®Planning appeal decision
96 Portland Road, South Norwood, Surrey, SE25 4PJ
Planning appeal 6005745 at 96 Portland Road, South Norwood, Surrey, SE25 4PJ (London Borough of Croydon) was dismissed on 20 May 2026 by Inspector Heppell J, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area with particular reference to the South Norwood Conservation Area.
conversion of vacant shop into 1no x 2 bedroom self contained flat
- Authority
- London Borough of Croydon
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Change of use
- Inspector
- Heppell J
- Postcode
- SE25 4PJ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area with particular reference to the South Norwood Conservation Area
- whether the proposal would provide suitable living conditions for future occupiers with particular reference to internal space
- the effect of the proposal on on-street parking and the highways network
- whether the proposal would provide adequate cycle storage
What decided it
The harm to the conservation area from loss of historic shopfront features, combined with inadequate internal space standards and inability to secure the development as genuinely car-free, collectively outweighed the benefits of housing delivery.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- London Plan Policy D3London Plan Policy D4London Plan Policy D6London Plan Policy HC1London Plan Policy T4London Plan Policy T5London Plan Policy T6Croydon Local Plan Policy SP4Croydon Local Plan Policy SP8Croydon Local Plan Policy SP8.12Croydon Local Plan Policy SP8.13Croydon Local Plan Policy DM10Croydon Local Plan Policy DM18Croydon Local Plan Policy DM29Croydon Local Plan Policy DM30
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 215Paragraph 57Paragraph 58
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in London Borough of Croydon
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026
- Dismissed26 October 202660131107 Quadrant Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon, CR7 7DB
- Dismissed22 October 2026601430177-81, North End, Croydon, CR0 1TJ
- Dismissed22 October 202660096413 The Spinney, Off Warren Road, Purley, CR8 1AB
- Dismissed21 October 20266011277770 London Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 6JB
- Dismissed8 October 2026601058811 Chatsworth Road, Croydon, CR0 1HE
The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.