While Cllr Perry says the historic Heathfield House is not for sale, opponents say a 125-year lease amounts to handing it over to a private owner for more than a century.
At a heated full council meeting last week, residents and opposition councillors accused Mayor Perry of rejecting a fully funded, community-led plan to save the Grade II-listed building.
They also claim he ignored repeated calls for transparency and public consultation.
Over 2,400 people have signed a petition calling on the council to keep Heathfield House in public hands. Campaigners say their efforts to engage the Mayor have been met with silence.
Ms Atherton, co-director of local arts charity TURF, told the meeting that the house had been “left vacant and unsecured for years”, leading to damage from decay and squatting.
She said TURF submitted a plan in 2022 to turn it into a hub for creativity, learning and care, at no cost to the council.
The proposal also included a new home for the Cherry Orchard Garden Centre, which closed under Cllr Perry’s leadership. “If money is the issue…why turn down offers which are nil cost to the council and have heritage grant funding available?” Atherton asked.
Instead, she said, the building was quietly leased to a private landlord without public consultation. “Decisions are still made behind closed doors by a select few,” she claimed.
Cllr Perry defended his record in response, stating that “Heathfield House is not for sale and never has been”.
He blamed the confusion on a mistaken Savills listing, which he said was removed quickly once reported and for which he has apologised.
Fears were sparked earlier this year after residents spotted a Savills advert offering a 125-year lease on a “substantial” 12-bedroom property on Coombe Lane. The listing, now removed, mentioned redevelopment potential and a “wonderful location” with open views.
Cllr Perry called the house the “jewel in our crown” and told the chamber that a lease was the best option to “restore it to its former glory, and bring it back into proper use”.
He also pointed to his decision to scrap a previous plan to fence off the surrounding grounds in 2022. “The grounds have always been open to the public and always will be under my leadership,” he said.
However, Labour opposition leader Stuart King criticised Perry’s approach to Croydon’s heritage assets.
He also reminded the chamber that central government told councils undergoing capitalisation measures, like Croydon, not to sell off valued community and heritage sites.
Cllr King said he had written to Mayor Perry six weeks ago asking for a list of protected assets the council would commit to keeping. “He never responded, which is no surprise,” he said.
Campaigners argue that the lease includes the surrounding land and even disabled parking bays, effectively cutting the public out.
Ms Atherton said: “The council even claimed that leasehold sale was not a form of sale when in reality it will give exclusive possession to a private owner for over a century at minimum.”
Heathfield House has long been a popular spot for dog walkers and was used for SEND education during the pandemic. More recently, it has been kept secure by on-site property guardians.
A Freedom of Information response last year suggested there would be consultation once options were defined. Two months later, the lease was quietly listed, sparking public outcry.
Ms Atherton said: “The use of publicly owned spaces like Heathfield shapes who is visible, valued and given opportunities in our borough and yet in Croydon, even when a rare community-led future is possible, decisions are still made behind closed doors by a select few.”
Local councillor Robert Ward, who represents Selsdon and Addington Village, told the chamber that the house needs major investment, which the council simply cannot afford. “There is no back pocket where this money can come from,” he said.
But critics say rejecting a grant-backed, zero-cost proposal contradicts this point. Ms Atherton attacked Cllr Perry, saying Croydon Council had “flailed wildly in indecision” about this building for three years.
Charles Barber, a resident who attended the meeting, summed up the community’s frustration in an online post: “By selling the building on a 125-year lease and insisting it’s not a sale, the Mayor is asking us to believe our great-great-grandchildren might one day get it back. That beggars belief.”
Cllr Perry added: “It is not about neglect; it is about doing the right thing. This is about protecting Heathfield, public access, and the financial future of our borough.”
Despite mounting pressure, Cllr Perry has yet to commit to a full public consultation on the future of Heathfield House.
