THE RIDDLESDOWN R E C O R D E R A half-yearly publication of the Riddlesdown Residents’ Association No. 189 October 2009 Members of the Purley Riddlesdown Townswomen’s Guild INSIDE: Farmland for sale z Mitchley Woods z Commuter parking z Planning applications z Police matters Croydon’s core strategy z Common knowledge PLUS: William Pitt and his taxes z Fun day pictures Danger underground z Jam not Jerusalem ...and more 1 RIDDLESDOWN RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION THE COMMITTEE Vice-President: Mrs H.Kiernan Brian Longman Bernard Munn Chairman Treasurer 8657 8374 8657 0535 [email protected] [email protected] Phil Thomas Karen Whitehead Planning Secretary 8668 3815 8668 8677 [email protected] John Rapp Nick Bygrave Membership, Road Stewards Editor, Riddlesdown Recorder; and Transport Website Administrator 8660 0787 8660 9531 [email protected] Janice Kedwards Bill Whitmarsh Social 8660 2178 8668 2011 Frankie Wheeler Fred Wallis 8660 3886 8668 7837 [email protected] Mavis Wilder Monica Pugh 8668 3579 8660 6008 [email protected] Derek Gutteridge 8660 2584 Cover photograph: Members of the Purley Riddlesdown Townswomen’s Guild. From left to right: Joan Winter, Elizabeth March, Kay Williams, Marjorie Quested, Norma Peck, Elsie Piller, Doreen Gear, Anne Moore, Jean Mackenzie, Margaret Frankland, Brenda Chapman, Freda Frost, Pat Gilbert. See ‘Jam Not Jerusalem’ on Page 35 EDITOR’S NOTES CONTENTS John Jeffrey-Cooke’s article on William Pitt Page and his taxes may appear to have little to do News and Committee Reports 4 with Riddlesdown in the 21st century but taxes are still with us and, at least to me, an admirer of Pitt the Younger since school, the subject is Common knowledge 15 very interesting. Also, there is a distant connection with the area – Pitt lived at a house near Keston, and the oak tree where A resident writes... Wilberforce resolved to abolish the slave trade 17 is near there. More to the point, John’s article represents another successful endeavour to get residents, William Pitt and his taxes 19 both present and former, to write about what interests them. I am sure there are many more of you with knowledge of any number of Fun Day pictures 22 different things that the Riddlesdown Recorder would benefit from. Please help me to keep these pages full by writing articles for them. Early Recollections Part 2 26 It is an innovation to feature on the cover of the Riddlesdown Recorder a photograph of people – in this case, members of the Purley Danger underground 29 Riddlesdown Townswomen’s Guild. It is a change from the usual views of the area and one worth repeating. Riddlesdown Collegiate report 33 So if there are any other local groups whose members would like to be cover-ladies, - gentlemen, -girls or -boys, please get in touch. St.Edmund’s Caring Group 34 I might ask you write an article about your group to accompany the photograph. As usual, it seems premature to mention Jam not Jerusalem 35 Christmas at this time of year but the Committee sends to all residents its best wishes for the season and for 2010. Community pages 39 Nick Bygrave You may write to Riddlesdown Residents’ Association at any of the following: 66 Westfield Avenue, Sanderstead, CR2 9JU 43 Westfield Avenue, Sanderstead, CR2 9JZ 37 Buttermere Gardens, Purley, CR8 1EJ 44 Riddlesdown Avenue, Purley, CR8 1JJ Please mark your letter with the committee member’s name, if applicable. You can also use the Website Message Board’s open or private email facilities. RRA Notice Boards are situated by Riddlesdown Pharmacy, by the Church Hall and by Saban’s Newsagents. We also use the boards on St. Edmund’s Green and in the station waiting room. Website: www.riddlesdownresidents.org.uk. Email: [email protected] 3 NEWS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS Welcome to the October edition of the almost as we were going to print, the Riddlesdown Recorder. land mentioned in the first article It is with a sense of relief I have to below came up for sale. This could be report that the last six months have a significant event, hence ‘we held the been reasonably quiet in Riddlesdown. front page’ to give our current view of However, as you can read below, one what is happening. item, Mitchley Woods, continues to Brian Longman, Chairman RRA dominate Association business. And, FOR SALE: MITCHLEY AVENUE AND MITCHLEY HILL LAND The Association has learnt that Taylor to an uplift provision whereby 25% of any Wimpey (formerly Laings) have put their uplift in the value of the site, arising from substantial land holding of 73 acres in the granting of planning permission for Riddlesdown up for sale. Currently, the any non-agricultural uses, will be payable majority of this land, around 50 acres, is to the vendor. This uplift provision will farmland, which is let to a local farmer. apply for a period of 80 years and will One plot is the 26-acre field off Mitchley hopefully deter any potential speculators Hill/Rectory Park and the other plot is the who might be hoping for a quick profit. 24-acre field off Mitchley Avenue, With this news breaking only days There are three smaller plots, including before printing the Recorder, we cannot at the unmade section of Dunmail Drive and this stage report more details. However we land off it, ranging from two to 12 acres, are opening discussions with other and another plot on the west side of interested parties, including local Honister Heights, of 4.7 acres. Taylor councillors, Croydon Council, Corporation Wimpey are looking for a price in excess of London, Riddlesdown School, and local of £535,000 for all the plots. They are land leaseholders, to consider the options. prepared to sell them as a whole, or My final thought would be that, if one alternatively as six lots. The only good of the largest house builders in the UK is news is that all the land is within the selling the land, there is little chance of it Metropolitan Green Belt and the farmland being developed for housing in the is classified as Grade 3 agricultural land immediate future. We shall report any according to the MAFF (the former further developments via our web site and agriculture ministry – now DEFRA) notice boards. Brian Longman classifications. We also understand that the freehold of the farmland is subject to a Farm Business Tenancy until 2013. The sale is also subject MITCHLEY WOODS In the last edition of the Recorder, I made a bid for the plot. Unfortunately, mentioned that a four-acre plot of while our bid was above what was woodland had recently come back on the considered a reasonable price for the land, market and, while still over-priced, was it was rejected. Shortly after this the land beginning to approach a more sensible was once again removed from the market. valuation. We are currently investigating if the plot The Association took advice on current has been sold to a new owner. woodland valuations and subsequently With the field adjacent to Mitchley Hill 4 now divided into 32 small plots and sold served on the front field. This is to individual owners, and Mitchley Woods particularly useful in safeguarding the also divided and owned by various owners, visual amenity of a green belt site by the question of who owns what is removing any entitlement to undertake complex. development that would ordinarily not The Association, conscious of the need require planning permission. to fully understand the situation, took the We are hopeful that knowing the details decision to commission a small low cost of all the land owners will help us in our land survey of the area. This is to ensure efforts to ensure the fences around the we are fully aware of all the land field remain secure and in good condition. ownership details, including any We have already approached Croydon for relationships the plots might have with their help footpaths and rights of way. in this. Having said this, it is worth pointing out Since our formation in 1937, the that all the land remains firmly in the Association has on many occasions, green belt and as such is protected from needed to defend the open and pleasant certain types of development. aspect of Riddlesdown and with your help In addition, a tree preservation order we will continue to do so. (TPO) has been issued on the whole of Brian Longman Mitchley Woods and an Article 4 has been ‘IMAGINE CROYDON’ CROYDON’S NEW CORE STRATEGY Croydon Council is currently reviewing its associated with climate change planning requirements for the next 20 and growth. years. The strategy is intended to ensure The Council is currently looking to the that there are enough homes, shops, jobs, public for any comments on the schools, health, and leisure and recreation document. Copies can be obtained from facilities, but also outlines how the Council www.croydon.gov.uk/corestrategy or by intends to protect the environment. About telephoning 020 8407 1385. All comments one-third of Croydon’s area is Green Belt should be made to the Council before the or Metropolitan Open Land and with end of September 2009. This may be just many areas, like Mitchley Woods, of high after you receive this copy of the Recorder visual quality, it is essential that your views but it doesn’t matter if you miss this are considered as part deadline. The report sets out Croydon’s of this process. initial thinking and is intended to get the The consultation document called debate going.