Westfield Croydon £1.5bn plans scrapped

By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter 

Croydon Westfield is expected to scrap plans for a huge new £1.5billion shopping centre and use existing buildings instead, the borough’s mayor has confirmed.

The development is likely to include fewer shops as more people turn to online shopping.

Locals have been waiting for an update on Westfield’s plans for the past three years, after it was announced the shopping centre giant would be rethinking an approved application.

Croydon Mayor Jason Perry said the council had been having regular meetings with the Croydon Partnership, the joint venture in charge of the project, which combines Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and Hammerson.

The Conservative politician said the partnership was in the process of putting a “master-planning team” in place. It comes as the ground floor of the old Allders building is soon to be transformed into an immersive theatre called LOST.

Mr Perry said: “Officers have been having regular meetings with Westfield. They are putting together a master-planning team which is due to be ready any day now. That is going to be around understanding what people’s desires are going forward.

“As I understand it they are putting investment into that master planning proposal. The reality is, the idea of bulldozing the whole lot is gone. It is about reusing what is there.

“There is going to be retail, a cultural offer, educational offer and office space. It is about things that will drive footfall and bring people to the town centre. LOST will reactivate the front of Allders in North End and George Street. They are working on that now and it sounds like quite an exciting project.”

And the mayor said he was confident Westfield would deliver for Croydon and said he would be pushing them for answers.

Mr Perry said: “I personally don’t feel they have been pushed enough by the administration. It is vital to get that piece of the town centre working again and getting that inward investment.”

Pictured top: Shoppers in Croydon town centre (Picture: Tara O’Connor)