Thousands of new homes and road upgrades planned for Croydon town centre

By Tara O’Connor, local democracy reporter

Thousands of new homes, road upgrades and public squares are all part of ambitious plans for Croydon town centre.

The Croydon Growth Zone was set up in 2016 with the ambition of welcoming 10,000 new homes, public squares and retail development in the town centre by 2031.

It is made up of 46 projects from new flats to road and parking upgrades.

The Growth Zone is a partnership between central government, Croydon Council, the Greater London Authority and Transport for London.

The authorities are financing a 12 year programme to encourage private developers to invest in the town centres, totalling £520million, supported by a loan of £309.9m from central government.

Deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for Croydon Renewal said: “The growth zone is based on the council retaining the uplift in future increases in business rates associated with new developments.

“But as the economic downturn has arrived, it’s had an impact on development in the town centre. We’re not expecting to get as much growth as we expected a few years ago.”

He added that he hopes in the years following the pandemic when the economy picks up, development will come in at a “stronger pace”.

Large scale developments can easily become delayed or not happen at all.

We’ve picked out a few of the flagship private developments of the Growth Zone to see where they are at now.

While some have been completed, others are yet to materialise and there is uncertainty about whether they ever will.

College Green (land next to Fairfield Halls) 

This development of more than 400 more homes was set to be built by council-owned developer Brick by Brick.

As the council faces a financial crisis it is closing down the company meaning Brick by Brick will not develop this land.

There is uncertainty about what will happen with the development now as the council looks to sell it off to recoup some of the £59 million spent on refurbishing Fairfield Halls.

It will become clearer in the coming months whether this site is bought by another developer and what they could do with it.

Ruskin Square

In July 2020 the latest stage of the Ruskin Square development, a 10-storey office block, was given planning permission.

It is set to be used by the Home Office with civil servants expected to move in at the end of 2024.

It’s part of a multi-billion pound development, a first office block completed in 2016 is used by HMRC.

The first batch of 161 flats, known as Vita, opened in 2016 and there are a total of 625 flats planned for the development by the time it is finished.

101 George Street (Former Essex House)

Now known as Ten Degrees this new block is Croydon’s tallest building.

Despite being completed last summer, this pair of 44 and 38-storey towers remains empty as the developer, Greystar, gets planning conditions signed off.

The tower is made up of more than 500 flats, all offered as rented homes.

Addiscombe Grove 

Right next to East Croydon station, these three towers contain more than 100 one bedroom micro-flats.

The development has now been completed and Pocket Living and flats are on offer from £260,000.

Nestle Building/ St Georges Walk

This is the first stage of a huge £500 million development outside Croydon Town Hall from developer R&F properties.

The former Nestle Tower has been converted to look like three three tower blocks of 288 flats.

This is the first of a planned six blocks and public square on the site of St George’s Walk.

The first flats, in what the developer is now calling Highgrove, are expected to be completed this year.

Prices range from £359,780-£1,109,420.

Carolyn House 

The former Carolyn House has now been redeveloped in 183 new flats in a 23 storey block.

The flats are on offer for rents from £1,305 for a one-bedroom flat and can now be reserved.

Vista24

Next door to Carolyn House 181 homes are being built on the former job centre site in Dingwall Road by Bellway.

The first flats in this 24-storey block is expected to be available later this year, details on prices are yet to be released.

One Landsdowne

An ambitious plan to build one of the country’s tallest buildings at 68-storeys and 228 metres tall.

Despite being given the go-ahead back in 2017 work on this development has still not started.

Planning permission is set to run out next month and developer Guildhouse Rosepride has said it will start work before it runs out.

Taberner House 

Work is well underway on the former council offices.

HUB is building more than 500 flats on this site and has recently started digging up neighbouring Queens Gardens to give it a revamp.

The development is split across four buildings and reached full height in September 2020.

Morello

In October work started on Morello II – 456 flats across three separate buildings, including two 25 storey towers.

It is the second phase of Menta’s East Croydon Regeneration, the first of which delivered more than 300 flats next to the station.

The latest buildings are set to be completed by 2023.

Wandle Road 

On the site of the surface car park in Wandle Road, Brick by Brick is building a 25-storey tower.

This is one of the sites under contract which means the developer is expected to complete by the end of the year before the company is shut down by Croydon Council.

It will provide 128 new flats.

Mondial 

Plans to redevelop office building Mondial House have been on the cards since 2014.

Planning permission for a 35 storey building of 220 flats and 1,787 square metres of office space was approved in 2018.

But work is yet to begin on this building currently used by Allianz opposite East Croydon Station.

Cambridge House

A 26-storey tower of  shared ownership flats which are expected to be available later this year.