3) Vice President Publishes 8th Book
8) Sutton And Cheam Design Awards
9) Addington Well Pumping Station Steam Engines
10) Natural Amenities Group Report
12) Cane Hill Redevelopment – A Threat to the Green Belt
14) Time To Be A Better Person
15) The London Forum – Agenda For The Mayor
20) What’s On
The Cover Drawing
This drawing
is from a note card originally drawn by Pete Bartle of Graveney
Art showing Park Hill Recreation Ground and local landmarks past
and present. This is very topical with our Society working on
a Cecily Mary Barker garden and with the future of Coombe Cliff
House now in question due to the Adult Education Service ‘possibly’
moving elsewhere. A proposal to give financial help from the
sale of Coombe Cliff to support this new development was greeted
by protests from members and the Chair of the Croydon Society.
There
is also a walk round Park Hill Park and Recreation ground on
April 1st, meet at East Croydon Station at 10.30am.
At
the beginning of the year…
Wildlife
Trust and also of the Croydon Association of Conservation Societies,
of
which we are members) was wanting people to take a form and record
the wild life in their gardens - now he wants the forms returned
to him so that he can add the information on to his data base.
In this way we can record and compare reductions, or increases
in species. Did you know, for instance that three deer
had been seen in the South of the Borough) and that terrapins seem to breeding in the lake on the South Norwood Country
Park? Did you also
know, that it is an offence to introduce wild life species of
any kind into a wild life pond or lake or open space, without
permission? Likewise it is an offence to take anything away!
Like wild flowers, trees, fish or birds.
Some
persons with the best of intentions put rapidly growing plants
or fish or animals into a larger pond in the open areas of Croydon.
Ponds are then choked by the rapidly growing greenery, leaving
no oxygen for the fish there. Likewise putting fish from your
pond into a larger wild life pond can cause all the fish to die
because of lack of oxygen. Ask advice from your local nursery!
If
you didn't take a form last year - try taking one this year.
Malcolm’s telephone number is 020 8684 4000. Most wanted
areas are North of the Borough, ie Broad Green, Thornton Heath,
Norbury, Upper Norwood, Selhurst.
The
Eclipse…
I
think one of the most moving experiences I had during 1999 was
when the eclipse occurred. I was at the Horniman's museum and
although we had been discussing the event nothing was laid on.
Then on the day someone brought in a TV so that we could see
what was happening worldwide. One of my colleagues got out some
slips of cardboard and proceeded to cut a small circle in the
middle and we focused the sun’s rays through this on to
the floor. This produced a circle. Outside the building people
were sauntering up the avenue to the open spot at the barn. As
the morning went on more and more people came rushing up the
avenue and we gradually amassed a small crowd, The sky gradually
became like twilight and the sun, through our cardboard cut out
spot became a crescent where its light hit the floor. On the
TV they had rain and no good viewing!
Came
the Millennium…
First
came an application to put an ice rink on the Queens Gardens
and a carousel and other entertainment. Then came the actual
thing and some lighting. Taberner House began to turn mauve and
green on some nights. I made up my mind that I was going to bed.
I had enjoyed the Christmas lights and taken people around the
centre. To bed I went. BUT then came a large noise waking me
up. I thought people were putting fireworks on the lawn by my
bedroom window, so I went outside to see. A beautiful world of
fireworks greeted me in a large circle reaching right up to the
crest of the Crystal Palace skyline were large fireworks of all
colours speeding up into the sky. I watched until 1.30am. Wonderful
Wonderland!
Congratulations
To
Jean Coates, Chair of Selden Residents Association who received
a Hero of London award this year. She has been much concerned
with a young boy called Daniel and the setting up of a register
and encouraging people to give blood so that Daniel could find
the right match for a bone marrow transplant. Besides doing this
she is very involved in the running of the Selden Residents Association.
She was chosen to represent Croydon. She rode in a bus with Daniel
in the London Parade.
The London
Parade
I
went to see the London Parade on January 1st and with
others joined the crowds amassing at the top of Whitehall. Streets
had all been swept when we arrived at 11.30am and a lorry load
of full rubbish sacks from the previous night’s revelry
was cruising slowly along the road. Barriers had been erected
and police in their yellow/white raincoats were amiably talking
and joking with the crowds now assembling for what has become
the Annual London Parade. Underneath Nelson’s Column was
a very large platform with people from the radio and Evening
Standard photographers with their cameras focused on to the crowds
milling in the road, jockeying for a good watching place.
The
performers for the parade had apparently been assembled since
10.30 am back near Lambeth Bridge to get into their position.
At various intervals we were receiving news on the address system
erected also on the platform at the foot of Nelson’s Column.
We
had a lovely view of all the bands, and groups – some marching,
some dancing, some riding in carriages, on penny farthing bicycles
and other ancient machines with pedals. The morris men; people
in all sorts of old cars; stilt walkers. Interspersed in all
this were flag waving groups from the United States all in beautiful
costumes twirling and marching to the music.
They
all turned left at Trafalgar Square and then went to the Mall
and so to Buckingham Palace. We all cheered and sang – naturally.
At 2.30pm it all ended. We walked back to Victoria Station remarking
on the rubbish dropped along the road. Why must people do this?
We had not brought any thing to drink, so had no cans or wrappers
to take home.
May
Johnson
Membership News
Welcome
to new members
The
Society is delighted to welcome Mrs Eileen Walking, Mrs Olive
Herbert and Steve Collins and the Canning & Clyde Roads Residents
Association into membership of the Society.
Deceased
We
regret to have to record the death of Miss Pat Hall. Pat was
at one time the Chair of the University of the Third Age, which
holds meetings at South Norwood CETS Centre. She also was the
Chair of a little history/reminiscing group held in Croydon College.
Public Open Day – March 18 2000
Talks
In
November we had a presentation by Andrew Beedham of Croydon Council’s
Urban Design Team and Alan Suttee of the Wandle Valley Mapping
project. Both are concerned to revitalise the river Wandle and
various other Boroughs up to Wands worth are combining and working
together to achieve this. Roundels of the sign of the Surrey
Iron Railway will be placed at various points and a children’s
group has been formed to be educated on the history and use of
the Wandle. Money is being raised by sponsorship by firms along
the route. A painting (and copies of it) which shows several
large fish which could once upon a time (a long time ago) be
caught in the Wandle are being sold. One has gone to Prince Charles
and David Bellamy who to supports the project. We may yet get
the Wandle back in a river in Croydon! We are considering purchasing
a Roundel to commemorate the Surrey Iron Railway – to be
placed on the bridge at Waddon Road.
Church
Townscape
Brian
Lancaster of the Croydon Natural History and Scientific Society
gave a talk with slides. There are a surprisingly great number
of churches in Croydon some used for a different purpose than
the worship they were intended for. All were used interestingly
presented. There are still a lot more. There is also a book on
this subject which we have on our bookstall – cost £4.50
(plus postage if sent).
Croydon
from above - 1870
to 1999
This
is a new book produced by John Gent and Tom Samson – cost
£6.75 (plus postage if sent).
For both of these books
telephone May Johnson on (020) 8654 6454
A
small exhibition is being held to celebrate the pleasures of
shopping in the small local shops in the Upper Norwood Triangle.
Paintings by Audrey Hammond will be on show in Upper Norwood
Public Library from March 4 to 31. Audrey Hammond will be at
the library on Saturdays, 10.30 – 4.30 with a table of cards
and prints for sale.
Wanted
· Another representative on the Natural Amenities Sub Committee. You will see in another part of this Focus that Hugh Byford has stood down from this committee. If you would like to come onto this committee please have a chat with Hugh to see what is involved.
·
We
need to update our pictures and graphics for a display to drag
us into this new century. We need a little group NOW so that
we can be working towards having something at our Annual General
Meeting, the Dinner and our bookstalls and events during the
year. Words and text can be prescribed but we need some design
and if we can get it – “flair”! We will settle
for less… Please Contact May Johnson.
·
We
need more people to look out for things happening in the Borough.
We are particularly short in the North. It just means that you
notice something that you don’t think is right happening.
Like one of our members noticing that where they teach is undergoing
consultation to move elsewhere and that the building might be
sold. As she thought it might be a listed building she alerted
us. Your name will not be revealed if you do not wish it.
·
Only
5 people have put their names down for the Millennium Dome visit.
We need more (see last edition of Focus) we could go in September?
Would you like to come? – ring May Johnson.
Warehouse Theatre
The
Warehouse has Weill & Lenya between 18 Feb
& 19 March, directed by Ken Russell is a sure one to
see followed by Paul Robeson Knew my Father by
Greg Cullen between 24 March and 16 April.
Vice
President Publishes 8th Book
Members will recall that I was involved
with various publication projects for the Croydon Society working
with a variety of agencies including the publication of the colour
illustrated History book, CRYSTAL PALACE - NORWOOD HEIGHTS,
with Audrey Hammond. For a copy of this book please telephone
Audrey Hammond on 020 8670 6239
Now living and working in East Sussex,
I have during the past two years been preparing for the publication
of a book titled A RURAL TAPESTRY, being a history
of the Rother Valley Area. In anticipation of moving to Sussex
during 1997 it was suggested that a history publication was made
to celebrate the Millennium by the parish of Ewhurst. The Parish
Council put up funds to cover costs and asked me to act as the
project leader. Approximately fifteen voluntary researchers/writers
undertook the task and developed the final book contents. I took
an active part in writing parts of the book, carrying out photography,
and designing it.
It is a fully colour illustrated publication
running to 176 pages and the range of history starts with geological
formation, having a direct influence on the agrarian nature of
the parish, and ends with a review of the unseen agenda affecting
rural life today. Humorously one writer ends the book with a
brief chapter on the future of rural life and its possibility
of becoming “disney – ised” at the expense of
traditional activities.
Associated with the book is a newly
commissioned local map at large scale for walking and historic
sites identification since the area is criss-crossed with many
newly identified walking routes. Also a set of colour historic
greetings cards has been published. Lady Longford of Hurst Green
who wrote the forward to the book launched the whole project
in late November. A copy of the book has been sent to the Chair
of the Croydon Society and may be borrowed by arrangement with
May.
It was the Croydon Society that originally
gave me the opportunity to venture into publishing following
the setting up of Graveney Art in the early eighties. The first
book was the History of Churches in Croydon, written
by Rev. Aled Davies.
Robin Redsull Vice President – Croydon Society
Croydon
Agenda 21 News
Fairtrade
Fortnight 6-19 March 2000
A national programme promoting five
actions you can take for a Fairer Future:
·
Display
the Fairtrade poster.
·
Buy
Fairtrade chocolate, coffee, cocoa, tea or honey as Easter or
Mother's Day gifts (Croydon's Guide to Green Living tells your
where you can find these available from Libraries or by telephoning
on 020 8760 5791).
·
Follow
the Fairtrade Pledge to buy a Fairtrade product every month.
·
Organise
a display, perhaps at your local library or place of worship.
·
Organise
an event or supermarket sampling stand 020 7405 5942 for
information and your poster, Display Pack or Action pack.
National Spring Clean: 1 - 30 April
2000
This is your opportunity to clean up
your area to ensure that you are doing your bit for the local
environment.
Contact
the Council's Recycling Unit for advice and help on organising
a litter pick in your area: 020 8760 5524. To join in with the
litter pick on South Norwood Country Park meet at 10.30am at
the Visitors Centre.
Our
Global Village
A community project to create a cross-cultural
programme of environmental and development education. Our Global
Village will explore and celebrate the environmental understanding
of different cultural traditions, for the benefit of the whole
community. It will hopefully involve demonstrations of sustainable
living and gardening, as well as artefacts from around the world
for educational purposes.
Contact: Peter Kempadoo 020 8771 2029.
Green
Guide II
Would you like to help to update and
refine this popular production? Make your mark on a 'green' Croydon!
Call the LA21 team, or write and say how you could contribute.
Have you had your copy yet? 020 8760 5768 Ext. 4935.
Building connections
Commonwork Pond Study and Survey 2000
Bore Place, near Edenbridge is offering study and survey workshop
weekends in April, May, and September. Study the habitat and
wildlife of the ponds at this exciting educational charity's
farm base, and contribute to a Year Book and public 'Artswork'
displayed at the site. It is also a chance to look around the
working dairy farm (due to become fully organic from April 2000).
Minimal costs and a real experience!
01732 740 264. E-mail: MargaretW@Commonwork.org
Scragoak-fresh
If you would like a weekly supply of
farm fresh organic fruit and/or vegetables, join this local box
scheme. Over 100 people have benefited from this link up with
Scragoak Farm in East Sussex. Originally participants paid up-front
for a 6-month supply, allowing them a say in what was grown,
people have wanted less commitment so now you can opt in &
out and order from week to week. Prices range from £5.50
to £9.50 a box.
Pick-up points in Purley and S Norwood.
Call Jeff Bolam on 020 8763 1001 for details.
Mitcham Common
When London expanded dramatically in the nineteenth century it
swallowed up towns and villages and a lot of open space. Farms
and ancient common land were rapidly built over with factories,
railways and houses for the rapidly growing population.
By the end of the nineteenth century the huge expanse of common
land between Beddington, Hackbridge and Mitcham had been greatly
reduced. There was a real danger that what was left would disappear
under a late Victorian urban sprawl. Fortunately, however, local
citizens successfully campaigned to save what was left of the
Common and in 1891 its ownership was granted by Parliament to
the Mitcham Common Board of Conservators who were constituted
as a statutory corporation in that year.
Armed with statutory powers the Board has maintained and defended
the Common for over 100 years. Mitcham Common is now one of the
most important open spaces in South London. It is made up of
460 acres of woodland, scrub, ponds and other wet land features.
It is a unique habitat for a wide range of flora and fauna which
includes some very rare plants and insects.
Under the management of the Conservators the Common now has six
full-time staff based at the Mill House Ecology Centre in Windmill
Road. The most recently appointed member of staff is an Education
Officer whose particular responsibility is the promotion of environmental
education within the community. The Ecology Centre is well equipped
for this purpose having been built as recently as 1995.It has
a large classroom/lecture facility with disabled access, a small
meeting room and a special resource room for research.
The Conservators and the Common staff are happy to welcome local
groups and schools who want to make field visits to the Common.
Anyone interested in doing so should contact:
The
Education Office
Mill
House Ecology Centre
Windmill
Road
Mitcham
Surrey
CR4 1HT Tel/Fax: 0208 646 5664
E-Mail:
millhouse.ecology@btinternet.com
Mitcham Common is very much a resource for Croydon and Croydon
people. The Common is bounded the Croydon Wards of Norbury, West
Thornton and Broad Green and it receives financial support from
Croydon Council.
Councillor Peter Spalding
- Chairman Mitcham Common Board Of
Conservators
My
Kind of Town
The following is apiece originally drafted for an architectural journal that has recently celebrated its 100th edition. Every month, an architect is invited to submit an end-page article under the above title. Predictably, most of them go for places as Sienna, Prague and so forth. A shorter version of the following was sent - not in any great expectation of its being published, but in response to the editor’s complaint that architects seemed to have no faith in cities of the future. Croydon is one of many towns that are hoping to be granted city status to mark the Millennium. I thought it would be nice to try to enhance its image a little.
Communities subsist in people, although
in perusing fashionable architectural magazines, you wouldn't
necessarily think so. My kind of town is first and foremost a
locality that embraces vibrant yet harmonious ethnic variety
(at my kids' primary school some 27 nationalities were represented),
and secondly it is a place that cares for its less fortunate.
(Some day I might find myself in that category!).
The town in which I am privileged to
live was among the first to introduce Neighbourhood Care schemes,
offering support for those who need help with shopping, transport,
gardening, letter-writing, form-filling, dog walking and respite
care. Since the 1970s over 10,000 homeless people have been given
shelter and new hope through the local Cold Weather Project;
tens of thousands have been trained for new work at an Employment
Resource Centre housed in a huge church Crypt. Nor do we care
only for our own; for the past three years a Refugee Day Centre
has offered free meals and many kinds of support for families
from Bosnia, Kosova and other areas of conflict.
Each of these schemes was pioneered by the town's churches - some eight score of them working in unity. As a late entry Anglican ordained, this pleases me, as does the fact that the outdated habit of churchgoing still attracts a higher-than-average proportion of the population (there may even be a connection somewhere along the line?) Incidentally, it's also a nice thought that just 450 years ago, the first Book of Common Prayer was compiled by the then Lord of the Manor, one Thomas Cranmer.
Over 600 people regularly and voluntarily
give their time and expertise in remedial teaching for the benefit
of slow learners and members of ethnic minority groups. In this
town, too, there's an active 'green' policy aimed at environmental
sustainability and the improvement of air quality, together with
increasing provision for walkers and cyclists.
I enjoy living alongside one of the
southeast's loveliest unspoilt natural parks. In 20 minutes,
by way of a 'Green path' laid down six centuries ago, I can reach
the town centre, with its shops, cinemas, theatres and concert
hall. (Alternatively, I can pop my shopping trolley, or if ever
need be, my zimmer or wheelchair, onto one of the stunning new
trams). In the opposite direction I am immediately in open countryside,
and connected to the south coast by a designated long distance
path, the Vanguard Way (to be walked in easy stages!).
Shopping is a delight, whether in the
pedestrianised tree-lined main street, with its buskers and outdoor
eating spots, or in the country's most ancient street market,
now replete with 'ethnic' foodstuffs in every conceivable variety.
Catering for a different kind of cultural need, there are over
100 groups and classes devoted to music, drama and the creative
arts. It comforts me in my old age that I am within easy reach
of one of the country's top teaching hospitals.
Although the town has its roots in
the first millennium, few artifacts survive from pre Victorian
times. Essentially one of your 'cities of the future', it has
constantly renewed itself through the centuries, being served
in turn by the first public railway, first public water supply
and first international airport. While now a part of Greater
London, its past identity as a Surrey market town is still reflected
in the postal designation of Croydon, Surrey.
From a distance, South London's 'little
Manhattan' proclaims itself by a cluster of 1960s tower blocks,
the sort of stuff my erstwhile architect colleagues and I were
quite proud of at the time (see any contemporary trade journal).
Already, these are beginning to be replaced, and there are encouraging
auguries. A few years ago, the Queen opened a new central garden.
There are adventurous plans for rejuvenating
the town centre. We are the latest metropolitan borough to have
a new arts centre and library, and it is the best of them all:
an elegant and efficient example of postmodernism skilfully grafted
onto the splendid Victorian town hall. There, I can use the net
to tap into all the world's universities (for free), and may
listen to a string quartet - or jazz - on a Sunday afternoon.
By train, I can reach Central London
('City of Cities’ but who actually wants to live there?)
in 15 minutes. In the opposite direction, Brighton (another favoured
choice, but also essentially a place to visit) lies within three
quarters of an hour's journey. And in between, Gatwick Airport,
my link with all those other places favoured by architects.
Croydon is not the sort of place you
would automatically associate with morris dancing, but in fact
one of the earliest surviving records mentions a performance
of the morris here in 1509. Boxing Day 1999 marks the centenary
of the historic meeting between the collector Cecil Sharp and
the dancer Bill Kimber which triggered the English traditional
dance revival. Croydon's North Wood morris men will be out on
that day, snow or sun, to honour their immortal memory, and God
willing, I'll be shaking a leg with the rest of them.
I have watched friends 'retiring' to
their idealised bits of Costa Geriatrica and returning to Croydon
after the first few disillusioning years. The town is young in
heart: My family and I like it here, and we're happy to share
our enthusiasm with others. But please, don't tell too many,
unless they happen to be second-hand booksellers; as such they
will be welcomed with open arms, and will find little existing
competition. And we would rather they didn't bring a car.
John Hawkins
[Back to Contents]
Croydon Design Awards
1999
Croydon
Design Awards are awarded by Croydon Council to give recognition
to development projects that make outstanding contributions to
the environmental quality of the Borough. The 1999 Awards were
the fourteenth since the first in 1983, and many buildings of
high quality now bear Award plaques, and their designers hold
certificates of Award or Commendation. In making the 1999 Awards
the Council was advised by a Panel under the Chairmanship of
Councillor Adrian Dennis, comprising representatives of architects,
people with disabilities, residents' associations, the Croydon
Chamber of Commerce and The
Croydon Society.
In
the 1999 scheme nominations were invited in six categories, in
which the following awards were made.
Category
1 - New Buildings
Design Award:
HSBC, 9 Wellesley Road, Central Croydon Offices and Bank Six
storey office building with ground floor bank in modern style
on a prominent corner site
Commended:
Broad Green Library, Canterbury Road. A single storey
library building under a pitched roof in an informal modern style.
Category
2 - Residential Extensions/Alterations
No
award
Category
3 - Conservation and Rehabilitation
Design Award:
Former Roke Primary School, Purley Vale. Conversion of a former
school building with minimum additions and retention of period
features and character to 12 residential Units, forming the centrepiece of a residential development
with a terrace of 17 new houses and a small public open space.
Commended:
William Stanley Public House, 7, 7a and 8 High Street, South
Norwood. Conversion and rehabilitation of a terraced building
of c.1900 with restored facade and extended interior as public house and residential accommodation
over. Located in the South Norwood Conservation Area
Category
4 - Accessibility and Safety
Design
Award: Broad Green Library, Canterbury Road (see above)
Commended:
Brannigan's, 49 - 61 High Street, Central Croydon. Licensed restaurant,
bar and disco.A mixed use development adjoining listed buildings
and the rear of the Clocktower/Library complex. Award under this
category for accessibility of public areas.
Category
5 - Landscape
Design Award:
Planting on island site at Parchmore Road, Thornton Heath,
Category 6 - Shopfronts and Fascias
Commended:
Bar Monaco, 12 High Street, Central Croydon. An original shop
front to locally listed building in the Central Croydon Conservation
Area, restored and altered to provide emergency access, and conforming
to Supplementary Planning Guidance
These Design Awards and Commendations
were given only to the very best. Over 40 schemes were nominated
for Awards, and of these fourteen were short listed by the
Panel for further consideration and inspection. All had merit
and the short-listed schemes were included in the Design Awards
exhibition in the Croydon Clocktower.
New Buildings
9
Wellesley Road, Central Croydon.
St
Saviours’s Vicarage, Thornton Heath.
Doctors'
Surgery, 518 London Road, Thornton Heath.
Brannigan's,
High Street/Mint Walk, Central Croydon.
Residential Extensions/Alterations
Link
with lift shaft, Selsdon Park Hotel.
Conservation
and Rehabilitation
Addington
House, Addington Village.
William
Stanley Public House, South Norwood.
Former
Roke Primary School, Purley.
Hogshead
public house, High Street, Central Croydon.
Accessibility
and Safety
St
Luke's Church, Woodside.
Bar
Monaco, 12 High Street, Central Croydon.
Landscape
Pitch
and Putt, South Norwood Country Park. Parchmore Road Clocktower
& Traffic Island , Thornton Heath.
Shopfronts
and Fascias
Bar
Monaco, 12 High Street, Central Croydon
The awards were presented in the Mayor's
Parlour at the Town Hall on 6th December 1999 by Stuart Lipton,
architect and developer, now Chairman of the newly-formed Commission
for Architecture and the Built Environment.
Mr Lipton said that the Commission
was about making places better for people, and sharpening up
the performance of clients, particularly in the public sector.
He stressed the social dimension of architecture, improving the
life of the ordinary person by lifting the visual and functional
standard of the built environment. He stressed the importance
of the public realm – the spaces between buildings -in providing
visual and environmental quality. He pointed out that of half-a-million
planning applications submitted each year only about eight per
cent involved an architect. Good design was not just about aesthetics
or even making places more attractive: it was about making society
function better, through the feel-good factor, uplifting the
spirit by making people feel that their environment was something
that helped rather than hindered them in their everyday lives.
Mr Lipton would like to see planning
authorities acting as enablers rather than simply regulators
in matters of design. The example of Croydon was encouraging,
exemplified by the Design Awards, integrated transport through
Tramlink and the Skyline project. 2020 Vision was a most impressive
initiative, which had the potential to produce and achieve a
shared vision of social, economic and environmental aspirations,
in which all of Central Croydon's communities and stakeholders
should participate.
The
Croydon Society must clearly welcome the Design Awards Scheme
for the encouragement it gives to developers and designers to
aim for higher standards. Mr Lipton's expression of the policies
of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
towards urban design accords well with our objectives, particularly
the pro-active role for Planning Authorities in Urban Design
and the broad view of design as encompassing excellence in social
and functional aspects as well as visual excellence.
I should record our thanks to the Chairman
of the Panel, Councillor Adrian Dennis, my fellow members of
the Panel, and to Mr Keith Bryars, Planning Liaison Officer,
Urban Design and his colleagues at the London Borough of Croydon
Planning Department whose work ensures the success of the scheme.
We look forward to the next round of Awards in two years’
time.
Geoffrey Myers
Sutton
And Cheam Design Awards 1999
The Croydon Society was invited by the Executive Committee of the Sutton and Cheam Society to send representatives to a ceremony on 20 October 1999 in the Civic Offices, Sutton, at which their biennial Design Award for 1999 was presented. George Parish and I accepted the invitation. The Mayor of Sutton, local dignitaries and Council officials were there and Mr. Mike Gwilliam, Director of the Civic Trust, made the presentation. He praised the initiative of the Society, which had done all the research, deliberation and legwork off its own bat. This is unlike Croydon where, although the Croydon Society is consulted, the London Borough of Croydon manages the whole affair. See previous article.
Before the actual presentation, guests
were shown videos of the short listed buildings with comments
on their good and bad points –an enlightening short course
on architecture.
Afterwards delicious refreshments were
served but, mindful of trains home, we had unfortunately to leave
before long.
Kath Clayton
Addington Well Pumping
Station Steam Engines
The
steam beam engines here were the last ones pumping for water
supply in London until they were shut down on June 29 1975. The
engine to the north of the well was built for Croydon Corporation
by Easton and Anderson (and Goolden) of Erith in 1888, whilst
that to the south was of similar design and supplied by Glenrield
and Kennedy of Kilmarnock.
The
pumping station was listed in 1975, the same year that the engines
(by then the property of Thames Water Authority) ceased to work
when the new electric pumping station alongside was completed.
A public inquiry into an application for listed building consent
to demolish the pumping station was held in May 1976, the GLC
Historic Buildings Division being the principal objector.
Consent
was of course granted due to health concerns amongst other reasons,
although this has not stopped other preservation schemes, but
the engines were dismantled for preservation elsewhere in 1983/4.
The Easton and Anderson engine and the gantry crane were taken
to the Museum or London/Docklands Museum store in a warehouse
to the north or the Royal Docks. This was removed to Crossness
Sewage Pumping Station in late 1999, where the Crossness Engines
Trust will eventually re-erect it in the West Valve House. This
is an appropriate location being close to Erith, but it will
take some time as the Trust is devoting all its efforts to restoring
one or the 4 large 1865/99 beam engines to steam, which should
take place in the middle of next year. Progress on this can be
seen on the annual open day on Saturday July 8 and Open House
day Sunday September 24.
The
Glenrield and Kennedy engine was acquired by the Strumpshaw Old
Hall Steam Museum east of Norwich, according to "The Guide
to Stationary Steam Engines" by Geoffrey Hayes (Moorland
Publishing Company).
John
Cunningham
Natural
Amenities
Group
Report
This Group meet at approximately six
week intervals throughout the year
with usually some six members attending.
Some of the main items considered and discussed are as follows
.
·
Development
of Purley Way and its landscaping.
·
Watching
briefs on parks, our main focus being on Lloyd Park, South Norwood
Country Park, Brickfield Meadows, Heathfield and Park Hill. Our
active group is not of sufficient size to cover the borough more
effectively although we are aware that other members and Residents
Associations, some of whom we have contact with, carry out their
own local observations with environmental interests.
· Watching briefs have also been kept on several activities in the Borough, including the proposed developments of Cane Hill Hospital, Queen’s Road Hospital/Cemetery, Addiscombe Station and recent proposals to change an existing Tree Nursery into a cemetery at Shirley Oaks Village
Attendance to meetings and contact
has been kept with other bodies that have similar interests to
our group, namely Association of Croydon Conservation Societies,
Nature Conservation Panel and Croydon Agenda 21.
One or more of our members attended
the Public Inquiry held at the Town Hall regarding the proposed
development adjacent to Ballards Farm Road over the several days
it lasted, including a site visit. A presentation from our Society’s
Chair together with other interested parties contributed to the
rejection of this scheme, which would have undoubtedly scarred
one of the boroughs most attractive wooded valleys.
Our millennium project has been and
is being actively pursued to create a flower garden to commemorate
the Croydon artist Cicely Mary Barker and so far this year we
have been assigned an area in the Park Hill Walled Garden for
this purpose. Our bid for lottery funding to the Arts Council
for a statue for a Shirley Poppy has been turned down but we
will get a roundel or plaque to put with the garden in the summer
– June 28th – Book this into your diary
today!
We have again held our walk around
the centre of Croydon for the Mini Gardens (offices) competition.
The Mini-gardens shield and certificate was won by Direct Line
and the Micro-garden equivalent went to GAN Insurance group.
The Warehouse Theatre won a certificate for best hanging basket.
We regret the loss of the garden under the NLA Tower to the bus
interchange but have pressed for some landscaping here.
It was with regret that we accepted
the resignation of Hugh Byford from our group and are grateful
for his years of valuable contributions to our discussions and
activities and have asked him if he would like to keep a watching
brief on the Borough’s pollution and keep us informed.
Beverley Sale
Chair, Natural Amenities Group
Planning
Group Report
Firstly, there was no report in the
last issue of "Focus" due to technical problems and
this report therefore continues from that in no.73 and covers
the period to the end of 1999.
Probably the largest application we
have been faced with since the Society was founded has been the
Park Place redevelopment scheme. As you probably know already,
this consists of the demolition of St George's Walk and its replacement
by a new shopping mall, including a new "Allders" store.
The existing store would be rebuilt with the retention of the
existing North End facade, while the original façade at
no.5 George Street would be moved to no.8 to permit the siting
of a new glazed footbridge. Segas House would be refurbished,
with the formation or a new square at the rear, while a covered
bus station and 2000 space multi-storey car park would also be
constructed. Decisions on these applications are not likely for
some time, but May Johnson has sent our initial comments,
including opposition to the footbridge because of its effect
on the conservation area and views from it.
Applications for the demolition and
subsequent reconstruction of parts of the facade of the former
"Grants" store were submitted and, as you must have
noticed, the former has since taken place. Whether the facade
is eventually reconstructed in a satisfactory manner must be
an open question, but the model on display in the Park Place
exhibition showed how unacceptable is the excessive height of
the intended multi-screen cinema development.
At West Croydon on the site of the
former vicarage of the adjoining St.Michael's Church, the erection
of a new brick building was proposed including a church hall
meeting rooms, offices and flats. A few months later the construction
of two 3-storey blocks for retail and office use was proposed
for the adjacent land between Poplar Walk and Station Road. This
fortunately involved the retention of the facade of nos 6-12
Station Road. which were added to the local list after our representations
at the UDP public inquiry, but we are concerned about the relationship
between these buildings and the church. Opposite the Old Palace
the re-use of the warehouse building was put forward by the school
to provide additional space including a theatre in a rear extension.
An application for the refurbishment
for use as solicitors' offices of the Old Tithe Barn on Purley
Way was welcome, as this building (used until recently for the
storage of historic newspapers) is one of the few of interest
in the Waddon area, although less welcome was the provision of
parking spaces in front. Family and financial problems led to
the owner of Woodside Cottage at Woodside Green submitting an
application for the conversion of this historic building, with
12 rooms and dating from 4 separate periods, into 2 houses plus
the erection of 3 houses both sides of a new front drive.
We objected to the latter and maintained our objection when the
scheme was reduced to just one house, which the Council has just
rejected. The developers have now asked for an Inspectors Enquiry.
At Addington Village Farm an application
for the replacement of dilapidated stables by 8 houses plus a
2-storey block of garages with flats above was submitted. Although
we thought this an interesting attempt at high density neo-vernacular
development we left comment to the conservation area panel who
opposed the scheme. At Addington Palace the successful refurbishment
and restoration of the ground Floor and basement has been followed
by similar proposals for the upper floors to provide accommodation
for the country club/conference centre.
We regretted a number of applications
to convert the "Windsor Castle" public house on Brighton
Road into a mock-Tudor building with the fixing of false half-timbering
to the1st floor especially as this would involve the loss of
the Queen Anne-style shell porch but the grounds for objection
seemed to be limited. The Council approved an application for
the demolition of the former Astoria cinema in Purley and its
replacement by 6-storey block of flats despite our objections
to the excessive height and a flat-roof design not in keeping
with the adjacent retail and residential blocks with gabled and
pitched roofs. The UDP policy to retain local leisure facilities
was also ignored.
An objection was sent to a further
application for a backland residential development in Woodcote
Valley Road, adjoining the Webb Estate conservation area, because
of its detrimental impact. Two properties in the Upper Woodcote
Village Conservation Area.nos.9 & 10A, were subject of proposals
for demolition and replacement. We objected to the former as
the design of the large house was inappropriate, but not to the
latter, a chalet bungalow of interesting Cottage Orné
style replacing an existing bungalow which is not original, although
the Council subsequently rejected the application.
Finally, in Coulsdon the replacement
of the "Red Lion" public house by a 4-storey hotel
was proposed, where we were disappointed about the design and
height, whilst an outline application for the science and business
park on the site of Cane Hill Hospital was submitted.
John Cunningham
Cane
Hill Redevelopment - Science & Business Park –
a
threat to the Green Belt
Early
last year the planning applications were lodged by Lambeth Healthcare
NHS Trust, who own the site. On behalf of The Croydon Society,
a Memorandum was prepared and sent to Croydon Council. This outlined
our objections to building plans in a protected Green Belt
area. The plans involved building a new enlarged Medium Secure
Unit for psychiatric patients, on the old Portnalls House site,
but considerably increasing the present footprint to 7,450 sq.
m. for the ground floor of the courtyard development. In addition
to this new footprint, an outdoor swimming pool etc., and parking
spaces for staff and visitors cars were included in the plans.
By
treating the M.S.U. as Phase I of the development, the applicants
want to trade off the additional footage, against a smaller footage
for Phase II of a possible Science & Business Park.
However,
if the M.S.U. application were to go ahead and the Science &
Business Park fail to materialise, then the extra footage used
for the M.S.U. would be lost to the Green Belt for ever.
Copies
of our memorandum were sent to The Coulsdon Forum (of which we
are a member), The London Green Belt Council and Mr. R. Ottaway,
MP for Croydon South. All of whom have asked the Government Office
concerned, to call-in these applications as being contrary to
Croydon Council's U.D.P. -Item RO.10 and Green Belt regulations
PPG.2 C4.7 Croydon Council were to consider these Planning Applications
in September 1999, but due to the number of letters of protest
from residents and various organisations, the applications have
been delayed on several occasions. At the time of going to press,
a firm date for consideration of these applications by the Planning
& Environment Committee is not available.
In
the meantime, Mr. Ottaway secured a debate in the House of Commons
about the proposed Cane Hill Development, setting out in considerable
detail the case for calling-in these Planning Applications. He
referred to both The Coulsdon Forum and The Croydon Society,
quoting our objections. Mr. Crispin Blunt, M.P. for Reigate,
supported Mr. Ottaway as Cane Hill is on the boundary between
Croydon and Reigate & Banstead. These plans have serious
implications for other Green Belt areas. Although the Government
state they are committed to protect the Green Belt areas, the
Secretary for State will only consider calling in these Planning
Applications if Croydon Council decide in favour of granting
these.
We
await further news
Jean
Richards
Planning
Policy Guidance -- Transport
The Department of the Environment,
Transport and the Regions issued a Consultation Paper on Transport
last October. It is broadly consistent with recent Transport
Consultation papers. It assumes that workplace parking charges
and congestion charging will reduce car use although the motorist
can often justify increasing his journey length on the grounds
that overall cost decreases through avoidance of parking charges.
A sustainable transport policy is advocated.
While it is clear that a sustainable transport strategy involves
reducing traffic congestion, reducing atmospheric pollution and
reducing the production of greenhouse gases, there is no mention
of financial sustainability. In general, the cost of providing
public transport for the journey to work and to school is substantially
higher than the fares that people are prepared to pay - hence
diversion of work and school journeys from car to public transport
is probably not financially sustainable. However, allowing the
number of work and school journeys by car to increase is to accept
worsening traffic congestion.
Co-ordination of transport and land
use planning can reduce the need to travel particularly if the
co-ordination also involves education and hospitals. However,
co-ordination of transport and land use planning is only going
to be effective when the price mechanism encourages use of local
facilities. The perceived cost of travel by car is sufficiently
low that motorists will choose to use the most convenient shops
rather than the nearest. Locating schools so that all their pupils
are within walking distance may be idealistic but it does avoid
the particularly high costs of providing school buses and potentially
reduces the notoriously heavy congestion created by parents taking
their children to school by car.
Bus
Service Changes
We were pleased to read in the agenda
of the London Borough of Croydon's Highways and Transportation
Committee for 19th January that Route 198 was to have been re-timed
from 15th January to restore co-ordination with Route 119. Introducing
timetables in August 1998 for these routes that required buses
to run in convoy to Shirley when both were on a 20-minute frequency
should never have happened.
We were disappointed by London Transport's
reaction to consultation on Tramlink bus service changes. People
do not like interchange unless it results in a significantly
shorter door-to-door journey time, which is why there has been
such heavy pressure for retention of Route 130. The intended
withdrawal of Route 54 between Croydon and Elmers End will discourage
shoppers who now use Route 54 and do not live near Tramlink stations
from shopping in Croydon either through the inconvenience and
delay of interchange or due to longer walking distances.
The Council's UDP policy of encouraging
as many people to use public transport for journeys into the
town centre is bound to fail unless public transport planning
takes into account door-to-door journey time and the price is
less than the traveller expects to spend on getting into the
town by car. Economic growth in the town cannot be expected if
traffic congestion gets worse.
Croydon's Sustainable
Transport Strategy
In principle we agree with the objectives
given by the council for its sustainable transport strategy.
However, a sustainable transport strategy does not require the
use of public transport to increase - the requirement to reduce
air pollution, reduce traffic congestion and reduce the consumption
of non-renewable natural resources can be achieved by shortening
of journey lengths and diversion of travel from the private car
to walking, cycling and public transport. In practice, shortening
of journey lengths will enable some travel to be diverted from
public transport to walking and cycling.
In practice, Croydon as a local authority
has very little influence on transport. The cost of road fund
licences for motor vehicles and the level of fuel tax are decided
by Central Government. Timetables and faretables for almost all
bus services in Greater London (and Tramlink) are determined
by London Transport and the Rail Franchising Director determines
the timetables for all train services. The council's ownership
of car parks and stewardship of the road network enables it to
determine car-parking charges. However, these are charges for
leaving a car stationary and may, in practice, increase car use.
Croydon does have some influence as a planning authority but
only when a change of land use is proposed. In Vision 2020, the
council planners are encouraging developers to build more shops
and offices in the town centre and they are proposing more car
parking which is contrary to the spirit of the Borough's stated
transport policy and in conflict with the objectives of a "Sustainable
Transport Strategy".
One of the objectives of Vision 2020
is economic growth, but how can you have economic growth when
the transport consequences of the strategy appear to be gridlock
through stimulation of car use? In Britain, there is so much
travel across local authority boundaries that "Transport
Strategy" has to be national.
It
has become clear that this Government, like most of its predecessors
has decided that tackling the problem of traffic congestion is
too difficult and is avoiding the issue by dumping it on local
authorities that do not have the means to do anything effective.
Chloride
Have
you ever been scared rigid by a cyclist appearing behind you
with no warning? Or blinded by the badly-adjusted lights of an
on-coming car? Or felt the adrenaline rush following a near-collision
with a blithely unaware jay-walker? Then you’ll be wanting
to join my new campaign for consideration on the roads. Just
a little consideration for others - an awareness of how they
perceive the world and how they perceive you.
For
instance, cyclists riding with the CTC call out to horse-riders
before overtaking them, so as not to scare the horse - you know
the sort of thing, a gentle call from thirty yards behind “there
are six of us!”, or perhaps a friendly
d-r-r-ring
d-r-r-ring to let them know that the day-glo-yellow cyclists
are there. It shows an understanding of the rider’s (and
the horse’s) perspective; “well, there I was, trotting
down the road with herself on me back when, wallop!, there’s
this sodding great canary hacking past me at about twenty!! Little
wonder I bolted ... herself was FAR from happy.”
Similarly,
there are some drivers who use a little-known device on their
cars; side-lights. No chance of dazzling the folks coming the
other way with those. Instead, as you well know, most
drivers use dipped headlights, although many are so badly adjusted
that for all you know they’re on full beams. The number
of drivers who use dipped lights in the daytime ... why?? And
the growing trend towards using fog-lights when there’s
no fog; do the drivers not realise that they are increasing the
danger on the roads, by blinding others?
Then
there’s the question of being lost in the herd; why fish
swim in shoals-so that each one is more “hidden” from
the predator by the others in the shoal; why camouflage clothing
works (you blend into the background); and why the considerate
person using sidelights is invisible in the wash of light from
every-body else. If everyone stopped using dipped headlights
in lit streets we could all see everyone. Instead we only see
those whose lights scream loudest at us.
We
get - quite rightly - worried about the deaths in America from
gun-toting schoolchildren, or the deaths in various countries
from the side-effects of war (land-mines come to mind); but are
we outraged to the same degree by road carnage? Yet this goes
on week after week; families being bereaved, or having to face
serious injury to a family member. And all because of inconsiderate
people who walk out into the face of traffic, or ride bikes through
red lights, or can’t be bothered to get their headlights
adjusted correctly.
So,
the campaign is for taking the trouble to ensure that whatever
you do doesn’t endanger others; to have patience
and take time to get it right. If that were to take off, we wouldn't’t
find road rage quite such a problem, drivers wouldn’t suffer
the heart troubles which come from driving in stressful road
conditions. We wouldn’t need to take quite so much room
in Croydon to allow for drivers who don’t want to slow down
or cyclists and pedestrians who don’t care enough; we wouldn’t
need quite so much public money used in the emergency services
to cope with death and injuries; and the quality of all
our lives would be hugely improved.
I’m
game to give it a go - how about you?
Andy Bebington
Motorist,
cyclist and pedestrian.
The
London Forum
Agenda
For The Mayor
The London Forum has produced this
agenda; the Croydon Society is a member. We produce it here in
full. For further details please contact the forum:
70 Cow Cross Street, London ECl M 6EJ.
Telephone 020 7250 0606.
A
- Quality of Urban Life
·
Initiate
strategies and targets for improving the quality of life in London..
·
Implement
strategies to identify and seize opportunities for the early
building a full range of types of housing, particularly affordable
homes, in London.
·
Set
housing targets for each Borough, which give priority to the
re-use of land and buildings.
·
Promote
more Home Zones and 20mph limits for residential and shopping
streets.
·
Encourage
the "greening" of London with improved protection and
management of metropolitan parks, open spaces, allotments, cemeteries,
playing fields and Green Belt land.
·