Policy information sourced from the Croydon Local Plan

SP7: Green Grid

SP7.1:

In order to deliver new and enhanced green infrastructure commensurate with growth the Council will apply a presumption in favour of development provided applications assist in the delivery of a Green Grid and meet the requirements of Policy SP7 and other applicable policies of the development plan.

Green spaces

SP7.2:

The Council will protect and safeguard the extent of the borough’s Metropolitan Green Belt, Metropolitan Open Land and local green spaces.

SP7.3:

The Council will establish a network of multi-functional open spaces, a ‘Green Grid’, comprising those parts of the All London Green Grid together with other green spaces within the borough as shown in Figure 9.1. The Council and its partners will:

  • Seek the provision and creation of new green spaces. With particular focus for areas deficient in access to nature, play areas, and publicly accessible recreational open space;
  • Improve access and links to and through green spaces to encourage walking, cycling and horse-riding;
  • Assist in the delivery of the Mayor’s All London Green Grid through the implementation of the London Downlands and Wandle Valley Area Frameworks;
  • Maintain and improve the quality, function and offer of open spaces across the borough for all users; and
  • Maximise opportunities for street tree planting, green roofs, green walls and green landscaping to assist urban cooling in a changing climate.

Biodiversity

SP7.4:

The Council and its partners will enhance biodiversity across the borough, assist ecological restoration and address spatial deficiencies in access to nature by:

  • Protecting and enhancing sites of importance for biological and geological diversity;
  • Improving the quality of current sites through habitat management;
  • Exploring options to increase the size of wildlife areas of existing sites and creating new areas for wildlife;
  • Enhancing connections between, or joining up sites, either through direct physical corridors, or through a series of linked sites;
  • Reducing the pressures on wildlife and sensitive sites by improving the wider environment around wildlife sites by establishing buffer areas; and
  • Promoting the naturalisation of landscapes and the enhancement of Croydon’s natural landscape signatures.

Productive landscapes

SP7.5:

The Council and its partners will support the role of productive landscapes by:

  • Protecting and enhancing allotments, community gardens and woodland;
  • Supporting food growing, tree planting and forestry, including the temporary utilisation of cleared sites; and encouraging major residential developments to incorporate edible planting and growing spaces at multiple floor levels; and
  • Ensuring landscaping is flexible so that spaces may be adapted for growing opportunities.

For more information please see the Local Plan