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7. Community Facilities

Strategic policy

Where we are now

7.1 The main issues for the provision of community facilities and education facing Croydon are that:

• An increasing population will put more pressure on existing community facilities and is likely to require the provision of more.
• Over time the types of community facilities provided will need to change to reflect demographic change – the population becoming older and more ethnically diverse, more people living alone and changing lifestyles.
• There are, and will be changes to public policy on service provision and co-location of services.
• There will be a need to accommodate 1,900 extra burials in Croydon by 2031 in the borough.

 

Where we want to be

Strategic Objective 4:	Reduce social, economic and environmental deprivation, particularly where it is spatially concentrated, by taking priority measures to reduce unemployment, improve skills and education and renew housing, community and environmental conditions.
Strategic Objective 6:	Provide and promote well designed emergency services, community, education, health and leisure facilities to meet the aspirations and needs of a diverse community.
Strategic Objective 7:	Conserve and create spaces and buildings that foster safe, healthy and cohesive communities.
Strategic Objective 8:	Improve accessibility, connectivity, sustainability and ease of movement to, from and within the borough.

 

How we are going to get there

 

Why we have taken this approach

7.2 The National Planning Policy Framework states that infrastructure provision is part of planning for prosperity. New housing, employment and other development brings with it additional requirements for community facilities. Government policy has enabled Councils to raise resources in support of social infrastructure through a Community Infrastructure Levy and through planning obligation agreements. Evidence of the needs for additional infrastructure is provided in the accompanying Infrastructure Delivery Plan and will be further specified in the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). This policy, as a first step, specifies the principle that Croydon will use a CIL to aid the funding of community infrastructure.

Health and wellbeing

7.3 Creating opportunities for healthier and more active lifestyles is part of evolving national policy, recently reaffirmed in the Government's White Paper on public health. The creation of opportunities requires local action jointly between the health, care and local planning authorities. Croydon's Sustainable Community Strategy endorses the need to help people stay healthy and independent so that they can improve their own health and wellbeing.

7.4 Creating a safe home and physical environment whilst encouraging physical exercise will have a positive impact on the physical and mental health of residents, workers and visitors to Croydon.

7.5 London and borough policies all seek to improve the education, training and skills levels of the population to improve their quality of life, increase life-long opportunities for employment and to improve the competitiveness of national, regional, and local economies. Local strategic policy is required to embed these educational, training and skills objectives into sustainable spatial development in Croydon.

7.6 Croydon's level of skills at degree level and above is now less than the London average. It is a disincentive to inward investment for high knowledge industry and investment. To overcome these deficiencies and to increase opportunities for degree level education and enhanced training for skills, the expansion of higher and further education is to be encouraged. In particular, the attraction of a university or complex of university facilities to Croydon is seen as important and was envisaged in the 'We are Croydon' Vision. This will require in time the expansion of existing colleges and the provision of a new university complex in or near Croydon Metropolitan Centre. The London Plan identifies Croydon Opportunity Area as a Strategic Outer London Development Centre for higher education.

7.7 Local planning authorities are asked to ensure that infrastructure is provided in support of existing and growing communities. Modern society needs a wide range and network of facilities provided locally to support the population in its health, safety, sport, leisure, education and meeting place needs. The precise needs of these services vary but an essential requirement is that they are located so as to be reasonably accessible to the diverse population they serve.

7.8 The pattern and extent of existing health facilities, schools and colleges, indoor and outdoor leisure, libraries, halls and of schools and Children's' Centres is described in the accompanying Infrastructure Delivery Plan. The pattern of service provision will need to change over time to reflect changing needs caused by demographic change (aging, more people living alone, more children, a more ethnically diverse population and changing lifestyles). Additionally the process of growth creates service pressures for more public service outlets in the community. The policy gives positive support for physical changes to accommodate more and improved community facilities.

7.9 The expected growth in the borough's population means complementary community facilities will be required. In addition to seeking opportunities to provide new facilities, the Council will protect existing community facilities where they still serve, or have the ability to serve the needs of the community. The community facilities are largely outlined in the Croydon Infrastructure Delivery Plan. The needs of the community evolve, for example the borough's public houses have come under considerable pressure in recent years and are now considered a community facility. Whereas the borough has an over provision of care homes, residential homes and nursing homes, so these are no longer considered a community facility to be protected by policy.

7.10 Provision and ease of access to health and community facilities have positive impacts on wellbeing and healthcare. Such facilities need to be accessible to all sections of the community, including those without a car, the disabled or others with social, economic or physical characteristics limiting their mobility. Where possible services will be co-located so as to enable multi-purpose trips, reduce the need to travel and for the convenience of the user. Additionally, the service providers through co-location will be able to share spaces and services and to reduce capital and revenue costs. This policy is supported by Policy SP8 (Transport and Communication).

7.11 Public satisfaction with local neighbourhoods increases with ready access to sport and leisure facilities. Likewise the probability of people enjoying an active and healthy lifestyle increases with access to leisure and sporting facilities.

Providing new community facilities

7.12 Croydon has a wide range of faith groups, many of which for demographic and other reasons are growing and in need of new or expanded accommodation both for worship and for associated education, social and assembly needs. The Council will, as a general principle, enable development of this nature at appropriate and accessible locations. Detailed policy on this is specified in the Croydon Local Plan's Detailed Policies and Proposals.

7.13 The extensive need for community facilities, together with pressure on public and voluntary sector resources requires that resources are used carefully. Empty buildings and premises offer a low cost, if temporary, source of supply for some community facilities to commence their function pending a more permanent solution. Not all empty buildings will be suitable for community uses, for example where there is a shortage of parking or they are adjacent to noise sensitive uses. A policy to encourage temporary uses can enhance the public realm to help build social cohesion, support cultural diversity and engender a sense of safety and belonging.

Burial Grounds

7.14 A burial needs study on behalf of the borough shows a need to accommodate 10,000 deaths by 2031 with a resultant need for 1,900 new burial spaces. The London Plan urges boroughs to consider supplying burial grounds close to the communities they serve. The criteria for site selection is identified in the Croydon Local Plan's Detailed Policies and Proposals.

Education and skills

7.15 The quality of educational facilities needs continual renewal and improvement to meet modern standards. Additionally, the educational estate needs to be expanded to meet the requirements arising from housing and demographic growth and to fulfil the objectives of Croydon's Sustainable Community Strategy. This will require both the expansion of existing schools and the provision of new schools. This is further described in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan. Sites for additional schools will be identified in the Croydon Local Plan's Detailed Policies and Proposals.

7.16 The Council has a demographic model and methodology to estimate the need for form expansion in the state sector which is described in more detail in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan.

7.17 The needs of children with learning difficulties or behavioural problems also requires physical improvement and expansion with more children educated close to home in the borough rather than further afield. Specialist provision is thus required in both existing and in special schools.

7.18 Croydon Council has recently provided 26 Children's Centres in line with current requirements. Over the period of the Plan these centres will need to be renewed and adapted to meet changing pre-school needs. At the same time housing growth will bring additional demands and in due course call for expansion of Children's Centres or other pre-school facilities. The principle of such expansion and adaptation is established in this policy.

7.19 Universities and university sites with multiple university representation (multiversities), have a track record for innovation and technical developments, many of which have commercial applications. One purpose for establishing a University or multiversity in Croydon is to provide the opportunity for the direct application of new technologies in young and growing enterprises. For this reason, Policy SP5.13 establishes the principle that university presence in Croydon should be in a form and in a place with space and opportunity for there to be adjoining centre(s) of innovation.

7.20 In a fast changing world, the skills needed for employment and wider knowledge, require constant informal and formal learning throughout life. The Council, as part of its effort to raise the quality of life for its residents, will continue to support this process through the work of the Adult Learning and Training Service, the provision of a central and hub libraries of an improving standard and through partnership with the higher education colleges. The end result is to give opportunities for and to stimulate life-long learning, as envisaged in Croydon's Sustainable Community Strategy.

Providing and protecting community facilities

Strategic Objectives and related Croydon Local Plan strategic policies

Strategic Objective 4

Strategic Objective 6

Strategic Objective 7

Strategic Objective 8

Policy SP5

 

Why we need this policy

7.21 The National Planning Policy Framework in paragraph 69 states that the planning system can play an important role in facilitating social interaction and creating healthy, inclusive communities. The Council recognises the benefits of a healthy community and with the expected growth in the borough's population, existing community facilities that serve their current and future needs should be retained and new facilities provided.

7.22 Croydon's population, as it grows, will put increasing pressure on community facilities. Consequently, a changing approach towards locating services and facilities is needed, especially to ensure they are provided in sustainable locations.

7.23 The London Plan Policy 3.16 cites the protection and enhancement of social infrastructure which includes community uses and encourages London boroughs to develop policies to protect these uses.

 

How the policy works

Protection of existing community facilities

7.24 Proposals involving the loss of a community facility may comply with the policy by:

1. Explaining why the current use is no longer needed if the building/site is occupied; and
2. Showing that the loss would not create, or add to, a shortfall in provision of floor space/sites for the existing community use by providing details of a marketing exercise that meets the criteria below or provide a replacement community facility for a specific end user either on site as part of a mixed use development or elsewhere on a site with no current community use.

 

7.25 The marketing exercise associated with this evidence should be for a minimum period of eighteen months. Space should be offered at a reasonable charge for community groups/voluntary sector organisations reflecting its existing use value unfettered by any hope value. In the event that a community facility is listed on the Assets of Community Value register and is offered for sale, the local community is given six months to prepare a bid to buy it. In such circumstances, the marketing statement could be reduced to a period of a minimum continuous period of twelve months in addition to the six months that the community has to prepare a bid to buy it.

7.26 Developments subject to this policy may include proposals involving the loss of an existing profit-making community use (such as a private gym or cinema). These could submit evidence to demonstrate that the existing community use is not financially viable and so no longer has the ability to serve the needs of the community.

7.27 In cases where a community use ceases, it has to be successfully demonstrated that there is no local need or demand for alternative community uses.

7.28 Policy DM19.1(b) removes the protection of community facilities located in Main Retail Frontages, Secondary Retail Frontages, Shopping Parades and Restaurant Quarter Parades as these are locations where Class A uses are the preferred uses. Policies DM4, DM6 and DM7 permit the extension and change of use of units in these designations (with the exception that change of use is not permitted in Main Retail Frontages). In order to allow any unit converted to a community use in one of these location to revert to a Class A use the protection of community use does not apply within one of these designations. As Policies DM4, DM6 and DM7 permit the change of use of units in these designations to a community use there should be a supply of units within the same area to replace a lost community use if needed.

Proposals for new community facilities

7.29 The use of a building and the needs of communities can change over time. Therefore, new community facilities should be designed to be flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances including being capable of multi-use and expansion.

7.30 New community facilities should be located so that they are close to schools, local shopping facilities and public transport and other community services to reduce the number of trips people need to make to access them. However, it is acknowledged that there may be circumstances where the needs of a particular group or client base mean that it that it does not need to be located close to other services. In such instances applications would need to be supported with information demonstrating how the lack of access to other services will not have a negative impact on the end users of the new community facility and the amenity of the surrounding area.

Supporting Selhurst Park as the home stadium of Crystal Palace Football Club

Strategic Objectives and related Croydon Local Plan strategic policies

Strategic Objective 1

 

Why we need this policy

7.31 Selhurst Park has been home to Crystal Palace Football Club since 1924.

7.32 The Council recognises the existing role that Crystal Palace Football Club has in the community identifying it as a large scale community and leisure facility that continues to make a significant contribution to local area regeneration, creating opportunities for people to share a sense of pride in where they live, as well as delivering initiatives that support community cohesion and facilitate greater social inclusion.

 

How the policy works

7.33 The presence of a major Football Club within Croydon brings many economic, social and cultural benefits. It is therefore important to protect the facilities that are considered necessary for the retention of such a club.

7.34 London Plan policy 4.6 provides support for the continued success of professional sporting enterprises and the cultural, social and economic benefits that they offer to residents, workers and visitors.

Protecting public houses

Strategic Objectives and related Croydon Local Plan strategic policies

Strategic Objective 6 Policy SP5

 

Why we need this policy

7.35 The National Planning Policy Framework in paragraph 69 states that the planning system can play an important role in facilitating social interaction and creating healthy, inclusive communities. The loss of public houses over recent years has increased due to rising property values. The importance of public houses as a community asset has been acknowledged through the National Planning Policy Framework which requires local authorities to 'plan positively' for such uses. There is also a body of evidence produced by organisations such as CAMRA (The Campaign for Real Ale), the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group and the Institute for Public Policy Research which also supports this view.

7.36 The Institute of Public Policy Research's 'The Social Value of Community Pubs' details the social and community importance of public houses and their importance as hubs for development of social networks. It notes the significant long term consequences and associated costs for communities with a lack of social infrastructure which can support the wellbeing of individuals and communities. In May 2013 CAMRA advised that public house losses had been running at 26 per week in the six months to March 2013.

7.37 The London Plan Policy 3.16 cites the protection and enhancement of social infrastructure which can include public houses and encourages London boroughs to develop policies to protect public houses as a community asset.

 

How the policy works

7.38 Public houses play an important role at the heart of many local communities. In many cases they have historically provided social hubs and make a positive contribution to townscape and local identity. A defined need can be demonstrated by the submission of a marketing statement for a period of eighteen months and consideration against CAMRA's viability assessment. Other criteria which would be considerations would include sustained and documented evidence of local objections to the loss of the public house and the public house being used for a wider variety of ancillary uses such as functions, social events and other community activities.

7.39 Public houses can provide an important role in promoting community cohesion and can offer opportunities for people from different walks of like to mix. They are more than just a place to relax and drinks; they can host events, clubs and provide informal meeting spaces for local interest groups. In 2012 the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) report on Pubs and Places found that 23% of pub goers had made friends in their local public house with people “they would not normally mix with”. Supporting such industries is particularly important given the importance of the food and drinks industry to Croydon. As a consequence, the Council will protect Public Houses as long as their benefit to the community can be justified.

7.40 The Council will resist the loss of these facilities unless it can be demonstrated that is no longer required in its current use. Evidence will be required to show that the loss would not create, or add to, a shortfall in provision for the public house and demonstrate that there is no demand for such a use on the site. This would include the submission of evidence of suitable marketing activity for a period of eighteen months. In the event that a public house is listed on the Assets of Community Value register and is offered for sale, the local community is given six months to prepare a bid to buy it. In such circumstances, the marketing statement could be reduced to a period of a minimum continuous period of twelve months in addition to the six months that the community has to prepare a bid to buy it. This evidence should demonstrate that the existing use is no longer financially viable through the submission of financial evidence. Marketing details need to include a site description, photographs and reasonable terms commensurate with public house use. In cases where a public house use has ceased it has to be successfully demonstrated that there is no local need or demand.

Key supporting documents

• CAMRA Guidance – Pub Planning Policy Tool Kit (2014)
• 'How to save London's pubs as community resources'- Steve O'Connell, London Assembly (2013)
• The Social Value of Community Pubs (2012)

Providing for cemeteries and burial grounds

Strategic Objectives and related Croydon Local Plan strategic policies

Strategic Objective 6

Policy SP5

 

Why we need this policy

7.41 In 2012 Croydon had less than two years supply of burial space remaining in its cemeteries within the borough and at Greenlawns Memorial Park in Tandridge district and Bandon Hill Cemetery in the London Borough of Sutton.

7.42 A planning application was made to Tandridge District Council to extend the existing burial ground at Greenlawns Memorial Park following consideration of all known options within the London Borough of Croydon itself. The planning application was refused and the refusal was upheld upon appeal.

7.43 Therefore, Croydon needs to find an alternative site for a new burial ground and a policy is proposed to guide the search for a site and to help determine any subsequent planning application.

7.44 The Burial Land Need and Provision Study identifies that space needs to be found for 1,900 burial spaces in the borough up to 2031.

 

How the policy works

7.45 A new cemetery or burial ground needs to be well accessed from roads and bus routes or other transport nodes in order to be accessible for residents of the borough to visit and attend to gravestones.

7.46 Cemeteries and burial grounds would be particularly adversely affected by flooding. Therefore, they must not be located in areas of flood risk (from any source of flooding). Applications will be refused if there is any risk of flooding to the site irrespective of whether a sequential test demonstrates that there are no other suitable sites within the borough.

7.47 They also have a greater potential to contaminate groundwater supplies. Groundwater provides a third of our drinking water in England and Wales, and it also maintains the flow in many rivers. In some areas of Southern England, groundwater supplies up to 80% tap water. It is crucial that these supplies and sources are looked after and ensure that tap water is completely safe to drink. The Environment Agency has defined Groundwater Source Protection Zones for groundwater sources such as wells, boreholes and springs used for public drinking water supply. These zones show the risk of contamination from any activities that might cause pollution in the area. The closer the activity, the greater the risk. Maps are available from the Environment Agency (on their website) showing the extent of Groundwater Source Protection Zones in Croydon.

7.48 The National Planning Policy Framework lists facilities for cemeteries as potentially being acceptable in Green Belt. However, the presumption is that this is for existing cemeteries and that new cemeteries and burial grounds need to demonstrate exceptional circumstances before being permitted in Green Belt (and by default, Metropolitan Open Land).

7.49 Therefore, a new cemetery or burial ground will only be permitted in Metropolitan Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land if it has first been demonstrated that there are no suitable sites outside of Metropolitan Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land. These sites do not have to be within the borough boundary of Croydon. Furthermore, any ancillary facilities associated with a new cemetery or burial ground must be kept to a minimum so that there is no impact on openness of Metropolitan Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land. Existing public access to any site in Metropolitan Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land must also be maintained.

Key supporting documents

• Burial Land Need and Provision Study (2010)

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