Many thanks to those of you who helped with the Sophie’s A-level Geography project. 59 people filled in her survey, just over 60% of them living in CR0 neigbourhoods. Of these 66% thought the reputation of East Croydon has improved since regeneration started and 34% believed it hasn’t.

In general, the respondents felt that regeneration has improved the safety of the area. However

• 52% felt there are not enough police on the streets
• 17% had been a victim of crime in the East Croydon area in the last 5 years.

51% had no concerns about regeneration. Those that did were worried about

• increased population putting additional pressures on public services such as GP surgeries and schools
• lack of green space
• loss of a community feeling
• insufficient, affordable housing
• increased traffic
• too many high rise buildings
• lack of additional parking for residents
• lack of capacity on public transport

The majority of the descriptions of East Croydon were positive, including

• Up and coming
• New, young, trying, rogue, character
• A friendly, mixed neighbourhood.
• Inner city, good public transport
• Diverse, vibrant, busy
• Improving, connected, edgy
• Home, future, life, family, community.
• Good location, multicultural, good range of restaurants.
• Interesting, funky, tasty, well-connected
• Reasonable place to raise family
• Potential, urban, opportunity, exciting, needed
• Multi-cultural, buzzing, safer, hippy

Others were more mixed and some were wholly negative

• Urban, diverse, deprived, immigration, busy
• Modern, multi-cultural, over-crowded, smart
• Dirty, messy, hectic
• Unsightly buildings, congested traffic, impersonal.
• Tired, scruffy, dull, run down.
• Ugly, impersonal, buildings taking over
• The centre of lost opportunities