Frustrated residents claim Croydon Council will push through its large-scale building plans for the borough.

People in Crystal Palace have clashed with the council over plans to build high-rise flats in Auckland Rise and Sylvan Hill, Crystal Palace.

During the consultations between the contracted property developer Brick by Brick and locals, only nine per cent were supportive of the proposals on June 29.

Things got worse after a second round of consultations on August 17 when three per cent of those questioned said they backed the plans.

The frustration reached a point that Steve Reed, MP for Croydon North, sent a letter to the council seeking clarification.

Rob de la Poer, from Sylvan Hill, said: “There are gaps between existing housing blocks so they are going to fill them in with more buildings.

“Some of them are going to be within a few metres of existing houses with views into their property. It will be turned from being a nice green estate into wall to wall development.”

The developments are part of Croydon Council’s plans to build 1,000 new high quality and affordable homes across the borough by 2019.

However Mr de la Poer believes they will be ‘affordable’ only in the definition of the term set out by the Government.

Mr de la Poer said: “The people on our estate are mostly working class people. All it will do is provide a new housing stock for private landlords.”

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A campaign group in central Croydon called Save Shirley also clashed with the council over separate large-scale residential plans.

Labour councillor and Croydon Council leader Tony Newman had dismissed the group as a “Tory front” but the Labour MP for Croydon North also has significant issues with the council’s plans.

Mr Reed said: “There is a desperate need for more housing in Croydon, but in many parts of the north of our borough the population is already stretched to the limit.

“We don’t have enough school places, GPs, police, public transport or space on the roads to accommodate more people without additional investment first.

“I want to see housing prioritised in areas where these problems are less acute and there is more land available to build on, and any housing development should only be taken forward with the consent of people already living in the area.

“Residents in Auckland Rise and Sylvan Hill have raised serious concerns they would like the council to address.”

The people of Croydon increasingly feel as though all their efforts will be ignored as the council pushes the plans through regardless, claimed Mr de la Poer.

He said: “We will be able to object the plans at the planning process but we will be objecting to the very people who want this to go through in the first place.

“They are just doing it anyway, residents be damned, because the government said to build more housing.”

Cllr Newman said: "Brick by Brick is a fantastic scheme that takes control of house-building in Croydon and will provide much needed affordable homes for local people.

"There is a housing shortage across the country, but Croydon residents deserve more than being homeless or stuck in temporary accommodation long term because they are unable to afford to rent or buy.

"It’s sad to think this Christmas there will still be families in Croydon who are without a permanent roof over their heads.

"We as a council are committed to supporting those in need in our borough by making sure we continue to do all that’s within our power to provide affordable homes for local people."

A spokesperson from Croydon Council said: “All plans for new development in the borough will be fully and impartially assessed through the planning process and this will give local people the opportunity to formally voice concerns. Large scale proposals also face scrutiny from the Mayor of London.”