Croydon Labour: | Launch of Campaign to Stop Tory Plans to build 10,000 in Central Croydon and Addiscombe

Launch of Campaign to Stop Tory Plans to build 10,000 homes in Central Croydon and Addiscombe

Addiscombe Labour Party launch campaign to save Addiscombe from overdevelopment due to new Tory local planning policies.

13th April 2010.

Dear Addiscombe Resident

With less than 4 weeks to go to May 6th 2010 you have a choice on election day to support or oppose a Tory Council which wants to build 10,000 homes in Central Croydon, whilst opposing new build in the leafy South of Croydon.

Addiscombe residents have opposed these new proposals and even the new local Tory candidate has called the proposed planning policies as "barmy" see http://bit.ly/coDbV9

Croydon Council is still working with Menta and other property speculators on a new "masterplan for East Croydon" which will not be revealed to the public until after the election, when the chance to influence the Council with be minimal. Remember the local Conservatives took 2 years to oppose Menta's application for 52 storey Skyscrapers and only did so after the Addiscombe Labour Party distributed a leaflet to 7,000 homes and held a public meeting. Or that Council Leader Councillor Mike Fisher welcomed Menta's skyscraper proposals. And to show that Menta and Tory Croydon Council are still working together guess which company was one of Croydon's sponsors when CEDC spent over £150k of your money going to Cannes this spring to the MIPIM conference, yes Menta. see http://www.croydonatmipim.com/

We are very concerned that the new planning policies of the Croydon Conservatives will allow greater intensification of new build in Addiscombe and Central Croydon. Although the current UDP, unitary development plan, agreed by the previous Labour administration, had it flaws, it was still used by Croydon Council officer to successfully oppose Menta's plans. The new planning proposals make it very clear that intensification of new residential buildings will be the norm for Central Croydon, and that the whole of Addiscombe is under threat. The Addiscombe Labour Party opposes the Tory plans to restrict new build homes to Central and North Croydon and argues that all of Croydon should take its fair share, to relieve pressure on Addiscombe. Addiscombe Labour also believes that all-luxury flats scehmes like Menta's skyscrapers are socially divisive and we call more affordable housing to buy and rent to be included in all proposals.

The Addiscombe Labour Party is keen to see Cherry Orchard Road and East Croydon Station redeveloped, as the current area has been blighted by the failed Menta bid. Cherry Orchard Gardens, former council homes which were sold to Menta by Croydon Council has sat empty whilst 1000's wait on Croydon Council housing lists for an affordable home to rent or buy. Mark Watson said "If you want to keep Addiscombe as low rise residential housing area then please consider the only party that has opposed Menta and Skyscrapers from the very start, the Addiscombe Labour Party."

Sean Fitzsimons
Patricia Hay-Justice
Mark Watson

Addiscombe Labour Party

twitter: @addiscombefirst

020 8819 5597

www.croydonlabour.org.uk/addiscombe