"We really value the time we’ve spent with the local community, coordinated by Big Local Broad Green, to create the proposals for this space. These partnerships are so needed for developments to be able to contribute positively to their local area."
The plans, which can be viewed here, will transform the hard-landscaped forecourt of Zodiac Court, at 161-165 London Road, into ‘Broad Green Common’, opening up the space to visitors and passers-by. Local residents are being invited to show their support for the new garden and pavilion by leaving comments online, or emailing hello@biglocalbroadgreen.org
The proposal has been put together in collaboration with resident-led local community group, Big Local Broad Green, which has funded close to 50 West Croydon groups and projects since it started in 2016. Once the planning application is approved by the Council, Common, landscape designer Planit-IE and Big Local Broad Green will progress the designs further with local people, jointly deciding what the gardens should contain and how the space can best serve its community. For example, it could contain a play area, food-growing spaces, perhaps an outdoor gym, with space in the pavilion used by local community groups for events and classes.
As part of the strategy to re-use what is already built, Common has sourced the timber pavilion for the forecourt café from a development by Urban Splash in Cambridge; the pavilion, in almost-new condition, was designed by shedkm as a marketing suite but was no longer needed.