Concerned residents fear losing a community centre will lead to more violence on the streets of New Addington.

Croydon Council said the Addington Community Association (ACA) building in Central Parade will be sold off. 

A young man was stabbed in the same street  on the same night the decision was rubber-stamped by the council’s cabinet last Monday (March 21).

Community members gathered for a meeting of Renew New Addington (ReNA) on Monday (March 28) to discuss the loss of the vital hub.

The weekly group was set up by rapper Still Shadey, real name Luke Peters, who has lived in New Addington for most of his life.

The 26-year-old said if there were more community facilities on the estate that young person might not have been stabbed. 

He said: “The timing of everything is heartbreaking for me, just the fact that I got a phone call that a young man was stabbed that same evening.

“I met the young person, I was standing with that same young man looking at the ACA the next day. The irony is we are trying to stop this from happening.”

He added: “This isn’t us against the council, ReNA is going forward to really help renew Addington.”

The meeting heard from police officers who said after the 19-year-old man was stabbed, the force issued four Section 60 notices between Tuesday and Friday following intelligence a fight was planned.

The fight didn’t take place but the notice allowed police to stop and search people without suspicion.

The closure of the ACA will mean the New Addington Amateur Boxing Club, which has has been based on the estate for more than 50 years, will have to find a new home.

One woman at the meeting said her daughter was scared to go to Central Parade by herself and is worried things will get worse for young people with nothing to do.

She said: “Addington is always forgotten. We are losing all our youth services. My daughter is scared to go over the parade, our youths are struggling, there is nothing for them to do.”

A resident of 28 years said losing the ACA was the latest loss for the estate.

He said: “No matter who has been in power we’ve lost pretty much all of our services here. We’ve lost council services, the job centre, mental health services and now the ACA is being taken away. New Addington is a unique community and you need services for the community.”

Last week, Councillor Callton Young, cabinet member for resources and financial governance said: “Sale of the old community centre will now make way for the promised multi-million pound health hub for residents.

“When we leased the old centre to the local boxing club, we were clear this was a temporary arrangement.

"We have a good track record of helping the club’s work for the local community, including donating a boxing ring and will continue to help however possible.”

The cabinet member said the sale of the building is part of a masterplan to regenerate New Addington Central Parade which was consulted on in 2018.

Croydon Council was contacted for further comment but is now in the pre-election period known as purdah.

This puts restrictions on topics the press office can comment on.