Land swap plan is town's 'last chance' for a future
by Lucy Buckland
"This is your last chance to save Coulsdon."
A high-powered property consultant has issued this warning to Croydon Council after brokering a secret land swap deal with discount supermarket Aldi.
Chartered surveyor Clyde Malby has come up with an idea for two key sites in Coulsdon – the Aldi-owned former Red Lion pub site in Brighton Road and council-owned Lion Green Road car park.
He claims his plans would "save" Coulsdon from a future of derelict sites which will eventually kill off community businesses.
The plans mean Aldi would have a store on the Lion Green Road car park, where the council would also build a swimming pool.
Meanwhile, a square, houses and even cafes and shops would be developed on the Red Lion site.
Former Coulsdon resident Mr Malby, who now lives in Purley, said: "The council wants more housing and a swimming pool. Aldi wants a store. My plans show Aldi will get a store of the size they want and the council could get up to 80 homes on the Red Lion site with room for a public square.
"My contact at Aldi has agreed to the plan and wants to meet with the council as soon as possible, within the next two weeks.
"This plan could save Coulsdon and it has everything the council needs and the people want. I would like to think the council would take it up because a chance like this only comes up every 50 years."
Mr Malby says he will not be involved in the project in any commercial nature if it takes off. He has devoted his time to coming up with the scheme because he is frustrated with the slow pace of development in Coulsdon.
He added that Aldi has hinted it will "give away" the £4million Red Lion site for pennies if it could get a section of the Lion Green Road car park.
The Advertiser understands a previous land swap deal fell through after Croydon Council turned down an offer by Aldi because it was not profitable enough.
Mr Malby – who showed his plans exclusively to the Advertiser before presenting them at Wednesday's Coulsdon Neighbourhood Partnership meeting – said he would push to make this plan a success.
14 Comments
View all
by chloe, Coulsdon
Saturday, March 20 2010, 9:36PM
“There is hardly a lack of open space around Coulsdon, get on a bike, walk, or drive your car to the 2000 other parks/fields in Coulsdon, dont waste more years of undecision just because you want to moan about every bloody suggestion made. People like you really annoy me!!
I think Mr Malby's ideas are great, if only they could actually start it instead of talking about it, seems to me like more false hope.
I'll believe it when I see it.”
by richard, The Estate
Friday, March 12 2010, 6:30PM
“One thing I agree with you RPB is your assumption on 'high powered consultant,'I was beginning to think he had a tiger in his tank! lol”
by RPB, Coulsdon
Thursday, March 11 2010, 11:25AM
“AddiscombeReader, I wondered exactly the same thing. I assume it's a term that a journalist invents when they want to make a story sound far more convincing than it actually is.
Mr Angry, I guess we'll agree to differ. Don't get me wrong, I think green space is great - but I don't think it'll help Coulsdon become a thriving town centre at the moment.”
by Mr.Angry, The Estate
Thursday, March 11 2010, 10:04AM
“If your worried about yobs/vandalism then you should be citing council/government for police enforcement (dont laugh).The yobs will be with us wharever you build so I am sticking by saying an Aldi next to green space is what is needed and if cops got their finger out and were real enforcers like in LA then you wouldnt have the scenes like the fights near West Croydon recently.”
by AddiscombeReader, Addiscombe
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 11:00PM
“What's a "high-powered property consultant"?”
by RPB, Coulsdon
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 10:33PM
“I can only agree with Dave. A green space in the middle of Coulsdon will bring nothing to the economy, will fall into neglect and become a magnet for vandalism. I do agree that some work could be done to "decorate" the high street and make it look a little less concrete - but after all, it IS a high st and right now it desperately needs income to survive.”
by Mr.Angry, The Estate
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 9:01PM
“Its not that sort of estate David.”
by RobinHood, Sherwood
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 7:22PM
“So much emphasis on Coulsdon all of the time,what about the rest of the Borough?
Best solution would be to extend the M23 and demolish Coulsdon altogether.”
by Dave, Purley
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 6:38PM
“Mr Angry,
The point I'm making, is that I remember Coulsdon when the Red Lion used to be open, I know it was a bit of a dive, but it was open. There is still the parks and country side around Coulsdon like there has always been.
IF the developers are allowed to build a new complex of some sort with a public square in the middle it could only be for the better, if they leave it as open space it would look out of place anyway and would give the Coulsdon yobs somewhere to hang out, or is that what you are hoping for to keep them away from the estate ........”
by andrew, coulsdon
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 3:03PM
“sounds like a great plan that would help the kick start in coulsdon i hope everyone gets behind it. the town centre will continue to look sad until something is done with the red lion site how many more years can this be left as it is ?”