Housing

The council’s housing strategy is in general conformity with the Mayor’s strategy. The council’s six strategic housing objectives for 2011/15 are to:

1. Optimise the supply of new housing
2. Protect and improving existing housing
3. Provide customer-focussed housing advice and options (including dealing with homelessness)
4. Sustain strong, successful and thriving communities
5. Achieve and sustain independence through housing support
6. Improve health and well-being through decent homes and neighbourhoods

One of the council’s major challenges is dealing with rising homelessness. It is a major priority to source accommodation for homeless households in Croydon and elsewhere that is affordable for benefit claimants.

The Core Strategy shows where and how new development is planned locally up to 2031. Over the period 2011-31 the Council will seek to deliver 20,200 homes. The centre of Croydon has the greatest potential for regeneration and growth and has been identified as an “opportunity area” in the Mayor of London’s 2011 London Plan. The Council plans to create a new residential community of 7,300 households in that area and encourage the creation of new jobs and businesses, and the places of Waddon, Purley, Coulsdon, Broad Green and Selhurst will also play a substantial role as locations for growth. Development will be guided to ensure that land is used efficiently and that development addresses the need for different types of homes and contributes to the creation or maintenance of sustainable communities. Developments which would result in a net loss of homes or residential land will not be permitted.