Croydon

One of the highlights of a relaunched nature trail in Coulsdon is a star-studded line-up of narrators which also boasts a 64-page full colour booklet.

Joanna Lumley, Benjamin Zephaniah, Noddy Holder, Martin Jarvis, Miriam Margolyes, Gyles Brandreth, Tony Robinson and Richard O’Brien are just some of the celebrities who have volunteered their time to narrate sections of the trail which can be accessed by smartphones using QR codes on 29 marker posts.

Actor Martin Jarvis knows the area well having grown up in South Norwood then South Croydon. He said, “Doing the narration stirred up so many nice memories of my childhood. We used to go on rambles around the Downs but I wasn’t at all educated about it as this trail will help teach everybody. I’ve done two separate narrations and one about a particular pond is my favourite because it reminds me of a character I later became associated with – William in the Just William stories who is very keen on ponds.”

The relaunched trail and booklet were organised by the Friends of Farthing Downs and Happy Valley and made possible by a grant from the City of London Corporation and the energy and enthusiasm of Croydon Council’s countryside warden, Dominic North, who spent his spare time contacting celebrities, editing the material, then adding suitable soundscapes as backdrops to their voices.

He said, “Originally I was going to narrate the whole thing but when I put my voice on tape I thought people would get bored! So I came up with the plan to contact well-known people and I must have written to 150 of them including personal heroes like Bob Dylan! I’ve ended up with one celebrity each doing a couple of posts and I have to say I don’t know of another nature trail quite like this where so many famous people have been involved.”

As well as enjoying the distinguished voices, visitors to the trail will also be able to use the QR codes to access a library of information relating to that particular location.

“This is fantastic work from Dominic and the Friends group and I can’t wait to hear this host of A-listers guide me through Happy Valley and Farthing Downs while browsing through the beautiful-looking booklet. Walking the whole trail takes about three hours so it’s also an excellent way to encourage people to get active and explore some of our great outdoors.

“The whole project is a fine example of cross-partnership working between Croydon, the City of London Corporation and the Friends and I hope these imaginative resources bring a whole new audience to our treasured area”

Councillor Oliver Lewis, cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport

Roughly half of the marker posts can be found in Happy Valley (owned by Croydon Council) and half in Farthing Downs (owned by the City of London Corporation). These areas, together with adjacent open spaces at Coulsdon Common, Kenley and Riddlesdown, form part of a newly designated South London Downs National Nature Reserve – only the third National Nature Reserve in London.

Graham Lomas, chair of the Friends of Farthing Downs and Happy Valley said, “I hope these initiatives will encourage more people to visit these much-loved, historic open spaces. What Dominic has achieved in his audio-trail is not just delightful but groundbreaking and we also plan to add translations so visitors will be able to hear everything the celebrities have said in their own language.

“My other hope is that more schoolchildren and college students will now engage with the Downs and Happy Valley and I would love to see schools in the area that are studying biology use the material that we’ve provided.”

The audio-trail is now live and you can access it through the link http://goo.gl/GAeAZk which also features a text version of the trail.

All content belongs to croydon.gov.uk

We do not claim any content to be our own.

Croydon’s Director of Public Health, Rachel Flowers said: “As of today, London is now on the national Covid-19 watch list. The number of cases in Croydon is increasing and last week I raised our area risk level from low to medium.

“We must remember that while for many Covid-19 is a mild illness for others, particularly our older and most vulnerable residents, it can be devastating. It is therefore crucial that everyone in Croydon acts now to protect themselves, their friends and family and wider community.

“This means always following the public health advice to prevent the spread of infection:

• Hands, face, space – keep washing your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds, wear a face covering in enclosed spaces and always keep a 2m distance from others outside your household.
• Always follow the rule of six – you must not meet in groups larger than six with some limited exceptions. Visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus for the latest government guidance.
• If you have any of the Covid-19 symptoms – a new continuous cough; a high fever; a loss of taste or smell – you MUST self-isolate and get tested. You should only be leaving your home to get a test. Find out more about symptoms and book a test online at www.nhs.gov.uk/coronavirus or call 119.

If we all play our part, together we can help to keep Croydon safe.”

All content belongs to croydon.gov.uk

We do not claim any content to be our own.

The next phase of the borough’s Streetspace scheme launches on 28 September four more Croydon streets will become safer, greener, quieter, and more cycle-friendly.

Croydon Council will use planters and signs to transform four more streets into places to walk, cycle and exercise while maintaining car access for their residents.

The scheme, which the council developed using suggestions from local residents, aims to reduce the number of cars cutting between Mitcham Road and London Road, and covers Derby Road, Handcroft Road, Mead Place and Parsons Mead.

Broad Green’s new Low Traffic Neighbourhood is part of the council’s Streetspace programme, which is funded by Transport for London (TfL) and is a response to legislation from central government allowing local councils to put in place measures that encourage walking and cycling. The council’s latest Broad Green initiative, introduced under a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order, follows similar schemes and brings the borough total to 20.

Ahead of these changes, the council informed around 1,900 residents, businesses, community groups, local representatives and emergency services, and installed advance warning road signs. Exemptions will be in place for permit holders and emergency vehicles.

The changes for each of the affected new streets are:

• Derby Road will be closed to through traffic using planters at the junction with Parsons Mead. New double yellow lines will ensure parked vehicles do not obstruct turning vehicles.
• Mead Place: The current one-way direction will be reversed at the junction with Parsons Mead to limit traffic exiting onto London Road.
• Parsons Mead: At the junction with Gardeners Road, traffic will be restricted to those with permits and emergency vehicles, and this will be monitored through special ANPR cameras.
• Handcroft Road: Will be made one-way northbound, with vehicles exiting on London Road. This will prevent through traffic using Handcroft Road to bypass the London Road. There will be better access for cyclists through a new southbound cycle lane.

As with other Streetspace schemes, the council welcomes ongoing feedback and will take this into account when deciding whether the scheme should be made permanent, amended or removed. A formal consultation will be carried out on any proposals to make the scheme permanent.

Councillor Muhammad Ali, Croydon Council’s deputy cabinet lead for transport and the environment and also a Broad Green ward councillor, said: “Data from TfL has found that more than half a million daily Croydon car journeys could be taken on foot or by bicycle, so unlocking this potential could have massive benefits for our residents’ health. During Covid-19, helping families stay fit and healthy is more important now than ever.

“We recognise that not all trips can be made on a bicycle. If successful, this scheme would actually see a reduction in traffic, making it easier to drive in the area for those that need to, as people feel increasingly empowered to leave the car at home more often. In Derby Road alone there have been several collisions in recent years, so cutting through traffic will make these roads quieter and safer.”

For more information, visit the council website.

All content belongs to croydon.gov.uk

We do not claim any content to be our own.

Croydon Council is busy establishing more wildflower and bee and butterfly-friendly road verges and habitats across the borough.

Working alongside the London Wildlife Trust a number of sites have been targeted to improve the environment for wildlife and wildflowers as part of the council’s Bee Highways and Butterfly Corridors campaign. At the current time two chalk banks are being created in Milne Park and scrapes to expose chalk are taking place in Falconwood Meadow and Foxley Wood. Wildflowers grow well in chalk grassland. Bradmore Green was also recently re-seeded to create a wildflower area.

There are also plans for wildflower areas in Sanderstead Recreation Ground and Higher Drive Recreation Ground, while mowing regimes are changing across the borough to ensure more wildflowers grow on road verges and so encourage a greater number of birds, butterflies and wildlife.

Resident Judith Johnson, who lives in Ellenbridge Way, South Croydon is thrilled that a change in the mowing regime has resulted in orchids and other wildflowers being allowed to flower in the road verges close to her home.

She said, “The council maintains a one-metre edge to the wildflower area which shows the residents that what they are doing is deliberate but the rest is left to grow into a glorious meadow. We’ve had ox eye daisies and birds foot trefoil and lots of bees, birds and butterflies and it will be even better next year because every year the actual grass subsidies and the wildflowers take over. I applaud the council for just letting the grass grow and it has been a joy to behold.”

If any residents would like to nominate their road to be a ‘wildlife friendly road’ by changing the mowing regime of their road verge to encourage more wild flowers they can register their interest by emailing biodiversity@croydon.gov.uk Residents need to be able to commit to assist with the raking up of any cut grass and vegetation once or twice a year and seek the agreement from the majority of residents in their street.

“Following the success of the Street Champions we are asking what part you can play in taking pride in our area and help maintain the beautiful wildflower verges and habitats we are setting up across Croydon.

“We are already an incredibly green borough but we want to do more and the creation of wildflower areas is crucial to this vision. More wildflowers means greater biodiversity and a home for more bees, butterflies, insects and birds. We are already working hard in matters such as recycling and street cleaning but allowing nature to thrive is of paramount importance as we look to the future”

Councillor Stuart Collins, deputy leader – Clean Green Croydon

The focus of creating more wildflower meadows is also part of a two-year project, funded by the People’s Postcode Lottery and delivered in collaboration with the London Wildlife Trust, Butterfly Conservation and Natural History Museum called Brilliant Butterflies.

The aim is to create a ‘living landscape’ of chalk grassland in areas across Croydon and work with communities to create butterfly colonies in their local green spaces.

Catherine Cullen, project manager for the Brilliant Butterflies project said, “Croydon was chosen because of its amazing chalk grassland. It’s a rare habitat and 80% of it has been lost since 1945. So we’re working hard to conserve it and our project also involves work in four nature reserves in south Croydon. In certain conditions you can get up to 40 different species of wildflower in a square metre and that in turn supports lots of pollinating insects and butterflies. The more we endeavour with this project the more people in Croydon realise what incredible wildlife they have on their doorstep.”

All content belongs to croydon.gov.uk

We do not claim any content to be our own.

To meet its significant financial challenges and secure a sustainable future for the borough, Croydon Council is taking immediate action.

Cabinet members are set to consider a report on Monday asking officers to urgently develop Croydon’s renewal plan, which would be submitted to central government asking for its support.

Like many local authorities, Croydon Council has been badly affected by the financial consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and the increased costs and loss of income that has created. This is on top of a decade of funding decreases from central government.

The council has already taken significant steps to reduce its costs, but the scale of its financial challenge means further immediate action is required. Working with the government on a financial support package would allow Croydon to implement a plan over the next two to three years to transition the council into a more financially sustainable and resilient position.

The plan will set out changes to the whole organisation of the council, putting it on a stronger footing for the future. It will include phased and managed reductions in services to deliver significant savings over next three years and bridge its budget gap.

This will give the council time and space, amid the continuing difficult financial climate to make fundamental changes to the organisation, increase reserves and deliver a resilient and sustainable budget for the future.

The council is committed to working with residents, staff, local business and partners to help shape its future and determine what services are a priority for the borough.

“Croydon’s plan will set out how we are taking swift and decisive action to protect priority services for our residents. Our borough is facing significant financial challenges following its 24/7 response to the Covid-19 pandemic, on top of a decade of funding decreases. We need to change the way we do things now to ensure we can continue to deliver the services on which local people depend, particularly our most vulnerable residents.

“This is hugely important for Croydon and I am calling on everyone to work together to make this happen. We want our staff, residents and partners at the heart of this process and we will be listening to them throughout so that together we create a council that meets local needs in a way that is sustainable for the future.”

Councillor Tony Newman, leader of the council

If you want to help shape Croydon’s future, send your views to: croydonplan@croydon.gov.uk

All content belongs to croydon.gov.uk

We do not claim any content to be our own.

The first step in creating a plan for Thornton Heath to thrive as a place to live, work, and shop is for residents, businesses, and community groups to be urged to complete an online survey.

Over the coming months, Croydon Council will work with residents, businesses, local councillors, community groups and landowners to develop an improvement plan for the areas around the station, the high street and Brigstock Road.

The first step is an online survey that is now live and asks Thornton Heath residents, workers and visitors what improvements they would like to see for the area under any future regeneration.

The survey aims to draw out what people love most about Thornton Heath as well as how importantly people rate different priorities, including encouraging a variety of independent businesses; providing new homes local people can afford; creating a more welcoming and less polluted environment; boosting job opportunities; supporting local culture; improving accessibility for walkers and cyclists; upgrading open spaces; and protecting historic landmarks.

The survey will also ask for suggestions on how to improve the local area, and what people most like and dislike about specific areas and buildings in central Thornton Heath.

Run by council-appointed consultants CarverHaggard, the engagement will also include detailed conversations with community groups.

The survey is available on the Shaping Thornton Heath website. If you need to do the survey over the phone, or would like to request a paper version, email: thorntonheath@themeans.co.uk or phone 0203 488 6427.

The survey will be open for four weeks, after which the results will be analysed to identify key community priorities. These will help the council to identify immediate, medium-term and long-term initiatives to improve the area around Thornton Heath high street. Once this is completed, the Thornton Heath regeneration framework will inform the Local Plan review to help influence future local developments. This framework will also provide evidence to support potential community bids for external funding.

The masterplanning comes as part of an ongoing focus on improving the centre of Thornton Heath. This includes turning the concrete forecourt at Ambassador House opposite the train station into a green, healthy space for residents to enjoy.

“Thornton Heath is already an incredibly vibrant and popular place to live, but it has so much more potential that we want to tap into by getting local residents on board.

“We want to ensure Thornton Heath gets the right homes, facilities and environment in future to make Thornton Heath more attractive to everyone. If you have an idea, however small, it may become part of our blueprint that will influence and guide developers, retailers and other businesses looking to invest in your local area.”

Councillor Paul Scott, cabinet lead for planning and regeneration

All content belongs to croydon.gov.uk

We do not claim any content to be our own.

Thursday, September 10- a topping-out ceremony was held at a new 100% affordable block that will become council homes at council rents for 90 Croydon families when it is completed.

Next spring, local people on the borough’s housing waiting list will move into the new town centre apartments being built as part of the 513-home regeneration of the old Taberner House council offices and Queen’s Gardens being built by developer HUB.

The new council homes are part of the Queens Quarter development and are in one of four residential blocks ranging from 13-35 storeys being built on the site.

The overall development site will provide 513 homes, of which at least 51% will be affordable either at council rents, through shared ownership or with rents set at 80% of the market rate under the London Living Rent incentive launched by the Mayor of London. Once the development is completed, the 90 council homes will receive £100,000 per unit – or £9m in total – in funding from the Greater London Authority’s Building Council Homes for Londoners initiative.

The scheme will also include retail units, commercial space and major improvements to the gardens, including landscaping and a café.

Thursday’s ceremony saw councillors, officers and representatives from HUB and contractors take part in a topping-out ceremony to mark the outer structure being finished and visit a show flat at the council-owned block, which will be named Malcolm Wicks House after the late MP for Croydon North.

Upon completion in 2021, Legal & General will take ownership of the second block, a 35-storey building with 251 one, two and three-bedroom apartments for sale. This will also have a rooftop garden, communal facilities on the ground and first floors and a ground-floor commercial unit.

London and Quadrant will take the remaining two blocks with 84 and 88 units respectively as a mix of shared ownership and London Living Rent apartments.

“Providing more genuinely affordable housing for people in need is one of our top priorities, and this excellent development will achieve that by delivering great council homes at council rents for dozens of local families.

“With its upgrade to The Queen’s Gardens and new job creation opportunities, this regeneration scheme promises to be a real boost for Croydon residents and the town centre.”

Councillor Alison Butler, deputy leader and cabinet member for homes and Gateway services

Damien Sharkey, Managing Director of HUB, said: “We have worked closely with Henry Construction, Bridges Fund Management, and Croydon Council to design and deliver Queens Quarter, a hugely important development not just for its future residents, but for the people of Croydon.

“At HUB, we strongly believe that developers working hand-in-hand with local people produces the best results, and this development demonstrates this, with the delivery of high-quality, affordable homes, and outstanding public realm with the new Queen’s Gardens. We very much look forward to completing the project in 2021.”

The site was home to council headquarters Taberner House from 1967 until 2013, when employees moved into the adjacent Bernard Weatherill House and the site was earmarked for regeneration. Taberner House was demolished in 2015, planning permission was granted for the scheme in 2017, and work started a year later.

All content belongs to croydon.gov.uk

We do not claim any content to be our own.

Monday (September 14), a new interim chief executive has been appointed at Croydon Council. Following a cross-party appointments committee meeting, Katherine Kerswell will take up the role.

Katherine comes to Croydon having most recently been the interim chief executive at Nottingham City Council, where she helped develop a new in-year budget and managed the Covid-19 response. As well as having over 15 years’ experience as chief executive at several large local authorities, she was the first director general to have responsibility for civil service reform at the Cabinet Office.

“We welcome Katherine to Croydon and look forward to working with her in the coming months.

“Katherine brings a wealth of experience and a strong track record of delivering for local communities. She will provide clear and steady leadership to help us through our financial challenges and Covid-19 recovery, and help to set strong foundations to deliver our priorities for the future.

“Katherine will work with members, officers and partners on this very challenging phase for Croydon as we look to recover from the pandemic and manage the significant impact on our finances while supporting our communities and our most vulnerable residents.”

Councillor Tony Newman, leader of the council

Katherine Kerswell said: “I’m really pleased to have this opportunity to join Croydon Council as its interim chief executive. Like many local authorities across the country Croydon is facing unprecedented challenges; taking on significant extra responsibilities as part of the Covid-19 response while maintaining those essential public services on which so many depend.

“I look forward to working closely with Croydon’s members, staff, partners and residents as we meet these challenges head-on, making sure we continue to support our communities, while working to create a sustainable future for Croydon.”

All content belongs to croydon.gov.uk

We do not claim any content to be our own.