BRINGING people in West Croydon and Broad Green together is the idea behind opening a community garden on the former Croydon General Hospital site.
The suggestion was put forward at a recent meeting of the council's scrutiny committee by Labour councillor Bernadette Khan.
The committee is now asking the council's cabinet to investigate the possibility.
The council recently put up £6 million to buy the site in London Road, West Croydon, which has been earmarked as the home for a new secondary school. But on the basis that this work is still some way off, Cllr Khan believes an interim use would be good for an area that is still suffering the after-effects of the 2011 riots.
She said: "A community garden would give residents and perhaps local primary schoolchildren a place where they could grow vegetables and flowers.
"It would provide a focus for the local community by creating something in the short term which could have continuing positive outcomes in the area."
Councilor Steve Hollands, chairman of the scrutiny committee, said: "The idea of using the land for community use while the school issue is sorted out is something we were quite happy to support."
