Describe the plans to demolish the almshouse to make way for a road widening scheme to service the Croydon Gateway and briefly outline the arguments for and against the proposal.

Religion and medicine are linked because the Christian church was involved and this was because the Christian duty was to help the sick and the poor. The church had negative and positive impacts over how medicine developed aswel: Negative: No-one could challenge the ideas proposed 1500 years ago, mainly because those ideas were considered right at the time: they were still protected by the church meaning there was no medicine improvement. There was no dissection allowed either this meant there was no progress in understanding of the human body therefore; no health and medical improvement. Elizabethan illnesses were similar to the illnesses during the present day, but because the church was holding back improvement causes and cures were very hard to identify. There was also no public health. But the church did have some positive influences aswel: the church started to invest in monasteries this meant that there was a share of knowledge. Monks and monasteries provided care and education. The church had a great influence over people meaning it would have a great influence over medicine improvement and cures, and so gradually the medicine improved. Before the reformation the church was the head of the community, this meant that people would consider everything said by the church as true. After the reformation the church became less popular in society, now there were two sides to religion: Catholic and Protestant. This is when religion became less meaningful. Many of the poor were left without help because religion wasn't seen as a very big impact. So the church had to get involved more and help the people that needed it.

3.

Croydon covers an area of 34 square miles and is the largest London borough by general population.

Central Croydon is the public centre of the borough and houses the largest office and retail centre in the south east of England outside Central London.

Croydon's population has grown greatly, along with cars and traffic throughout the last 50 years. The railway and transport systems have also improved and this has also had an impact on the society.

The area (Croydon) is currently going through a large re-generation project, Croydon Gateway and its new vision and rare view is hoping to attract more businesses and tourists to the area.

The Impact of the Croydon Gateway will be huge on traffic and infrastructure. There will be more of an increase on traffic in Croydon and more congestion and overcrowding of roads. As the Croydon gateway will be a huge regeneration of Croydon is due to make a lot of employment and there will be many cars going in and out of Croydon. This may cause a lot of excess numbers of cars. A lot of businesses are also about to invest in the Croydon gateway meaning that that will cause a greater amount of cars flowing into the Croydon borough. The road being widened will help the amount of space there is and any cause less overcrowding because there will be more space for more cars to get through. Widening the road will also help the speed of cars and there will be quicker timing for the cars to get through the road. The road so far as encountered at the traffic field work has many cars going past it.

4.

The almshouse is a place where all elderly are cared and looked after if they are ill, disabled or simply unable to look after themselves. There is modern day nursing care that the government provides: Nursing home, common room and also sociable communication, flats or houses to keep their belongings. The elderly are also provided with wardens that look out for them and make sure that they are in a good condition. Christians believe that the elderly should be cared for with respect so the treatments are of a very high standard. The almshouse is a very important building for the elderly because it provides all of them with suitable care.

Religion has a very high role within the community. The almshouses itself welcomes only Christians and is guided by the Christian church. The Christian church follows some of the 10 commandments to take care of them; an example would be "Love thy neighbour". By helping out the less fortunate and the ones in need the church is honouring gods will. The church has very big impact: Roman Catholic Church does not approve that doctors should use any extra-ordinary treatment to keep people living. However the church does encourage the support of hospices. Hospices are for extremely ill people to be cared in. Religious groups are needed to be involved in caring for the elderly because it gives: equality of care: old people turn to religion because they may have no where else to go to and it's the end of their life.

5.

From the council proposals I would like to explain the reasons for and against giving permission for the road widening scheme.

The Croydon gateway is an important project for Croydon as it will provide many jobs and will create a new and active community, which will be lively every day of the year and motivate the economy inside the town centre. The Croydon gateway will give a new regeneration and vision of Croydon. There will be lots of transport included in the scheme meaning that there will be an easier way to travel. Widening of the road will be one of the ways of making a bigger and more spatial Croydon. It will also have a great effect on the road where there will be less congestion and overcrowding of cars because of the space created.

But there are many against this view. Although the Croydon Gateway may provide a new Croydon lifestyle and regenerate it the Almshouse is a very important historical building that is 400 years old. It is a part of Croydon that has been there for centuries and a major part to the Croydon history. Demolishing the building would mean the loss of a main historical construction that has been there for a very long time, and all of this would happen just to widen the road for more space to stop the crowding of cars around the area. The Almshouse was also built for a particular purpose: to provide the elderly with a home and accommodation, this facility would be no longer available for the elderly, and there will be a great problem where will all the Almshouse residents go? And what will happen to all the other elderly that are in need of a home and care and there is not one available? There must be some other ideas of transport that could be used e.g. tram or bus. Widening the road will only help to make space for more cars to get through but surely there are other services of transport available as the scheme says.

In conclusion I would like to say that I would not give planning permission for the road widening scheme. One of the main reasons for my choice is that the Almshouse is a very important historical building and a very big part of Croydon and its history. Another major reason is that the Almshouse provides a home for the elderly and has existed for an exceedingly long time, the elderly need a home to stay in and I think that the Almshouse provides everything they need. Lastly the road is not held in as high of importance as the Almshouse. The almshouse has greater significance.

Nataliya Charnetski 9a