Planning Application 12/01114/P.

Queens Arms. 40 Portland Road, 3/5 Doyle Road, SE25 4PQ

Demolition of existing buildings; erection of three/four storey's building comprising a 58 room hotel (Use Class C1) with associated accommodation; widening of an existing vehicular access onto Doyle Road and provision of associated parking (amended description). Notices are on lampposts.

Croydon Council Planning Department Notification Letter of 6.3.2013.:- 'At the Strategic Planning Committee on the 28 February the Committee resolved to refuse the above planning application. Following this resolution the Council received amendments to the above application responding to the concerns raised by members of the Committee. The National Planning Policy Framework states that local planning authorities should positively seek opportunities to meet the development needs of their area. Accordingly, the revised drawings have been accepted for further consultation before a final decision is taken on the application by the Committee. If you wish to make any comments on the revised scheme, these should reach me by 20/03/2013.

Following the Planning Committee Refusal on Thursday 28th February, Event Investments Limited have managed, with lightning speed to submit amended plans, dated Tuesday 05 March 2013, these were uploaded to the Planning website 4.20pm that day. Amazing service by the Planning Department.

The amendment reads:- '05 March 2013- building line set back on corner angle, trees and benches added, disabled car port added.'

And yet:-

  • There is no alteration to the frontage of Portland Road, therefore loss historical open space.
  • The building is still 4/3 stories high.
  • The height, size and massing remains unaltered.
  • This development is unsympathetic to the Portland Road & Doyle Road street scene.
  • No account has been taken to it being adjacent to the conservation area.
  • It remains a 58 room, 72 bed hotel with limited catering facilities in each room.
  • No other catering facilities are provided.
  • The three disabled rooms are located on the first, second and third floors, none to ground floor.
  • Residents communal amenities areas (lounges) have been lost.
  • The amenities for the Biznest meeting / conference rooms are not fit for purpose.

Target guests are:- IT contractors / Airline staff / Audit teams / Exhibition companies / Conference delegates / Short course students / Cost conscious travellers. There is no restaurant, each room having it's own limited catering facilities. The majority of rooms are single and very small. Hardly appropriate for a business hotel.

The developers say it will bring employment to the area, has good transport links ~ not as good as Croydon ~ that people staying there would be eating in the local area ~ airline pilots and businessmen, are hardly likely to stay in Portland Road, in a £50.00 a night room with a single bed and cook your own breakfast. Croydon has cheaper, classier hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs, cinemas, theatre and far better transport links to Gatwick and London.

So, what are the long term prospects for a build to fail 58 room Biznest Hotel? With Croydon council by its own admission experiencing its worst ever crisis of housing homeless people in bed and breakfast, concern is that the proposed hotel will become an hostel. Conditions on any approval, as proposed by the Developer and Planning Department can easily be overcome by a subsequent Application.

In "Your Croydon". Issue 57. December 2012 - February 2013. The leader of Croydon Council, Coun. Mike Fisher wrote 'and we're committed to supporting residents views' Clearly the Planning Committee didn't listen because 56 residents objected to this proposal. Both The Norwood Society and North Croydon Conservation Area Advisory Panel lodged well founded, strong objections.

Gavin Barwell M.P. and Coun. Steve O'Connell deputy leader and our Greater London Assembly member objected.

People for Portland Road objected but are "happy in principal" with development, along with 1 resident.

If you don't want this monster, fortress like building dominating your neighbourhood you can write a letter to the address below. Or you can see the application online at the Croydon Planning website, putting in the number 12/01114/P, Queens Arms, 40 Portland Road, 3-5 Doyle Road, where an objection or comment can be registered. If your letter is one of objection, you must actually say "I object" otherwise it's just a comment. Any of the above reasons listed * should be used.

Letters by post or delivered by hand should be addressed to:- The Planning Officer, Croydon Council, 17th Floor, Taberner House, Park Lane, Croydon, CR9 1JT.

Deadline for objections is Wednesday 20th March 2013.