It was an idea that was met with much anger from the people of Coulsdon.

Turn the Lion Green car park into flats.

Well now those fears have become reality after Croydon Council approved the plans at a meeting last night (March 22).

Soon, Brick by Brick, the development company set up by the council, will begin work on the site to bring five buildings and 157 more homes to Coulsdon.

RELATED: Plans to build flats on Lion Green takes a step forward

Of those homes, 79 will be classed as affordable, something Councillor Allison Butler was pleased to see.

"This is a fantastic step forward towards delivering both regeneration for Coulsdon and more affordable homes for borough residents, including families on benefits or low incomes," she said.

"The council has already got 114 families into cheaper rented properties under its Croydon Affordable Homes scheme, and this decision will help even more households.”

But affordable homes wasn't what concerned the people of Coulsdon in the first place. It was the loss of heritage.

RELATED: Plans to build homes on Lion Green recommended for approval

When the planning application for the site was submitted in January, people were worried that the Surrey Iron Railway would be lost in time.

This was a view shared by Historic England "indicated that the new development impacts the Scheduled Ancient Monument as a result of the increased height and overbearing nature of the new buildings reducing visibility from Lion Green Road and would dominate the embankment."

Despite this, Historic England approved of the plans, and as it runs out, so did the council.

There is no word yet on when development of the site will begin.