English Partnerships and LBC are working closely to consider the future of the Cane Hill site. A team of specialist consultants has been appointed and has conducted a series of site surveys over the past few months. This has led to the production of a report which sets out the criteria to explore a range of development options.

These options will assess a number of possible uses on the site as well as consider the development capacity and character. The community will be consulted on the options over the coming months in order to progress them and ensure the Hospital site is developed in a way that maximises the benefits for the local community.

We are aware that there have been many consultation events in Coulsdon over the last few years including the Coulsdon Area Regeneration Strategy, the construction of the bypass and environmental improvement proposals for the Brighton Road being put forward by the Council and Transport for London (TfL) as one of the Mayor’s 100 spaces for London. We are working closely with LBC to ensure that consultation on the Cane Hill site is linked with the Council’s initiatives to get the best out of all these schemes and to try to avoid ‘consultation fatigue’ among local residents. Building on the feedback from consultation events around Cane Hill, development options will be worked through with advice from the consultancy team over the coming months. The final development option will be presented to the community and then refined as appropriate in keeping with comments and the reaction from the public. The preferred development option will establish a foundation upon which a development partner will be selected. Once a shortlist of developers has been chosen there will be further consultation with the community. Detailed design is expected to take place during 2008, with an outline planning application likely in early 2009.