25/04083/FUL

By reason of its scale, massing and elevational treatment, the development would appear overly dominant and represent an overdevelopment of the site. This has resulted in inadequate space being available to provide meaningful landscaping, high quality communal amenity space or functional playspace, and in a poor Urban Greening Factor, further reinforcing the cramped and visually oppressive form of development. The proposal fails to respond positively to its context or function satisfactorily as backland development, resulting in harm to the character and appearance of the area, contrary to London Plan (2021) Policies D3, D4, G5 and S4, and Croydon Local Plan Policies SP4, DM10 and DM13

The proposal would result in less than substantial harm to the setting of the Grade II listed Boswell House and Boswell Cottages, and harm to the setting of nearby locally listed buildings, due to its unsympathetic design and increased visual prominence. This harm is not clearly outweighed by public benefits. The proposal therefore fails to comply with Section 66 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, the National Planning Policy Framework (2024), Croydon Local Plan Policies SP4, DM10 and DM18 And London Plan (2021) Policy HC1

The proposal would provide unacceptable residential accommodation within Unit A.04 by reason of its single aspect layout, poor privacy, austere outlook and adverse impact from vehicle activity and headlights associated with the adjacent car park. The relationship between the unit and the car park would also give rise to an agent of change conflict. The proposal is therefore contrary to the London Plan (2021), in particular Policies D6 and D14, and the Croydon Local Plan (2018), in particular Policies SP2, DM10 and DM16.

The proposal constitutes a more vulnerable residential use on a site affected by Flood Zone 2 (with increase flooding risk from climate change), surface water flooding and potential groundwater flooding. The applicant has failed to demonstrate compliance with the Sequential Test or to provide an acceptable Flood Risk Assessment and surface water drainage strategy, The proposal is therefore contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework (2024), London Plan Policy SI12 and Croydon Local Plan Policies SP6 and DM25.

The proposed refuse and recycling strategy fails to demonstrate a safe, policy compliant and workable collection arrangement, relying on excessive reversing and/or drag distances and unguaranteed collection arrangements. This could result in pollution and odour issues from uncollected waste. The proposal is therefore contrary to London Plan (2021) Policy SI7, Croydon Local Plan Policies DM13 and DM16 and the Council's adopted waste guidance.

The applicant has failed to secure through an appropriate mechanisms (such as section 106 agreement) appropriate mitigations and obligations to ensure compliance with policy in respect to affordable housing (with early and late stage review), air quality, carbon emission offset, highway works, sustainable modes of transport and promotion, and local employment opportunities, and is therefore contrary to Croydon Local Plan (2018) in particular policies SP2, SP4, SP6, SP8, and DM29, and contrary to London Plan (2021) in particular policies D4, D6, H4, H5, H6, E11, SL1, SL2 and T1. In reaching this decision the Local Planning Authority has sought to work in a positive and pro-active manner based on seeking solutions to problems in the following way:

To assist applicants the Local Planning Authority has produced policies and written guidance, all of which is available on the Council's website and offers a pre planning application advice service. In this instance the pre application advice was not adhered to. The Council is ready to enter into discussions with the applicants to assist in the preparation of a new planning application via the Council's Pre Application process. The Local Planning Authority delivered the decision in a timely manner.