The construction of 199 new homes and new NHS facilities has been approved by Croydon Council. The location on Dingwall Road, which previously housed a Job Centre, is positioned near the East Croydon railway station area, which has seen much development in recent years.
The development, led by Bellway Homes, will feature 20 affordable housing units as well as 19 three-bedroom family homes. The development will also house a dedicated children’s play area, green spaces, three disabled car parking spaces and cycling.
Hoardings depicting the luxury developments surrounding the vacant site following the demolition of the Job Centre building in 2019. Previous plans for the site had run into obstacles regarding viability and deliverability due to changing market conditions and the need to increase the height of the building to 28 storeys.
The initial plans for the site were to stand the building at 24 storeys. While some in the planning meeting on the site, held in January 2024, felt the revised height of 28 storeys was too tall, officers reassured them that this height would not look out of place among the skyscrapers of East Croydon.
Despite many councillors supporting the need for new housing in one of Croydon’s fastest-growing areas, the new development only proposes 20 affordable single-bedroom units out of the 199 homes in total. This figure represents 9 per cent of properties and falls far short of Croydon’s target of having 50 per cent affordable housing provision in new large developments.
Councillors expressed frustration with the lack of an affordable housing offering during a planning meeting in January of this year, where the current plans were initially approved. Labour councillor Ellily Ponnuthurai said: “Most of the housing need we come across is for family and children, so when the nine per cent of housing is made up of one-bedroom flats it just doesn’t seem justifiable to me.”
Green Councillor Ria Patel highlighted how many residents in her own Fairfield ward, where this development is housed, cannot afford to live in the new buildings dominating East Croydon. She said: “Many of the flats in the tower blocks currently in the Fairfield ward are empty because people in the local area can’t afford to live in the homes that are being built there.”
Conversely, Conservative Councillor Ian Parker of Coulsdon disagreed, saying: “It’s largely market housing, which I think we should welcome. We have approved a number of schemes in the centre of Croydon which have been built to rent, I think we should welcome a mix of housing tenure in Croydon and this contributes to that.”
Other councillors raised issues with regard to the lack of sunlight available to all residents when built, as well as the contribution it will make to the wind tunnel effect, which residents say is already considerable around East Croydon.
The current application was first submitted back in May 2021. However, the council has collaborated closely with the developer to resolve these issues and has now approved an updated scheme.
The NHS facility and accompanying ambulance bay were offered by the developer in the revised application and were a key reason why it was eventually approved by the planning committee. The council hopes that it will provide essential healthcare services to the area where ‘very significant growth’ is expected.
The council hopes that this new development will help to improve accessibility around the East Croydon area. The plans will also safeguard land for potential tram expansion, and the improved cycle infrastructure is expected to encourage active travel around the area.
The plans only offer three parking bays, two of which will be for blue badge holders. The council and developers have said that the nearby NCP car park will have to be used by the majority of car-using residents.
Once complete, the development will sit alongside a number of the other high-rise office and residential buildings that hug the area around East Croydon. It is also in close proximity to the Ruskin Square area, which currently houses an office used by HM Revenue and Customs as well as home office employees who have moved from the nearby Lunar and Apollo house.
A start date for construction on the Dingwall Road site will follow in due course.
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon“The regeneration of Croydon is a priority for me in making Croydon cleaner, safer and healthier, so I’m delighted this vacant brownfield site will be transformed.
“The scheme will see the delivery of 199 homes, helping to meet the housing needs of our borough.”
Jamie MacArthur, Regional Planning Director for Bellway London, said: “This new development in Dingwall Road will transform a vacant site into a high-quality residential scheme, delivering a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, alongside communal gardens and play space, a residents’ lounge and a residents’ gym.
“This new building will enhance the streetscape in what is an incredibly well-connected part of Croydon, just a few minutes’ walk from East Croydon station, and will also provide space for a new NHS facility to benefit both new and existing residents in the area. Now planning permission has been secured, we are looking forward to seeing this high-profile scheme progress to the next stages of delivery.”
