The boulders were placed by the council in 2012 to prevent parking on the central parade. Photo: Standard website

The days may be numbered for the controversial boulders on the Central Parade in New Addington.

The boulders were originally placed by the council in 2012 at a cost of over £7000 to prevent dangerous and illegal parking on the central parade.

A council spokesman at the time said: “They are intended as a test measure to encourage safe parking and could be removed when safer patterns of parking are established.”

However the reaction from the residents has been decidedly mixed with some comparing them to a meteor crash and an alien invasion, while others have argued that the boulders present a threat to children.

Most recently, in a poll undertaken on the Croydon Advertiser, results found that six in ten residents voted that they wanted the boulders removed.

This comes shortly after Labour gained full control of the area, which was previously split between Labour and Conservative, for the first time since 2006.

The newly elected Labour Councillors Lousia Woodley and Oli Lewis have many improvements planned for the town centre, including one-hour free parking and increased CCTV, but crucially they have also pledged to get rid of the boulders.

Speaking on the issue Lewis said: “I think they were symbolic of the council not listening, we want to make sure we are in tune with the community”.

He went on to say that a vote may be held to determine the boulders future.