The Old Dairy, Croydon

New affordable homes proposed for The Old Dairy, Thornton Heath

Stay informed

Social Capital Partners is bringing forward plans to deliver 102 high-quality, 100% affordable homes on a long-empty site in Thornton Heath, Croydon.

The Old Dairy is a long-empty site at the junction of Bensham Lane, Woodcroft Road, Lodge Road and Mayday Road in Thornton Heath. Social Capital Partners, working with architects Darling Associates and landscape architects Match, is proposing to build 102 high-quality, 100% affordable homes here.
The proposals have been developed through ongoing discussions with Croydon Council and are now moving towards a formal planning application. We are keeping local residents and neighbours informed as the plans develop, and are happy to answer any questions you may have.

The site has stood empty for a number of years and is currently just an unused concrete surface.

It sits at a prominent junction in Thornton Heath, with good bus links and easy reach of Thornton Heath and West Croydon stations. Bringing this empty land back into use for affordable housing is at the heart of these proposals.

Concilio Communications
Concilio
Communications
Darling Associates Architects Architect
Darling Associates Architects
Architect
Total Planning Planning Consultant
Total Planning
Planning Consultant
SocialCapitalPartners Developer
SocialCapitalPartners
Developer

The scheme has been designed by Darling Associates Architects and is made up of three parts:

a corner building on Bensham Lane, a residential block along Woodcroft Road, and a row of family houses to the rear, all arranged around a shared landscaped courtyard.

102 affordable homes for Croydon A mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments alongside 11 family-sized houses, all 100% affordable, on a site that has been empty for years.
An active corner café A ground-floor café on the Bensham Lane junction brings life to the street corner and creates a welcoming public-facing frontage.
A landscaped communal courtyard Play space, community growing areas, an informal lawn and social seating at the heart of the scheme, inspired by the character of a traditional London mews.
A design that fits the local area The buildings draw on the brick tones and banding of the adjacent Mayday House, sitting comfortably alongside the existing streets and terraces.
Green roofs and better drainage Green roofs, native planting and a drainage channel through the courtyard support local wildlife and help manage rainwater sustainably across the site.
Family homes in the back garden Eleven three-bedroom houses designed for families, carefully laid out to avoid overlooking neighbouring properties and gardens.
  • The corner building and main block
The six-storey corner building sits at the junction of Bensham Lane and Mayday Road, with a café at ground level. Its design is inspired by the brick and banding of the Mayday House next door. The main residential block runs along Woodcroft Road, rising gradually from three to five storeys, with private gardens for ground-floor residents.
  • The family houses and shared courtyard
Eleven three-bedroom houses for families sit at the rear of the site, arranged around a shared courtyard. The courtyard includes a play area for younger children, space for growing food, an informal lawn and a drainage channel that doubles as a landscape feature, creating a pleasant shared space for all residents.

Project timeline

2024–2025

Pre-application discussions with Croydon Council to develop and refine the proposals.

2024–2025

Updated proposals presented to Croydon Council, incorporating officer feedback.

2024–2025

Local residents and neighbours informed ahead of planning application submission.

Forthcoming

Planning application submitted to Croydon Council. Details to follow.

Get in touch with the project team

We are keeping local residents and neighbours informed as these proposals move through the planning process. If you have any questions about the plans or would like to find out more, please get in touch with the project team directly.

Once a planning application has been submitted, you will also be able to view and comment on it through the Croydon Council planning portal.

Summary

Stay informed about The Old Dairy proposals

Sign up below to receive updates on the progress of these proposals, including when the planning application is submitted to Croydon Council.