Developer challenges ministerial refusal for 17-story tower block

A property developer is taking legal action against Communities Secretary James Brokenshire after he refused planning permission for a 17-storey tower block in Purley.

The London Borough of Croydon, which gave permission for the project, is an interested party in the case.

Developer Thornsett Group had won permission from the council for its Mosaic Place scheme and this was later agreed by the mayor of London.

It would provide 220 homes, 39 of them through Optivo Housing Association, new accommodation for Purley Baptist Church, an indoor double-height sports hall and a 450 seat auditorium on a brownfield site which the company said had been derelict for 30 years.

Seven residents associations in the surrounding area objected and a planning inquiry took place after which the Planning Inspectorate recommended approval.

The residents’ associations then lobbied Croydon South’s Conservative MP Chris Philp to take the matter to Brokenshire, who has now ruled against it, citing concerns mainly around the height and design.

Thornsett’s executive chairman Gerard Cunningham said: “The discrepancy between the recommendation of the planning inspector and the Secretary of State’s decision is a cause of deep concern, particularly given that Purley may now be deprived of 220 new homes, significant community facilities and the catalyst for much needed regeneration.”

A joint statement by the residents’ associations said their objections included the standard of design, the tower’s height and the impact on a local heritage area.