A damning report on the state of London's green spaces should be taken as a warning for Croydon, the borough's GLA representative Andrew Pelling has claimed.

The GLA's Green Spaces Investigative Committee report published earlier this month found that between 1989 and 1999 nearly 2,500 acres of green space in London were lost to development - equivalent to 1,500 football pitches.

Residents told the committee that many green spaces are "nothing but dog toilets", making them unusable and resulting in many parents stopping their children from playing in them.

This makes them vulnerable to development for other uses because they are perceived to be underused.

Mr Pelling said he hopes the report will put Croydon Council on guard and has called for measures to be taken to control over-development and dilapidation.

He said: "Residents in Croydon will recognise many of these London-wide problems in our own area."

He cites the roadway being built through Addington Park to the Addington Palace and noisy trail-bikers in Addington Vale as two of the forces contributing to the problem in Croydon.

"I hope this report will encourage the local authority to invest in our local green spaces and to ensure that this vital part of London life is maintained to the highest standards."

However, a council spokesman said between 1989 and 1999 Croydon's green space actually increased with the opening of the 125-acre South Norwood Park.

Croydon's cabinet member for culture, Councillor Raj Chandarana, said he believed the council is actually doing a lot, including the introduction of park keepers to the major urban parks, a new skate park at Wandle Park, a joint scheme with housing to improve play areas in Shrublands and in Green Lane, and £900,000 of funding on Canterbury Road Rec.

He said the council does have powers under the GLA to call in planning applications for developments on designated metropolitan open space.

"We do need to look very carefully at such applications, especially in the north of the borough," he said. "Some boroughs may take short cuts but we are very aware of the need to look at reasons why open spaces have been allowed to become overgrown or dumping grounds."

Meanwhile, of the Government's 81 parks and green spaces in England recently awarded Green Flag status, 13 were in London but none were in Croydon.

November 23, 2001 11:00