction

SECTION 2: Assessments

SECTION 1: Introduction

1. AIMS OF THE DOCUMENT Local Centres are; Broad Green, Brighton Road ( Road), Brighton Road The purpose of this document is to: ( Road), , Pollard’s Hill, Sanderstead, Shirley and Pond. (a) Provide a robust evidence base document upon These centres typically serve a localised catchment often which to formulate policy; mostly accessible by walking and cycling and may comprise a (b) Provide evidence to support decision-making on local parade and small clusters of shops, mostly for planning applications convenience goods and other services. This may include a (c) Make publicly available, information which resulted in small supermarket (less than 2,000m2), sub-post office, the designation of Neighbourhood Centres and to pharmacy, launderette and other useful local services. provide evidence why other areas have not been Together with District Centres they play a key role in designated addressing areas deficient in local retail and other services.

There are no further tiers which sit below Local Centres and 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION concern has been raised about whether the Local Plan Town Centre hierarchy is offering the opportunity for clusters of The Unitary Development Plan (2006) set out the uses, in particular community uses to emerge or be supported hierarchy of centres in Table 12.1 and are updated in by current planning policy. SP3.6 of the Local Plan: Strategic Policies (2013) to conform with the Plan Town Centre Current planning policy protects community facilities but does Hierarchy. not go so far as to actively promote community facilities in appropriate locations. Policy SP5 of the Croydon Local Plan: District Centres are: Strategic Policies sets out the current position regarding the , , Crystal Palace, , provision of community facilities and the approach taken to , Purley, Selsdon, and Thornton assess applications for this type of development. Heath. These are distributed more widely than the metropolitan centres, providing convenience goods and 3. METHODOLOGY FOR NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE services for more local communities and accessible by DESIGNATION public transport, walking and cycling. Typically they contain 10,000 – 50,000m2 of retail floorspace. Some This assessment is focused around the Local centre/ parade District Centres have developed specialist shopping level of the hierarchy and goes beyond recognising them functions. solely for their retail function but for the wider role they play in supporting the local community.  the level of vacancies in the cluster and surrounding areas to accommodate potential growth; A planning policy review of CLP1 Partial Review and  whether or not there was a landmark/war memorial in identification of Neighbourhood Centres on the Places Plans the area has been undertaken. Care has been taken to promote  whether or not there was a church, school, community particular use classes so as to ensure that unintended consequences of inappropriate major Town Centre centre or pub in the area; uses/operators locating in these locations do not arise. A  the number of community facilities in the area (as maximum floorspace is also included to ensire development in defined in CLP 1); and these locations is appropriate.  accessibility to open space.

4. REVIEW PROCESS 5. DEVELOPING POLICY

A desktop search has been carried out which identified areas or clusters of ten units or more. This was so that areas of Where four or more of the criteria have been met, these areas critical mass, or that comprised of different uses in one area are designated a Neighbourhood Area. Consideration has could be defined. 42 clustres were identified. been taken with regards to the designation of areas which have extant centres nearby, and the threats Neighbourhood Ward Councillors have been invited to submit areas they Centres could evoke should they be situated close by. believe could be designated as Neighbourhood Centres and all of these have been assessed. A Neighbourhood Centre/ Urban Village will be designated A comprehensive survey has been carried out which involved where appropriate; assessing the clusters and the surrounding areas with regards  where there are four or more different community to the level of community facility provision that these areas facilities present, and currently provide, or could potentially provide in future.  where its designation would not threaten the vitality or

A total of 17 areas have been identified that meet the criteria vibrancy of Local/District Centres in the surrounding in order for them to be designated Neighbourhood Areas. A area. selection of criteria were used in order to ascertain the suitability of designating these areas which included; The development of community facilities will be  They would demonstrably improve the vitality and supported in Neighbourhood Centres where; vibrancy of the centre; or  They would enhance the centre’s ability to serve a  Where a unit has been vacant for a significant period of local need; time and there is no reasonable prospect for it to be  They would improve the vitality and vibrancy of the brought back into its previous use as well as lack of centre; demand for service or community use before other  Where a unit has been vacant for a significant uses are proposed period of time and there is no reasonable prospect  They would not exceed 500sqm so as to protect the for it to be brought back into its previous use; and amenity of the surrounding area and to ensure that the  They would not exceed 500sqm so as to protect the development would serve a local need. amenity of the surrounding area and to ensure that the development would serve a local need.

In considering proposals within Neighbourhood Centres, the Council will seek to safeguard existing A1 retail uses and the provision of a minimum range of essential local facilities including a post office, chemist, doctor and dentist. Change of use in any such facility will be opposed if it would result in the loss without replacement of a valued local service, or its loss would place the surrounding area more than 400 metres from the nearest alternative.

Within defined district/ local centres as set out in the policies map, community facilities will be supported where:  They would improve the centre’s ability to serve a local need

SECTION 2: Assessments

No of Open criteria Title Place Address PTAL current character recommendation Detailed information Space Open Space (name) met Comments designate as Green Lane/ Northwood suburban shopping Neighbourhood Sports Ground off Road Norbury CR7 8BB 1 area Centre TRUE Couthy Road 8

Grange Park Officer identified. Girl Guides; Fire Brigade; Air Training designate as Marlpit Lane/ Corp; Has a number of different uses and at a distance and Old Neighbourhood Marlpit Lane/ Placehouse Lane/ Bradmore Way/ from other centres. Has a good number of community Coulsdon 2 Centre Canon's Hill TRUE Tollers Lane 8 facilities too. Range of uses; Leisure centre, health centre, medical Portland Road designate as centre, care home, schools, vacant units for potential (Watcombe Rd - South Norwood Neighbourhood use as a community use, Social club, cultural club and Woodside Ave) and Woodside SE25 4XB 4 urban shopping area Centre Enmore Road/ Howard Road FALSE 8 public house. Croydon Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Centre (Mayday NHS) Religious Education Resource Sydenham Centre and Education Welfare Road/Dagnell Service Park/ designate as Selhurst Children's Centre Recreation Grounds Covers a relatively large area buts seems coherent and Broad Green and New Road suburban shopping Neighbourhood Trintiy House (supported assoc. with Boys logical to designate especially considering distance to Selhurst Road Selhurst SE25 5QF 3 area Centre housing) TRUE School 8 local/district centres designate as Doesn't have a large presence of community facilities suburban shopping Neighbourhood Shirley Avenue/ Shirley but does provide a service and has some level of Shirley Road Shirley CR0 8SS 3 area Centre Road/Eldon Avenue TRUE Recreation Ground 8 community provision. designate as South Norwood suburban shopping Neighbourhood and Woodside SE25 5HQ 3 area Centre TRUE Woodside Green 8 Has a good mix of uses designate as Appears as its own area - serving a local need with a Neighbourhood number of surrounding community uses (schools Fieldway Addington 3 Local shopping area Centre CR0 9DX FALSE 7 mainly).

designate as suburban shopping Neighbourhood Shrublands Spring Park/ Bridle Road Shirley 2 area Centre CR0 8NG TRUE Spring Park Wood 7 designate as Purley South / Brighton suburban shopping Neighbourhood Cautious in designating this area as a Neighbourhood Road/ Downlands Road Purley CR8 4DB 4 area Centre FALSE 6 Centre. It is close to Purley District Centre. This is an amalgamation of 2 postcodes, however the Forestdale Centre doesn't necessarily add any designate as community use to the area, vacancies within whic could Selsdon Park Road/ CR2 8JJ suburban shopping Neighbourhood provide some use. Thus, as an area it seems logical to Featherbed Lane Selsdon CR0 9AS 3 area Centre FALSE 6 combine the 2. Whilst it meets criteria, much of the area surveyed lies Beulah Road/ within a local cente. To deisignate as a neighbourhood Parchmore centre would likely impact on the local centre. Emergent Road/ Norbury policy is likely to encourage community uses within the Road/ Neath maintain current vicinity of local/district centres - appropriate in this Thornton Heath Thornton Heath Road 3 urban shopping area status FALSE 6 location CRO 6PQ CRO designate as LOWER ADDISCOMBE ROAD 6AA CRO 6BB Neighbourhood jctn with CHERRY ORCHARD Lower Addiscombe Road Addiscombe CRO 6BE 6 urban shopping area Centre ROAD FALSE 5

Seems logical to place the pointnear the junction of Brigstock Road / designate as Brigstock Road/Bansham Nutfield Road near the school and parade of shops. This Bensham Lane / Neighbourhood Lane/Boswell Road would also maintain the status of the designated centre Brigstock Road Thornton Heath Boswell Road 4 urban shopping area Centre CR7 7JD/ CR7 7HJ TRUE Trumble gardens 5 to the East. Coulsdon West / Meets criteria but to designate separate to the District Chipstead Valley Road/ Dispersed area and Centre may have adverse effects. Community uses Rickman Hill/ Portnalls small parade of maintain current encouraged in Local/District centres anyway through Road Coulsdon CR5 3BR 2 shops status FALSE 5 new policy. designate as At a distance to other centres. Has necessities to serve Kenley and Old Rural based village Neighbourhood local need and provision of community faciltiies with Kenley (Godstone Road) Coulsdon CR8 5AA 2 settlement Centre TRUE Grounds 5 school and cricket club Meets the criteria but seems illogical to designate this and the area south of this by the library where a more SE25 4UN coherent neighbourhood area can be achieved. This Manor could also be combined with SE25 4PQ, but for reasons Road/Coventry of proximity to SE25 4XB, it would seem rational to only Road/Addison designate one area. Quite close to district centre so a South Norwood Road/ Doyle maintain current Playground - John neighbourhood centre in this location could detract from South Norwood Hill and Woodside Road 5 status TRUE Street 5 that. Includes Fire Station Has a good provision of open space with Ashbuton Park and the facilties within that. Could potentially be linked Park and to the community facilities on Spring Lane but tram line designate as Lower Addiscombe Road/ Bowling Green/ severs the connection. Concerns regarding this suburban shopping Neighbourhood Spring Lane/ Longhurst Road/ Tennis Courts/ designation as to the threat to the Local Centre to the Addiscombe 3 area Centre Stroud Green Way TRUE Playground 4 west (Addiscombe Road).

Lacey Green Coulsdon East - Coulsdon John Fisher RFC Road/Waddington Kenley and Old maintain current 12th Caterham Doesn't provide much function and would likely look to Avenue/Lacey Drive Coulsdon CR5 1EN 1 Rural Shopping Area status TRUE Scout Group 4 Old Coulsdon to provide facilites.

urban shopping join with other ALSO CLOSE TO CROYDON METROPOLITAN COLLEGE, area;#suburban proposal and scREAM STUDIOS AND VACANT OFFICES (2-4 Southend/ Parker Road CRO 1BF 5 shopping area designate as one NC ST PETERS CHURCH FALSE 4 SOUTHEND) join with other SOUTHEND W/ PARKER proposal and ROAD South Croydon CRO 1DP 6 urban shopping area designate as one NC FALSE 4 designate as Neighbourhood ABBEY ROAD CRO 4LH urban shopping area Centre TRUE 4 Due to the area to the south being designated - designation of this area would result in a linear Kenley/ Lower Road/ maintain current development of the area. Main focus appears to be Godstone Road Purley CR8 5JE 2 Rural Shopping area status FALSE 4 around the Station. Church Road/ Spa Close/ designate as Crystal Palace and Beulah Hill Neighbourhood Adjacent to Beulah South Norwood Hill SE25 6DP 3 Centre TRUE Heights 4 Union road Tier 2 Employment area close to CMC. Due to the employment area and proximity to CMC the Whitehorse rd jctn with Broad Green and Whitehorse rd maintain current Whitehorse rd jctn with area does not lend itself easily to its designation as a Windmill road Selhurst Windmill road 4 urban shopping area status Windmill road TRUE Boulogne Park 4 Neighbourhood area Disjointed - Area idenitified by Cllr Mann and comprises Christians in Bingham Road/ Parkview residential/ some maintain current Action on parview/Bingham Road. Extensive survey of Road/ Shirley Road Addiscombe 2 shops status FALSE 3 the area (to Shirley Road) only identifies a further 2 uses. Very close to the CMC. Does not meet critieria with Brighton Road/ Newark maintain current Bluebird Care; Brighton Road Baptist Church, and Busy Road/ Crunden Road South Croydon CR2 6EG 3 urban shopping area status FALSE 3 Bees Nursery.

Area is largely residential with a parade of shops which includes a pharmacy and dental practice. There are no extant community facilities, but closeby there is Lang Lane Bywood Avenue/ suburban shopping maintain current Wood and Ashburton Playing Brookside Way Shirley 1 area status Fields. TRUE Long Lane Wood 3 Broad Green and maintain current close to WANDLE PARK this area borders CMC and designation would impact on West croydon Selhurst CRO 2RE 6 urban shopping area status Stubbsw Mead/Recycling Depot TRUE Wandle Park 3 CMC

Duppas Hill maintain current Waddon Hotel/Pub Duppas Hill Waddon CRO 4NG 4 urban shopping area status close to Waddon station TRUE Duppas Hill 3 Could be combined with SE25 4UN but would detract from the other Neighbourhood Centre further south Portland Road/Addison South Norwood maintain current (SE25 XB) which is better in terms of its integrity as a Road/Crowther Road and Woodside SE25 4PQ 5 urban shopping area status FALSE 3 Neighbourhood Centre

Whilst it has some community uses there isn't much scope for further provision and its location is too far Mainly residential away from Woodside Green itself in order to be part of South Norwood with some other maintain current that Neighbourhood Area. It is separated by the tram Spring Lane and Woodside 3 uses status Woodside Green FALSE 3 line from Ashburton Park and so is caught in the middle. LONDON ROAD / Broad Green and maintain current KIDDERMINSTER ROAD Selhurst CR0 2RF 6 status Christchurch, Sumner Road FALSE 3 would have a negative impact on nearby centre

Recreation Ground In terms of criteria, it fails - no vacancies, no tram stop or suburban shopping maintain current Shirley Road/ Shirley off Primrose landmark or place of worship. There is no community Shirley Road Shirley CR0 5SS 6 area status Avenue/Valley Walk TRUE Lane/Shirley Road 2 centre nearby nor is there a pub.

COOMBE ROAD/ CRO 1BE maintain current COOMBE ROAD EDRIDGE RD Croydon 6 urban shopping area status EDRIDGE RD FALSE 2 CLOSE TO CMC Whitehorse Lane/Thirsk Loses the neighbourhood feel very quickly and despite Road/Ladbrooke disconnected from being relatively close to , it doesn't Whitehorse Road/Thirsk Road but close to district maintain current contribute to the area as a neighbourhood centre. Road Thornton Heath SE25 6RD 4 centres status FALSE 2 Also very close to district centre. Wickham Road/Oak suburban shopping maintain current There are other uses (Bethlem Royal Hospital and All Avenue Shirley 2 area status CR0 8EB FALSE 2 Saints church) but they are dispersed Retail park adjacent to inc. Fiveways jctn and postcodes Retail Park including large north of Morrisions on Fiveways jctn FIVEWAYS JUNCTION Fiveways CRO maintain current Further north is Retail Park inc. (NORTH) Waddon 4NZ 4 urban shopping area status Mac donalds and Pets at Home FALSE 1 Portland Road (Upper) Aspley Road/Holland South Norwood maintain current Road and Woodside SE25 4PP 4 status FALSE 1

Retail park adjacent to Purley way south of Fiveways CRO 4NZ

Wing Yip and Halfords located here maintain current Retail park adjacent to Purley PURLEY WAY Waddon 3 urban shopping area status way south of Fiveways FALSE 1 Not appropiate for designation