Policy information sourced from the Croydon Local Plan

SP4: Urban Design and Local Character

SP4.1:

The Council will require development of a high quality, which respects and enhances Croydon’s varied local character and contributes positively to public realm, landscape and townscape to create sustainable communities. The Council will apply a presumption in favour of development provided it meets the requirements of Policy SP4 and other applicable policies of the development plan.

SP4.2:

The Council will require development to:

  • Be informed by the distinctive qualities, identity, topography and opportunities of the relevant Places of Croydon;
  • Protect Local Designated Views, Croydon Panoramas, the setting of Landmarks, other important vistas and skylines; and
  • Enhance social cohesion and well-being.

SP4.3:

Planning applications in areas identified in SP4.5 as suitable for tall buildings must be supported by an elevation plan of the roof.

Croydon Opportunity Area

SP4.4:

In the Croydon Opportunity Area the Council will support high quality, high density developments that are tailored to and help to protect or establish local identity.

Tall Buildings

SP4.5:

Proposals for tall buildings will be encouraged only in the Croydon Opportunity Area, areas in District Centres and locations where it is in an area around well-connected public transport interchanges and where there are direct physical connections to the Croydon Opportunity Area, Croydon Metropolitan Centre or District Centres. Detailed criteria for the assessment of tall buildings, consideration of the appropriateness of tall buildings on individual sites, and/or in District Centres, will be contained in the Croydon Local Plan’s Detailed Policies and Proposals. Furthermore the Croydon Opportunity Area Planning Framework should be referred to when considering the location and design of tall buildings in the Croydon Opportunity Area.

SP4.6:

Some locations within the areas listed in SP4.5 will be sensitive to, or inappropriate for tall buildings and applications for tall buildings will be required to:

  • Respect and enhance local character and heritage assets;
  • Minimise the environmental impacts and respond sensitively to topography;
  • Make a positive contribution to the skyline and image of Croydon; and
  • Include high quality public realm in their proposals to provide a setting appropriate to the scale and significance of the building and the context of the surrounding area.

Public Realm

SP4.7:

The Council will work with partners (including private land owners) to improve the public realm within the borough.

SP4.8:

The Council with its partners will improve Croydon’s public realm to respect, enhance, create local character and distinctiveness, and integrate with the historic environment.

SP4.9:

The Council will establish a hierarchy of places and key strategic roads as part of a public realm framework which will guide the delivery of public realm improvements to assist regeneration focusing on Croydon’s Metropolitan, District, and Local Centres, Conservation Areas and key strategic roads.

SP4.10:

The Council will establish guidelines for materials and layout for the public realm as part of the borough’s public realm framework.

Character, Conservation and Heritage

SP4.11:

The Council and its partners will promote the use of heritage assets and local character as a catalyst for regeneration and cohesion and to strengthen the sense of place.

SP4.12:

The Council and its partners will respect, and optimise opportunities to enhance, Croydon’s heritage assets, their setting and the historic landscape, including through high quality new development and public realm that respects the local character and is well integrated.

SP4.13:

The Council and its partners will strengthen the protection of and promote improvements to the following heritage assets and their settings

  • Statutory Listed Buildings;
  • Conservation Areas;
  • Registered Historic Parks and Gardens;
  • Scheduled Monuments;
  • Archaeological Priority Areas;
  • Local Heritage Areas;
  • Local List of Buildings of Historic or Architectural Importance;
  • Local List of Historic Parks and Gardens;
  • Croydon Panoramas;
  • Local Designated Landmarks; and
  • Local Designated Views.

SP4.14:

The Council will maintain a regularly updated schedule of Croydon’s designated heritage assets and locally listed heritage assets.

SP4.15:

The Council and its partners will promote improvements to the accessibility of heritage assets to allow enjoyment of the historic environment for all.

For more information please see the Local Plan