Policy information sourced from the Croydon Local Plan

SP5: Community Facilities

SP5.1:

The Council will have a presumption in favour of new development provided it is in accord with Policy SP5 and other applicable policies of the development plan and it contributes to the provision of infrastructure and community facilities through Community Infrastructure Levy and planning obligations requirements.

Health and wellbeing

SP5.2:

The Council and its partners will create and safeguard opportunities for healthy, fulfilling and active lifestyles by:

  • Working in partnership with the health authorities to improve health in Croydon;
  • Ensuring new developments provide opportunity for healthy living by the encouragement of walking and cycling, good housing design, sufficient open space and opportunity for recreation and sound safety standards;
  • Improving education and skills training in Croydon and encouraging life-long learning; and
  • Promoting the growth and expansion of further and higher education to improve skills and act as a driver of growth and enterprise in the local economy.

SP5.3:

The Council and its partners will encourage the creation of healthy and liveable neighbourhoods by:

  • Ensuring the provision of a network of community facilities, providing essential public services; and
  • Protecting existing community facilities that still serve, or have the ability to serve, the needs of the community.

Providing new community facilities

SP5.4:

The pattern, scale and quality of community and education facilities will be adjusted:

  • To meet the evolving needs of the community;
  • To improve service provision; and
  • To support housing and employment growth.

SP5.5:

Community facilities will be well designed and located so as to be accessible to all sections of the community where they provide an on-site service. The Council and its partners will encourage and plan for the co-location of services where this provides convenience to the user and resource efficiency and can be achieved in a timely way. Detailed location and site allocation policies are set out in the Detailed Policies and Proposals of the Croydon Local Plan.

SP5.6:

The Council will support and enable the provision and improvement of places of worship. Criteria can be found in Policy DM19.2.

SP5.7:

The Council will support the temporary occupation of empty buildings and cleared sites for community uses where they contribute to regeneration and enhance the character of the area.

Burial space

SP5.8:

The Council will plan and provide additional space for burials. The site or sites will be selected through a study and should meet the following criteria:

  • Meet burial needs until at least 2031 and be of sufficient size for that purpose;
  • Be suitable for burial of all groups and faiths;
  • Be accessible to all sections of the community; and
  • Meet technical requirements for burial including the avoidance of risk to aquifers.

Education and skills

SP5.9:

The Council will support investment in the improvement and expansion of primary and secondary schools and special schools to meet the needs of the community and its growing population.

SP5.10:

The Council will support investment in new schools by identifying sites for new schools in the Croydon Local Plan.

SP5.11:

Children’s Centres and pre-school facilities will be provided, enhanced and updated in alignment with the growing population.

SP5.12:

The Council will support the growth and improvement of further and higher education in the borough and in particular seek to bring a university or ‘multiversity’ to Croydon. Subject to progress, the Croydon Local Plan will define a campus location at a suitable site with high public transport accessibility.

SP5.13:

The Council will seek to encourage the new university/multiversity to be a centre for innovation, enterprise and associated employment.

SP5.14:

The Council will support skills training and further education of residents by modernising and enhancing the quality of libraries, assisting home learning and training at work, and supporting adult education and training.

SP5.15:

The Council will work with higher and further education services to better provide for the needs of employment and life enhancement training.

For more information please see the Local Plan