AFTER years of delays, Croydon’s centre is finally set to undergo a major transformation.
From and to new public spaces and improvements, the borough is set to see a hefty £5 billion invested into the area.
Old Town boasts a rich history of-era buildings as well as being the‘sresidence for more than 500 years.
However, the bustling area eventually became neglected, falling into disrepair.
Some that the town had become an eyesore and an embarrassment, pointing out the vast amounts of rubbish being dumped in public areas.
In 2012, Croydon was promised a Westfield location, however plans for the development were eventually scrapped.
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) took control of the project in 2023, giving residents of the area new hope.
Tim Hurstwyn, Development Director at URW spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) about the new plans.
He explained that unlike the old Westfield plans, which mainly focused on retail, this new initiative would be “mixed-used”;; and flexible.
“If the last few things have taught us anything, it is that building for a particular use is short-sighted,”;; he said.
He confirmed that construction is expected to start in 2028 and would see the Whitgift Centre transformed into a mixed-use space “emphasising community and accessibility”;;.
The current centre would be split into two areas: Whitgift North and South.
Under the plans, Whitgift North would contain housing and other community-use spaces, depending on the local need.
This area would also include a public square, a linear park, flexible workspaces, and retail units.
Meanwhile, Whitgift South would remain primarily a retail-focused area with room for car parking, some houses, and a public area called Anchor Square.
The south side would also go back to the listed Whitgift Almshouses and Electric House, which are URW’s primary heritage concerns.
The Whitgift’s newer sibling, Centrale, which sits on the other side of North End, is also included in URW’s redevelopment site.
A more modern site, Centrale opened in 2004, 34 years after the Whitgift, and therefore has less intensive works planned.
While there is currently no indication as to how tall the planned development will be, one URW representative told the LRDS that the plans are not expected to reach the heights of the skyscraper buildings around East Croydon station.
And the station is also set to undergo a development of its own as part of the town’s ambitious £5.25 billion regeneration project, Future Croydon.
East Croydon Station, which welcomes 26,000 passengers a day, will see upgrades including a concourse expansion and reconfiguration of tracks to reduce bottle-nosing delays.
While construction is yet to begin on the station work, the transformation of Whitgift into a flagship retail space is anticipated to start in 2028.
Completion is not expected until the 2030s.
Executive Mayor Jason Perry said he is committed to bringing the transformation project to life.
“We will work with residents and partners across Croydon in new ways to make this happen and to bring this transformation plan
to life,”;; he said.
“My promise is to turnaround Croydon.”;;
