Comments on: Beware: American property developers are coming to Croydon

By: Ian Marvin

Ian Marvin — Thu, 23 Nov 2017 12:18:00 +0000

So far as far as I’m aware the tallest off-site constructed building in Croydon is 11 stories; Alexandra House in Dingwall Road. It was primarily built that way for speed, as it used Mayor of London funds which had a deadline attached.

By: Ian Marvin

Ian Marvin — Thu, 23 Nov 2017 12:15:00 +0000

Embarrassingly your book is still by my bed waiting to be read! I’ll probably write something once I’ve read it with regard to the Croydon context, although of course Sean has provided some excellent insight here. It would be great to get your comments once I’ve produced something.

By: Ian Marvin

Ian Marvin — Thu, 23 Nov 2017 12:11:00 +0000

I think we can all agree that longer term private rented accommodation leases would be a big positive for the community. Large developments of one bedroom flats are also needed, but we have little provision for natural progression to larger family properties within the area, this will definitely have long term adverse consequences as we try to maintain a balanced society.

By: Robert Ward

Robert Ward — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 14:58:00 +0000

Thanks Sean. I see here a good deal of ideology rather than looking at solutions for the housing market. Two stand-out problems for me are security of tenure given that an increasing number of families with children are in private rented accommodation which is typically let on a one year tenancy, and the lack of professionalism of some private landlords, more than 90% of whom have only one or two properties.

Bringing more professional landlords into the private rented sector is part of the solution and one that I welcome. Not only does that improve the quality of the offering to prospective tenants of a better service including longer tenancies, it also removes the threat of owners wanting their property back.

In the UK owner-occupiers are a key part of the market and one that has declined in recent years. Doing something about that is also important and edging towards a professional private rented sector with the smaller private landlords slowly selling out to owner-occupiers will help in this too.

By: Andrew Kennedy

Andrew Kennedy — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 08:32:00 +0000

There’s no doubt that American style housing is coming to Britain. Sadiq Kahn has been advocating modular buildings as a way to quickly construct new housing. 101 George Street, former Essex House, opposite East Croydon Station will be built by the American company Tide Construction and their UK company Vision Modular System , in two prefabricated towers 38 and 44 storeys high. The main point here is that it is a modular construction like stacking containers on top of one another. This is fairly new to Britain and has been used mostly to date, for hotels (Travelodge) and for student accommodation. Benefits are that all services are plumbed in in the factory and all that has to be done is to connect them to a central service core. For 44 stories I imagine (and I am imaging here because I have not studied the detail yet) they will build a skeletan steel framework into which they will slot the modules. See the photographs which can be accessed via their Design and Access Statement on the Council’s website. Search for ref 17/04201/FUL on the Councils Planning App page http://publicaccess2.croydon.gov.uk/online-applications/
All the flats will be “build to rent”, 63% will be one bedroom and 30% two bedroom flats. Once more a ludicrous figure of 748 bicycle spaces will be provided. (Someone should tell them that Croydon is not that good for cycling and I say that as an advocate of cycling where it is possible). Car parking only for disabled. We wait to see how long the leases are for. Other questions might be, for how long will the building last? Are these buildings any safer than traditionally built ones? How easy are they to maintain? What standard of accommodation do they offer. Many of these questions are addressed in the D&A Statement referenced above. Being built to rent, the landlords can charge whatever rent the market will stand and for whatever period they deem most profitable. Why would they do anything else.

By: Glyn Robbins

Glyn Robbins — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 09:37:00 +0000

Thanks for such a thorough review/overview Sean. Looks like I could have subtitled the book ‘The American housing crisis and what it means for Croydon’! These are worrying times. Housing is at a crossroads, as clearly illustrated by what’s happening in your neck of the woods. But there is a growing campaign of resistance demanding an alternative for decent, secure, truly affordable and safe homes for all. We’ll be protesting outside parliament tomorrow with our alternative budget for homes and this Saturday is the national housing summit, 11am at NUT head office, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place (opposite the British Library).