A green space next to Duppas Hill Recreation Ground is the site for 126 new flats.

Plans for three new buildings between two and five storeys tall have been given the green light by Croydon Council’s planning committee.

The patch of land in Waddon is next to Old School Place and Busy Bees Nursery.

The 1.7 hectare plot is part of a bigger piece of land – the rest of this is earmarked for a new school.

The plans, from London Strategic Land, include 90 spaces for new residents as well as 24 for Busy Bees Nursery. And 230 cycle spaces will also be provided.

There would be a play area and open space at the centre of the development and it is expected to include 38 affordable homes.

Overall, 22 people objected to the plans with some living in Old School Place concerned that the new development would impact on their daylight and that the new flats would overlook their homes.

Catherine Bruce from Savills, agent for the application, said: “We’ve carefully considered members comments particularly a pedestrian route to Waddon Station which is part of this application.”

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The red area will be redeveloped into 126 new flats

She added that a construction management plan will be produced to reduce the impact on Busy Bees Nursery.

But councillor for the Waddon ward Robert Canning spoke against the plans saying that it should not be approved.

“The magnitude of the development and the difficulty of reaching the site means that residents of Old School Place will suffer over two years of disruption during the construction phase. 36 HGVs a day are expected to travel to this site each day.”

He said that the construction vehicles will be clogging up residential roads and would be dangerous to people in the area.

The planning committee took on board Cllr Canning’s concerns.

As part of the approval a condition was included that the applicant must look at whether construction traffic comes via Duppas Hill Road.

If it is not possible for the construction traffic to go via Duppas Hill Road the application will come before the planning committee again.

The plans were passed with six votes in favour and four abstentions.