This ideas board pictured shows an array of ideas suggested by the community to reimagine Thornton Heath.

Student housing, soft play, cinema, a safe space for young people, hot desking, art workshops, creative and more green space were just a few of the ideas written down by local people on a map to reignite the space taking in Ambassador House, Tesco and Iceland.

The consultation is part of an initiative by Thornton Heath Community Action team to kick start the debate around improving this dated and redundant space with a student architecture competition  planned to provide a fresh and creative concept for the area.

At the last Thornton Heath Community Action Team meeting Deputy council leader Cllr Alison Butler reported that the Council legal team is talking to the Network Rail legal team but the biggest stumbling block is the complexity of the lease arrangement on Ambassador House.

Steve Phaure, Chief Executive of Croydon Voluntary Action also gave a presentation about the prospect of putting in a partnership bid for a community hub to the London Mayor’s Growth Bid.