Plans for a new leisure centre on the Purley Pool site and the regeneration of the surrounding area have been approved by Croydon’s Planning Committee The leisure centre will include a 25 metre six-lane main pool It will also have a café overlooking the training pool and soft play A key part of Polaska’s designs is the regeneration of the area with a new public square and enhanced public realm There will also be a pedestrian route connecting Whytecliffe Road South and the High Street helping to improve connectivity from Purley railway station Since the initial application was submitted last year It now includes 10% affordable homes and a locally distinctive public realm strategy to reflect Purley’s character The changes were open to public consultation from 9 January The Planning Committee also approved a planning condition to increase the proposed public car parking from 50 to 74 spaces The proposal was approved by Croydon’s Planning Committee on Thursday It will next go to the Greater London Authority for consideration before a decision on the application is formally issued “I remain committed to bringing a pool back to the heart of Purley to make it easier for local people of all ages to enjoy healthy “We have been working with Polaska on their proposals and listening to the views of our residents to make sure that the proposals are right for the Purley community The proposals have changed significantly following consultation and this has resulted in more parking spaces and 10% of affordable housing which will help to meet the housing needs of the borough “I welcome this decision by the Planning Committee which brings us closer to seeing a leisure centre being delivered as well as  much-needed regeneration for the High Street I look forward to continuing to work with Polaska as it brings the scheme forward.” Croydon Council has given the go ahead to ambitious plans for a leisure centre and landscaped public square on a site that formerly housed a car park and supermarket The project will “regenerate Purley“ A new pool half the length of an Olympic swimming pool will replace one in the area that closed in 2020 said it wants to provide “a range of public facilities including shops The leisure centre will have flats reserved for older people above A new public square will improve accessibility between the high street and Purley train station Philp said the plans will “increase footfall” in the area The project has drawn criticism for the way it deals with parking and affordable housing though several resident associations say they believe it will benefit Purley overall The project is set to remove hundreds of parking spaces from the town centre. Diane Hearn, member of the Hartley & District Residents’ Association complained to councillors that “this drastic reduction of parking spaces in Purley will have a devastating effect on the town.” which is supposed to be built behind the public square may not be viable if the community cannot park near by Only 10 per cent of the housing units for residents over the age of 65 are classed as affordable That is substantially lower than the council’s target of 50 per cent of affordable housing for new projects Labour councillor Clive Fraser said housing should be for all Some Croydon residents say criticism of the reduced parking needs to be put in context chair of the Purley and Woodcote Residents Association said: “If you tell someone that has been driving into Purley for 40 years that sorry you may have to consider cycling or taking the bus even if there are some car parking spaces available they will be against it because they have done it for all these years.” He added that 50 parking spaces at least had been allocated in line with the London mayor Sadiq Khan’s plan for car-free developments. The new leisure centre will feature a 25-metre main pool Local schools will have access to the pools for swimming lessons the 81st Coulsdon & Purley Music Festival took place from 28 February to 22 March with another series of highly memorable events The festival itself is very lively and friendly and I found comfort in performing in a venue that I was familiar with I took part in both the woodwind and piano sections and although I didn’t win much the experience of a solo performance in the relatively casual and forgiving environment was very enjoyable as you are performing with other people your age and it is nice to hear other people perform whether they put their whole heart into it or their playing is just so virtuosic that you are mesmerised by it I would definitely recommend taking part in this next year as performing a solo piece with a live audience is great practice and character-building for public performances like speeches or even playing music the people there are very friendly but are also professional and knowledgeable so the adjudicators will give advice that greatly improves your playing 020 8773 2931 office@wilsonsschool.sutton.sch.uk Parent Portal Work at Wilson's Online Safety NSPCC Open Check Report a Concern Report Abuse CEOP COVID-19 Update cookies preferences © document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); Wilson’s School / Reg Charity (no School website design by Mercer Design Proposals for a new leisure centre on the Purley Pool site have reached the next significant milestone Executive Mayor Jason Perry is committed to seeing a swimming pool returning to Purley providing the catalyst for the regeneration of the High Street for the benefit of residents and local businesses The Council has been in discussions with Polaska A planning application was submitted in 2024 for redevelopment of the site shops and a new public square which could host events The leisure centre would have a 25 metre six-lane main pool Following a series of public exhibitions and workshops by Polaska on the proposals and in response to comments received during the planning application’s public consultation The leisure centre has been redesigned to accommodate a larger space for the gym and fitness studio The layout has also changed so the café directly overlooks a new dedicated soft play space so parents can easily supervise their children a total of 10% of homes are proposed to be affordable to better support the housing needs of the borough The proposal includes a new public car park with some parking reserved for users of the later living facility Feedback has been received from local residents calling for more public parking  Whilst the Greater London Authority (GLA) the revised proposals would increase the amount of parking spaces available to the public The proposed mixed use building fronting High Street has been redesigned to better reflect the Local Heritage Area and a new strategy has also been developed for the new public square to help regenerate Purley town centre The revised plans are now subject to a further round of public consultation until 6 February 2025 before they are considered by the Council’s Planning Committee The application will also need to be referred to the GLA The proposal is for Polaska to construct the new leisure centre with the ownership and management of the facility remaining with the Council and operated by the Council’s contractor GLL “I’m delighted that we’ve reached this significant milestone in the planning process and Polaska’s enhanced designs are set to be considered by the Planning Committee Our focus is on delivering a facility that benefits everyone in the area and provides a great regeneration opportunity for Purley and the surrounding area “I remain committed to returning a swimming pool to Purley and regenerating the High Street for the benefit of our residents and local businesses It’s vital that the proposals are right for Purley and that the development preserves the character of the area – this process takes time I appreciate the community’s contributions throughout the consultation process and we will keep everyone informed every step of the way.” The old Milk & More dairy site in Brighton Road is set to be transformed into a retail unit and 20 studio spaces for local creatives The designs received huge support from the Purley community and have been given the green light by Croydon Council’s planning department The regeneration of this vacant site supports Executive Mayor Jason Perry’s priority to regenerate the borough attract inward investment and create jobs for the benefit of Croydon’s communities The new additions will be set back from the former dairy frontages and are designed to celebrate their heritage The retail unit is anticipated to be used by Marks & Spencer for a new Foodhall which is within the Purley Business Improvement District The development will create about 120 new jobs for local residents The site will also deliver a new creative hub for locals – with 20 individual studios and two large open-plan studios The studios are intended to support innovation and enterprise in Croydon and the flexible ways of working in the creative industries The planning application was submitted by developer Grove Property who worked with Marks & Spencer on the design of the store and consulted extensively with residents and other stakeholders A total of 96% of respondents in Purley supported Grove Property’s consultation and 582 representations were received in support of the planning application The new Foodhall will contribute to Marks & Spencer’s presence in the borough with existing stores located in the town centre – Whitgift Centre in North End – and the recently opened full line store on Purley Way “The approach by Marks & Spencer to open a new Foodhall in Purley signals that this is an area that retailers want to invest in I welcome the 120 jobs the development proposals will create locally as well as the many opportunities the creative studios will bring to entrepreneurs and the Croydon economy.” added: “Having acquired the site from Milk & More our vision was to breathe new life into the area Working closely with Croydon Council & M&S to bring the application proposal forward has enabled us to do this and we are excited to enter the delivery phase of this project which will bring much needed inward investment and new job opportunities to the area.” said: “We’re reshaping M&S for growth and making sure we have the right stores in the right space to deliver the best possible shopping experience for customers We are delighted to open a brand-new M&S Foodhall in Purley creating some 55 jobs for the local community.” “The show stopping store will support local suppliers and will offer shoppers a fresh market style Foodhall brimming with fresh produce sourced from M&S’ Select Farm Partners.” The scheme will include a later living Build to Rent element Alongside supporting the Great Ormond Street Hospital this year the charity committee is also proud to have supported the Purley Food Hub Three days in late January saw Wilson’s School host its annual collection of food and other essentials from students which were then donated to Purley Food Hub to aid them in their mission to help local people in crisis their 150 volunteers have helped to provide over 380,000 meals to over 42,000 people in need of meals We were able to collect over 1,400 items to be donated including toiletries such as toilet roll and soap hot chocolate powder and other non-perishable items to support those in the local community who need our help The committee was particularly impressed and proud to see students donating more than 10 items at once including one student who donated 30 cans of tuna as a school we encourage regular donation of food and necessities to food banks all year round not just at one collection as there are always people in need and charities such as Purley Food Hub rely on the donations of others to help them support those in crisis leading to a fierce battle between houses to donate the most food in the three days Greencoat prevailed with the most items collected (followed by Brecon in second place) While we are impressed and grateful for all the donations made this year we can always do more to help those in need so we are committed to increasing the total number donated next year for it is such an important cause A new Marks and Spencer food hall has been given the go-ahead to take over a disused dairy in Croydon Croydon council’s planning department approved plans to turn the old Milk & More dairy site in Brighton Road into a retail unit with a 68-space car park will be repaired and restored to bring them back into public use About 120 new jobs are estimated to be created for residents from the project The site will also deliver 20 “creative” studios and two large open-plan studios who worked with M&S on the design of the A total of 96 per cent of respondents in Purley supported Grove Property’s consultation said: “This Brighton Road project is a great example of investors working closely with the Croydon community to design a regeneration project that delivers for all I’m delighted that we will see these historic buildings restored and brought back into use Pictured top: An artists interpretation of the redevelopment in Brighton Road (Picture: Grove Property) Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" The Purley Pool saga has taken another step forward after Croydon council approved developers’ planning application for the redevelopment of the site On Friday night the local authorities planning committee approved plans for a new leisure centre on the Purley Pool site The leisure centre, which has been closed to the public since March 2020, has been a key priority for Mayor Jason Perry since taking office almost three years ago Mr Perry admitted he could not reopen the pool in its existing state the leisure centre was running at a loss of £150,000 a year and would have cost more than £3million to refurbish It was then announced that developer and leaseholder leaving ownership and management of the facility to the council The British Virgin Islands-registered Polaska held a public consultation in June 2023 The consultation saw residents raise issues around parking at the new facility Plans for the pool initially offered zero parking spaces in line with Mayor Sadiq Khan’s London Plan for car-free developments Croydon council received a planning application from Polaska in March 2024 Their proposals included a new leisure centre a later living housing scheme with 180 homes and a care home The regeneration of the surrounding area will include a new public square enhanced public realm and a pedestrian route connecting Whytecliffe Road South and the High Street Since the initial application was submitted the proposals have been revised to include 10 per cent affordable homes and an increase in public parking spaces from 50 to 74 said: “I remain committed to bringing a pool back to the heart of Purley as well as much-needed regeneration for the High Street The proposal will now go to the Greater London Authority for consideration Pictured top: A CGI image of the regeneration plans for the area surrounding Purley Pool (Picture: Polaska) Home   News   Article Residents have reacted to West Berkshire Council’s proposal to outsource three of its adult social care centres to an external provider It expects the decision to generate £469,000 in annual budget savings But some residents are concerned about their relatives who rely on these services many elderly or those with learning difficulties suffers from mixed dementia and has visited Greenfield House in Calcot for the past two years Her family said she has hugely benefitted from the activities and support she receives But last week they found out this could all change “It's been a really upsetting to find this out,” her daughter-in-law We want to fight and get as many people on board with this.” The family said they currently pay £62.56 a week for Mrs Andrews to attend the day centre plus £32.50 a week for her meals and £37.50 to transport her to and from the venue — totalling £530.24 a month Her family added that without the centre’s support Mrs Andrews may have to move into a care home her mood will go down because all she'll be focusing on is the day care centre “She can't wait to get back to the day care centre and Sunday will be where she perks up a little bit It keeps her safe and it's good for her mental health “It's also a respite for us as a family that she's there Monday to Friday because we have children ourselves with special needs we would possibly be looking at a care home which is not what she or we would want as a family.” A letter from the council told the family it was withdrawing its day services “due to significant financial pressures” and it would be shortly convening a project team to engage with external providers on how to continue this provision West Berkshire’s executive member for adult social care and public health Patrick Clark (Lib Dems Newbury Wash Common) explained: “This has been a difficult decision for the council but we find ourselves in exceptional circumstances “Our priority remains ensuring that service users receive the care and support they need this will be a phased process to allow time for us to speak to all of our services users and their families and carers to get a clear picture of their needs and how these will be met in the future “We will engage with providers of day services to explore future delivery models These conversations will shape the offer from providers “Throughout this process we are committed to ensuring continuity of support for all individuals and we will also provide the necessary support to our staff during this transition.” Newburytoday understands Greenfield House currently remains open The other two centres are Hungerford Resource Centre and the Phoenix Resource Centre in Newbury A MAN has been sent to the crown court charged with drug dealing George Burnett appeared in the dock at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday is accused of possessing the Class A-controlled drug with intent to supply it Mr Burnett is further charged with possessing the Class B-controlled drug cannabis with intent to supply it he is accused of possessing criminal property All the above offences were said to have been committed in Reading on September 2 Magistrates sent the case to be dealt with by a judge and sitting at Reading Crown Court on a date to be fixed Mr Burnett was meanwhile released on unconditional bail For best viewing experience of this website Please enter a place name in the search bar After provisionally the warmest May Day on record in the UK higher than average temperatures will subside over the weekend Environment Agency Updated: 03:39 (UTC+1) on Tue 6 May 2025 Cloud thinning and becoming mainly dry overnight Cloud thinning and breaking during the evening with showers and any remaining rain soon fading Showers remain possible across Kent with brisk winds here Possible rural grass frost in western parts by dawn Cloudier in east with best of the sunshine across western regions mainly fine weather with sunny or clear spells and mostly light winds Dry across the vast majority of the UK with clear or sunny spells but also some patchy cloud Cloud will likely thicken across the far north and northwest during the weekend with some outbreaks of rain for a time There is also a small risk of some heavy showers in the far south or southwest high pressure will be dominant across the UK This will bring predominantly fine and dry weather for the majority of places Temperatures are likely to be slightly above normal for the time of year although there is a chance of some cold nights Fairly typical weather for the time of year is most likely through this period fine and dry weather is more likely to dominate although this will be interspersed with occasional spells of rain and showers with a risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms in places temperatures will most likely be near to or slightly above average Parents have called on Croydon council to build a pedestrian crossing along the busy Purley Road to help them negotiate a walk to nurseries which they say is fraught with danger Regular users of Pampisford Road feel it has become a hot spot for irresponsible driving and speeding cars so much so that it is putting pedestrians at risk The road is home to a number of nurseries and schools which means it is relied upon heavily by pedestrians in term time Despite having a clearly signposted 20 mph speed limit cars can often be seen speeding along the road and executing dangerous overtaking manoeuvres This is made worse by the fact that cars often use the momentum of the road as it goes down the hill towards Purley town centre and the nurseries based at the junction with Christchurch Road Heavy rush hour traffic also means the road often clogs up with long queues of cars which causes more problems for pedestrians who have to walk long distances to the nearest crossing or take their chances across the road Purley resident Jack Connah said: “The council encourages parents not to drive to school so twice a day we try and do the right thing by joining parents who are walking their children to Fennies Christchurch Primary School or the Rotary field playing ground but that find themselves with no safe place to cross.” Mr Connah said: “Everything is stacked against pedestrians and even the pavements aren’t safe as cars frequently mount them to get around traffic on Christchurch Road.” Local ward councillor Samir Dwesar said: “This road has changed so much You’ve got more developments now up and down the road so there’s more residents I believe a pedestrian crossing is the main viable solution to tackling the challenge of crossing safely “It has always shocked me that a busy road with a local primary school two nurseries and a popular park in the vicinity doesn’t have one.” Croydon council said:  “The health and safety of our residents is a priority and we have been listening to concerns raised by parents about road safety in Pampisford Road “We will explore the feasibility of any interventions that might be needed such as a pedestrian crossing close to Christchurch Road.” Pictured top: Purley residents Jack Connah (left) and Samir Dwesar (Picture: Harrison Galliven) A MAN has been sent to the crown court charged with dangerous driving while on a mixture of drugs Rajan Galot appeared in the dock at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday is accused of driving a Porsche Taycon after taking the Class A-controlled drug MDMA on the A4 at Woolhampton on New Year’s Day He is further accused of driving after taking the Class B-controlled drug cannabis on the same occasion Mr Galot is charged with driving dangerously Magistrates told him the case was being sent to be dealt with by a judge and by a jury sitting at Reading Crown Court on a date to be fixed Mr Galot was meanwhile released on unconditional bail Croydon Council has received a planning application from developers Polaska for a new leisure centre on the Purley Pool site and regeneration of the surrounding area Executive Mayor Jason Perry has made returning a swimming pool to the heart of Purley a priority The council has been in discussions with Polaska The planning application from Polaska includes a new leisure centre and a later living housing scheme with a new public square with improved access from the station to High Street to help regenerate the town centre and boost the local economy The leisure centre plans include a 25m six-lane main pool as well as a changing places WC and a café The proposal is for the construction cost of the new leisure centre to be funded through the development with the ownership and management of the facility remaining with the council It will be considered by the council as the local planning authority and the Greater London Authority as a referable application “I pledged to bring a pool back to the heart of Purley and this is a welcome step towards making that happen “The council has been working with Polaska on their proposals for the site because we want to make sure that the development benefits the whole community I know that Purley Pool has been much missed by residents and a new leisure centre will help make it easier for local people of all ages to enjoy healthy “The plans also include a later living scheme and a new public space helping to increase footfall in our town centre and provide a boost for local businesses there is still a long way to go – we need to make sure that the proposals are right The council will carefully consider the planning application from Polaska and our focus will be fixed on delivering a facility that benefits everyone in the area.” Planning application 24/00775/FUL has been submitted for: Demolition of the existing buildings and erection of buildings of 5 to 12 storeys to provide a leisure centre (Use Class F2) an Integrated Retirement Community comprising a mix of Specialist Older Persons Housing and Care Accommodation for older people (Use Classes C2 and C3) Plans for Purley Pool have reached a significant milestone as developer prepares to submit plans for the regeneration of Purley High Street including a new six-lane swimming pool Executive Mayor Jason Perry pledged to reopen Purley Pool following its closure by the previous administration in March 2020 The Mayor has listened to calls from residents to have a pool back in the heart of the Purley community and has been in discussions with developer Polaska who have been the long term leaseholders of this site for some time Polaska is now bringing forward proposals for a pool a later living housing development and new public space and shops to regenerate the high street The leisure centre would include a six-lane main pool smaller training pool for swimming lessons as well as a soft play area for children and a café The early-stage designs – which will be unveiled at a public exhibition being held by Polaska on 20 and 23 June – also include a revamp of the surroundings including the closed former supermarket building an improved walkway to Purley railway station and high street shops to increase footfall to the town and boost the local economy are also included The aim is for the construction of the pool to be fully funded through the development and the council will run and operate the new facility Residents will be consulted on the designs ahead of a planning application being submitted to the Council for consideration “Residents have been asking for the return of their much-loved pool and I have listened to them and have been working hard to bring a pool back to Purley “It is now clear that re-opening the former pool would not be sustainable due to the extensive disrepair allowed by the previous Administration So we have been looking at different options These are exciting proposals for modern leisure facilities housing and a new public square in the heart of Purley town centre which will help to revive the high street for everyone locally to enjoy but we will be working closely with Polaska to ensure that any new development is right for the local area and brings benefits to residents businesses and the wider community.” Director and Co-Founder of Assael Architecture said: “I am delighted to be the lead architect bringing forward the plans which will deliver a new pool to Purley I know first-hand how important this facility is to the area and how essential it is that we work with the community to refine our plans for new homes commercial and public space that will unlock the delivery of a new leisure facility “Our public exhibitions mark the start of a programme of consultation events which will be taking place across the coming months matters to us and we encourage you to visit us in person or view our material online to give your thoughts and feedback.” Going Out | Restaurants The Standard's journalism is supported by our readers When you purchase through links on our site Sign up for our expert view on everything that’s worth eating I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice where the actor Bill Nighy went to school and where members of the Kray family disappeared after their empire gave way a few famous faces around: Darren Brown was born in Purley; Sir Bernard Ingham lived there as did Wilfried Zaha before he left my beloved Crystal Palace; Francis Rossi is still about as far as I’m aware — he lives in the impeccably grand Webb Estate People wear Gazelles and go to the driving range Mostly Purley is nothing more than a big Tesco and a lot of Catholics Zero Quattro is a typical suburban Italian and passable a Pizza Express and a branch of Iro Sushi — perfectly fine — but there’s nowhere of note You have to head into Surrey to find somewhere with a whisper of being enthralling or head up towards town But you can always rely on their being a café in these sorts of areas The Class Café is opposite an average kebab shop next to an average Chinese takeaway; opposite one of those branches of Boots which feel desolate and without products that appear on Instagram only packets of paracetamol and fuzzy bath sponges hanging from grey strips of metal I like the Class Café and visit whenever I’m around — much of my family still live nearby or at the very least in Coulsdon or Kenley both of which really are the classless basket of London: look north and you see the city By far the best option is the bacon and egg sandwich I like it because the bacon is always spot on: fat crisp greasy so that it soaks softly into the bread but not overbearingly so I dislike bread which is too thick because it supersedes the filling and obviously I’m not a fan of thin little slices because they dissolve like rugby teams facing the Irish back line yolk still runny but not dripping everywhere for a social media post I never understand why the yolk in modern sandwiches is always oozing out over the plate this is just a decent bacon and egg sandwich I got a paragraph out of it but it’s not so much the point here the happiness is in nostalgia: Purley is where my family come from and so even though it is barren and bleak breakfast is usually when you are at your most vulnerable free of the hubbub and embroiled in mundanity This might be about nothing more than being sleepy and unsocial But it is also about beginning each day feeling calm Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer UK tourists face major travel shake-up as Dubai airport set to close Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin Royals watch historic flypast as huge crowds turns out for VE Day 80th anniversary  Royals watch historic Red Arrows flypast for VE Day 80th anniversary Proposals for a new swimming pool in Purley are making progress after new headline terms for Polaska – the developer and long-term leaseholder of the site – were approved by the Executive Mayor at Cabinet on Wednesday (25 October) Executive Mayor Jason Perry has listened to calls from residents to have a swimming pool back in the heart of Purley and has been in discussions with Polaska Polaska is now bringing forward proposals for a new leisure centre to regenerate the vacant site and boost the local economy the developer has been speaking to residents businesses and other partners about the designs so that the views of the local community could influence the scheme Polaska is preparing to submit a planning application to the council The proposed scheme would see the dilapidated leisure centre former supermarket and multi-storey car park demolished In its place be a glass-fronted leisure centre with street-level café a public square and an improved walkway to Purley railway station – a scheme designed in line with residents’ feedback and to increase footfall to the town and boost the local economy The aim is for the build of the new leisure centre to be fully funded through the development while the council will run the new leisure facility “Residents have been asking for the return of their much-loved pool in Purley and these agreements represent the next steps towards making the new leisure centre and regeneration of the high street a reality “The developers have really engaged the local community to get as many views as possible on the plans for the site There will be more opportunities for people to have their say on the designs once an application is submitted We will continue to work with Polaska to ensure that any new development is in keeping and meets the needs of the local area.” Danger was not an unfamiliar companion to the British driver not even prior to joining the pinnacle of motorsport He served in the army and had a parachute accident He was a certified deep-sea diver as well as a stunt pilot He survived a Guinness record-breaking impact (179.8 G) during a practice session at the Silverstone Circuit Purley gained sudden popularity among fans by displaying nothing short of a heroic act On lap 8 of the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort he hurled himself into the flames to try and free Roger Williamson trapped inside his wrecked car Purley was the only one making one desperate attempt after another Formula One’s dark past could be truthfully demonstrated by numbers. 15 deaths in the 1950s, 14 fatalities in the 1960s, and 12 in the 1970s. By the 1980s this horrifying number dropped to 4. According to the calculations of Sir Jackie Stewart and his wife they attended 57 racing-related funerals between 1960s and 1990s Alongside Jackie Stewart and Lewis Hamilton David Purley has also received a national accolade for his outstanding accomplishment Purley was always tiptoeing on the verge of life and death After working as a truck driver for his family’s successful refrigerator business Though the Purley family was more than well-to-do he did not look for a kitchen assistant position Purley frequently took part in deployments as well as training exercises During one of his platoon’s early morning sessions his parachute failed to open he landed on top of his officer’s parachute and managed to hold onto it for a good 90 seconds During one of his active deployments in Yemen a motorhead friend introduced him to the world of Formula One he immediately established his own racing team Backed by his family’s Lec Refrigeration Company Even though he scored points and podiums in lower open-wheel categories nobody considered Purley to be a particularly talented driver He was not too keen on winning races and titles either The fierce Brit was a man who enjoyed challenging himself Purley felt more comfortable driving on dangerous tracks than on “slower” ones Once he said: ”When we did bayonet training in the Army we were taught to scream as we lunged forward then you’ve to do that incredible series of downhill sweepers to keep my foot hard down (…) My preferred tracks are the tremendously satisfying Nürburgring As he made quite steady progress as a driver he got the opportunity to compete in Formula One He did a decent job in the first two races of the season Purley had a nice run but had to retire his car midway through the race due to a technical problem he managed to outqualify such drivers as Jacky Ickx and Graham Hill The Dutch Grand Prix was only his third race in Formula One the extremely gifted Roger Williamson’s March got a puncture The weakly secured barrier threw the car back on track it slid upside down for three hundred metres or so and eventually turned into a fireball Williamson was relatively unhurt but unable to free himself from his vehicle immediately pulled aside and ran across the track to reach the wreckage once he realized he was trying to do the impossible he grabbed a fire extinguisher from a nearby marshal instead Purley’s desperate attempts all failed as the race marshals did nothing to assist him track employees claimed to have thought Purley himself had the accident got out of the car and was trying to extinguish it himself Williamson lost his life from the lack of oxygen and from gas inhalation get me out of here!” Williamson has reportedly pleaded for help The race was uninterrupted and Purley’s rescue attempts were observed by many around the track and on TV There was a fire truck parked a few hundred metres from the scene which could not have moved any closer as the race was still going on spectators decided to try to get over the barriers security held them back while all the other drivers kept on competing for points and podiums “What shocked me was that no one else stopped to help It wasn’t that I was trying to save my friend It was an instinctive reaction.” Purley said such as mandatory fire-resistant clothing for marshals Thankfully both safety measures and morals among drivers have improved tremendously since Williamson’s fatal accident It is enough to think of Niki Lauda’s terrifying crash on the Nürburgring when he was pulled out of his burning Ferrari by fellow drivers Purley was awarded one of the highest civilian honors in the UK He later considered the award to be one of the reasons why his F1 career stumbled He said people stopped seeing him as a race driver they saw him as the guy with the shiny George Medal instead Purley became famous but was not successful on track he failed to qualify for the Italian Grand Prix and in 1974 He raced in F2 and won the championship in F-5000 during his years away from Formula 1 he managed to return to “the golden category” in the second half of 1977 during the first practice session in Silverstone an electrical fire turned Purley’s weekend into a nightmare The problem seemed to have been quickly resolved and the fire extinguished due to the team’s financial struggles – they did not have a sufficient number of mechanics – they could not prepare the spare car for deployment Purley had to keep on using the very same car he previously had the fiery incident with the leftover dust and some spilled fuel cemented inside in the vehicle’s engine The throttle of the Lec had stuck wide open at Becketts and Purley ran directly into the barrier “I remember most of it,” he told the BBC two years later – I arrived at Becketts with a speed of about 230 the throttle was stuck in the open position.” In this record-breaking accident Purley’s car decelerated from 173 km/h to a standstill in less than 66 centimetres which corresponds to a 179.8 G force effect This held the Guinness record for the biggest impact survived by anyone until 2003 when IndyCar driver Kenny Bräck survived a collision with a jaw-dropping 214 G Romain Grosjean was hit by 67 G during his harrowing fireball crash at the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2020 Purley said “Later they told me I had 29 broken bones I’m pretty lucky to still be here.” right after being resuscitated for the N-th time stood next to his stretcher they immediately started quarreling over the cause of the accident he kept the argument going in order to distract his driver from the unbearable pain he had to endure Although both the team and the doctors knew it was impossible for the Brit to race the next day Earle promised to have his race car ready for him doctors on the scene doubted whether Purley would survive his 30-kilometer journey to the nearest hospital The British driver did not only survive the crash and his trip to the hospital but he decided to make a comeback as soon as possible After years of excruciatingly painful rehabilitation Purley eventually had to give up his dreams of rejoining Formula One he managed to get in good enough shape to take part in the British Formula One series As a consequence of his brutal crash in 1977 his left leg remained an inch shorter than his right Since he was unable to accept his new condition he began searching for a medical expert who could have helped he came across a Belgian surgeon who was willing to take his case stretched it millimetre by millimetre and grafted it into bone The procedure had only been performed on children before there was a gigantic risk that the process would have paralyzed an adult patient there was no guarantee Purley could walk again as he was stone cold determined to make himself fit for racing Purley reached his ultimate goal: he was racing again His ankles never healed completely and he lost his ability to run compared to his own laps two years earlier his family stopped sponsoring him as a driver Since he did not manage to find another investor or sponsor he had to switch to other sports he took part in Enduro motorcycle races and eventually dedicated his time to competing in aerobatics Purleey suffered a fatal aircraft crash during a practice session near his hometown albeit almost forgotten heroes in Formula 1 history died at the age of 40 he was survived by his fiancée Gail and their baby girl Following the accident,  1976 F1 World Champion James Hunt declared: “I think you may run out of luck, he has definitely used all his nine lives.” (Feature by Dora Endre; Sources: motorsportmemorial.org, f1forgottendrivers.com/) Welcome to bdonline.co.uk. 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Read our policy By 2020-08-05T05:00:00+01:00 Scheme designed by south London practice Benedict O’Looney Plans for a new mosque by south London practice Benedict O’Looney Architects in Purley have been approved by Croydon council The mosque (pictured) replaces an existing single-storey hall which has room for only half the congregation Its six-storey replacement will provide new prayer spaces as well as areas for education and fitness programmes Sheltered flats are planned for the fourth floor while a community room is slated for the top of the building The architecture of the mosque takes inspiration from Islamic architecture and the Edwardian and interwar buildings of Purley Decorative brick and tiled elevations will use local Surrey and Sussex bricks Museum appoints architect Shahed Saleem to explore influence of ad-hoc typology Projects to be built across seven small sites Liverpool City Council has granted planning consent for the redevelopment of the historic Littlewoods building into a film and TV production hub The centre will contain buildings up to nine storeys in height Plans designed by Gensler for a £1bn cancer research and treatment centre in south London have been submitted for planning by developers Aviva Capital Partners and Socius Retrofit of 150 Aldersgate includes new terraces a reconfigured entrance and a public art installation Howells also scoops two awards for Birmingham office scheme and a cafe at a grade I-listed country house Site powered by Webvision Cloud SquashSite – all about Squash James Peach beats Owain Taylor to claim the title in Purley …