Old Croydon GP operation on ‘quiet’ road to be converted into HMO despite noise concerns

Croydon Council has approved an application to convert an old GP practice into an HMO for 13 residents. The building, formerly a GP practice, will now undergo an extension at the rear to accommodate 11 new bedrooms.

Members of Croydon Council’s planning committee admitted they “reluctantly” backed the application to develop the property on South Croydon Road at a meeting last Thursday (July 11) because HMOs (houses in multiple occupation) were not the style their favorite housing. Concerns about the potential for poor waste management were raised as a key concern by councillors, who feared the property could become “unsightly”.

In her comments, Councilor Lara Fish told the chamber: “I don’t like HMOs but that’s my personal view. I’ve seen how badly maintained some are, so I would get very strict maintenance conditions both internally and externally.”

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Councilors heard that at least five other HMOs are close to the site at 39 Heathfield Road. Jose Sanchez Loureda, who spoke on behalf of the opposing South Croydon Community Association, called it an “excessive offer”.

He added: “There is a saturation of HMOs in the area. There are at least five other HMOs in close proximity, although they have different postcodes due to the street layout, this ignores the true potential for overcrowding as HMOs already exist. meet the demand.”

While previous iterations of this application called for the HMO to house 15 occupiers, Loureda believes the 13 occupiers proposed in this application will still place undue stress on surrounding public services. He also expressed concern about the risk of increased noise and disruption.

That was the view shared by South Croydon ward councilor Danielle Denton, who said: “13 residents, plus their visitors, will have a major noise impact on a fairly quiet residential street.”

Parking was also a particularly contentious element for councillors, with some suggesting the new developments’ lack of parking “will affect the surrounding streets, which are already under pressure”. The property is a short distance from South Croydon railway station and the lower end of the South Croydon shopping district.

Most recently the building was the home of Heathfield Surgery.

Loss of general practitioner surgery was another issue raised by Loureda in his grounds of objection. He suggested the high density of development and new residents would put additional pressure on local health services.

While the NHS previously provided a letter in 2018 stating the closed surgery did not require a replacement, he believed South Croydon had lost a valuable community facility. He added: “Given Croydon’s population growth and demographic change, a renewed assessment is required.”

The other key concern for councilors and residents revolved around the quality of the building and the impact it would have on the character of the surrounding area. Planning officers admitted the application had a “complicated history” and had previously been refused due to unsatisfactory construction, sustainability and environmental considerations.

In the application approved last week, the building will undergo extensive alterations to the basement and upper levels of the house, which will now house the 11 bedrooms and communal kitchens. Crucially, it will also include a three-storey extension, stepping down to a single-storey extension at the rear of the building.

In her objection, Denton suggested these changes would impose on the building’s immediate neighbors at 37 and 41. She said: “Even with these changes, the development is still intrusive, imposing, disproportionate and large, which changes the character of the scene the streets. .”

“The three-storey rear extension would still be 1.2 meters from the boundary of number 37 and would be a further four meters in depth beyond the rear elevation of number 41. These proposals would still have an increased sense of closure behind both models 37 and 41.”

Conservative councilor Michael Neal, the only member of the committee to vote against the application, shared these concerns. He said: “I really feel that even with the changes, the new design of the building and the effect it will have on the character and appearance of this site and the area and the living conditions of the occupiers is not quite right.”

Jeremy Butterworth, a planning consultant who spoke in support of the application, told the House that more housing was needed to address the current shortage in Croydon. He said: “HMOs have a legitimate and important role to play in providing additional housing for the borough, they also have a role to play in reducing pressure on other elements of the housing stock.

“Members will no doubt be aware of the pressures faced by young people and single adults in Croydon who find it difficult to buy or rent accommodation, particularly in the south of the borough.

“It is generally recognized that HMOs make an important contribution to the private rented sector by meeting the housing needs of certain groups and households and contributing to the overall supply of affordable or private rented stock.

“This is particularly important in locations such as Heathfield Road, which are located in close proximity to key local centres, in this case the South Croydon business area, including the popular food district.”

Croydon councilors voted five to one in favor of approving the application. The applicant, listed as R Kasmani, will still need to obtain an HMO license before residents can move in.

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