A large office block will be demolished to make way for a mixed development of private and affordable housing and commercial office space.

Last night members of Croydon Council's planning committee granted permission for developers Workspace Group to pull down Lombard House on the Purley Way.

In its place will be a complex of buildings ranging in height from three to six storeys, consisting of 96 homes, as well as 2,296 sqm of commercial floor space for offices and light industry uses.

The homes will include 31 affordable homes available to rent, 13 one-bedroom, six two-bedroom, 10 x three-bedroom and two four-bedroom homes.

The remaining homes will be made up of 19 one bed, 42 two bed, three three bed and one four bedroom.

A car park of 57 spaces and a cycle store for 198 bicycles will be included in the plan. Councillors considered 24 letters of objection, and a petition against the development with 121 signatures concerned about the height, increase in traffic and pressure on existing infrastructure.

Despite this the committee granted permission.