TWO huge developments with the potential to change the face of Coulsdon were passed by Croydon Council last week.
And, on paper at least, both each decision would appear to be simply a no-brainer.
As our feature on house prices this week suggests, we have a shortage of properties in Croydon, which is in turn driving up prices and reducing people's ability to get on the property ladder.
Therefore, on a disused, vacant site like Cane Hill, surely the building of new homes is the best possible way forward – and exactly the sort of development opportunity required to meet the housing need.
Similarly, the Lion Green Road car park in Coulsdon town centre is, frankly, a fairly redundant eyesore – yet the location is great.
Perfect, in fact, for a supermarket – which is exactly what is going to take the space.
All good? Well, not quite.
As a meeting last Friday, attended by around 150 people, shows there are plenty of dissenting voices.
There is no doubting that local residents have some real, legitimate concerns about these developments – especially the extra congestion and pressure on infrastructure the 677 homes at Cane Hill could bring.
But when you hear of judicial reviews and such protests being talked about, the alarm bells do start to ring slightly.
Yes, there is perhaps a discussion to be had about the volume of homes and some of the finer detail here.
But the bottom line, the silent majority would argue (if they weren't so silent), is that Coulsdon – like the rest of Croydon – needs new homes and could probably do with a bigger supermarket.
Two vacant sites = housing and retail problem solved.
It might not be quite that simple, and residents have every right to flag up their concerns.
But on the whole, these feel like sensible solutions to obvious needs.
