Protest held as public inquiry begins into Crystal Palace Park homes
by Ross Lidbetter
ross.lidbetter@essnmedia.co.uk
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MASTERPLAN: The LDA's vision for Crystal Palace Park
A protest against homes being built on Crystal Palace Park was held today (Tuesday) as a public inquiry into the park's future opened.
Campaigners stood outside the Salvation Army Hall, in Westow Street, Upper Norwood, where the five-week inquiry is being held.
The London Development Agency's planning application for the park - which includes building 180 homes there - was given the green light by Bromley Council in December.
But it was called in by the then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, for independent scrutiny the following month.
The LDA believes its £67.5 million scheme will rejuvenate the park, though protestors believe it will set a dangerous precedent of building homes on parkland.
*For a full report on the opening of the inquiry see this week's Advertiser, in shops on Friday.
3 Comments
by Spongeblip, Unfortunately Croydon
Thursday, July 09 2009, 1:02PM
“I will be miffed if it goes through and all the housing goes to dossers... Hazel Care Bear Stare is just looking for positive publicity.... I pay homage to you by moonage Labour”
by observer, north croydon
Wednesday, July 08 2009, 3:31AM
“Let's hope this enquiry does nto take up too much time - what most people are interested in - despite the boruhaha over housing - is the real investment in the Park and all that that attracts. So many schemes in the last couple of decades have failed because of protests over this and that and if this scheme fails I am afraid that we shall be forgotten once again.
What the area wants is this full scale investment in CPP and the East London Line (ELL) on track and on time!”
by Steve Sawko, SE19
Tuesday, July 07 2009, 10:00PM
“It is important to understand that the estimated cost of this "over ambitious" project is, in fact, £100M, not the £67M the LDA is touting. This fact was successfully argued by one of Bromley¿s Councillors at the meeting last year when they approved the proposal - the LDA did not even try to defend their reported £67M but simply acknowledged the true £100M+ figure. Unfortunately, despite this debate consuming a significant proportion of the meeting, Bromley failed to minute this exchange or, indeed, acknowledge the fact in their Press Release the next day. BTW, £100M is exactly 50% bigger than £67M !”