Croydon council announced in the Croydon and Sutton Guardian on 26 December 2019 that it planned on disposing of 195 sq metres of land adjacent to Heath Lodge which is located in Grangewood Park.

Croydon council previously gave an undertaking that they would never sell off any part of our parks and green spaces. There was NO consultation with the Friends Of Grangewood Park (FOGP) or the London Wildlife Trust who have identified that a Grangewood Park is one of the last existing parts of the ancient Great North Wood.

In February 2020 the council issued a press release following protests saying it would NO longer sell the lodge and would engage with the community about future use.

No consultation was forthcoming. In November 2020 the council went bankrupt and in 2021 the council revealed it would be selling community assets including Heath Lodge and a larger strip of land of 225 sq metres. Despite extensive objections and a 4,500 petition presented to the full council meeting the administration has ploughed on with these proposals. This is the third time the council has tried to sell off the lodge.

There is an area of ancient woodland right next to where the land is to disposed of thereby directly threatening the future of this special area.  Croydon council is also acting in direct contradiction to its own policies on increasing the green areas in the borough including the council’s Local Plan is also still being consulted.

Additionally there hasn't been sufficient proof that the council actually owns the land it is planning on disposing of. The council has acted in an underhand and disingenuous way in order to bulldoze this proposal through.

They need to be stopped in their tracks otherwise it will give them the green light to sell off more green spaces and parks as they wish.