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Croydon Council unveils demolition proposal for flats featured in ITV investigation
Croydon Council has unveiled a series of options for the future refurbishment or demolition of an estate that was featured in an ITV News documentary highlighting poor social housing conditions.
The local authority has set out options for the future of homes at the Regina Road Estate, such as refurbishing or demolishing and redeveloping the South Norwood-based development.
Croydon Council was heavily criticised by an independent report into tenant conditions commissioned in the wake of the ITV documentary, which dubbed the flats on Regina Road as among “the worst in Britain”.
The report was published in March and said the council was still failing to treat residents with respect one year on.
In August, Croydon Council called on tenants to scrutinise proposals for a new and improved repairs service.
The authority’s plan comes after an in-depth review into the construction of the 1960s housing blocks, the recurring repair issues and poor conditions in homes, and conversations with residents to understand their views and experiences.
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A cabinet report published by the Council on 10 November outlined the options for Regina Road and seeks approval from Croydon mayor Jason Perry to begin formal consultation with residents on next steps for the future of their homes and local community.
Mr Perry said: “When I became mayor I pledged to sort out the unacceptable conditions in our council homes and to listen to residents, working with them to put things right. This is an important step towards achieving this.
“Years of underinvestment in Regina Road means residents have faced unacceptable disrepair and housing conditions, with a council service that fell below the standards it should be providing to tenants.
“As I said on my first visit to Regina Road, it will take some time to make significant and lasting change for tenants. This is why our focus must now turn to the longer term – ensuring we treat our tenants with respect in every interaction they have with the council and bringing our housing stock up to standard now and for generations to come.
“I look forward to continuing to work with tenants and leaseholders as together we determine the future of their estate and their homes.”
According to Croydon Council, tenants and leaseholders have already had the opportunity to provide initial feedback on the option of redeveloping or refurbishing their estate, which has informed the report.
If approved by the cabinet, wider consultation will be launched with every resident living at Regina Road. This will seek to understand their individual circumstances, concerns and hopes for the future of their estate.
This builds on work by housing officers, who have run regular drop-ins at the estate since 2021 and established the Regina Road Reference Group to amplify the voice of residents.
The council is looking at the future of Regina Road as part of its housing improvement plan, which looks to transform its housing services across the board.
At the heart of this plan is the need to ensure tenants are treated with respect in every interaction with the council and provided with warm, safe and dry homes that they are proud to live in.
Through its improvement plan, the council is also taking a wider focus to make sure it is properly assessing and surveying its stock, making sure it meets residents’ needs with modern social housing for years to come.
Croydon Council stated: “Exact details on options for the Regina Road Estate will be developed in due course, weighing up resident feedback alongside considerations such as cost and meeting evolving building regulations.
“The council will ensure every resident moved or decanted from their homes during possible refurbishment or redevelopment work will be guaranteed to return to the estate if they wish to.”
If the plans are approved, the council expects a decision on the future of the estate by spring 2023.
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