The Croydon Partnership, a joint venture between Westfield and Hammerson, has received planning consent from the London Borough of Croydon for its upgraded plans for the £1.4 bn (€1.56 bn) redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre.
Under the approved project, the partnership will deliver over 1.5 million sq ft (140,000 m2) of retail and leisure space creating one of the UK’s top 10 shopping and entertainment destinations.
The masterplan maintains the design principles of the original 2014 consented scheme, with the enhanced plans including the addition of a third level of retail and restaurants and the incorporation of the Green Park House office site, which was acquired by the Croydon Partnership in February 2016. The newly approved plans also include over 300 shops, restaurants and cafes, a multi-screen cinema, over 3,000 car parking spaces as well as an increased housing provision of up to nearly 1,000 new homes adjoining the redeveloped centre, including a higher percentage of affordable housing.
The partnership is now working towards an earliest commencement of full construction on site in 2019, allowing the Whitgift Centre to continue trading through the important 2018 Christmas period.
The plans to redevelop the Whitgift Centre are part of the wider regeneration of Croydon, with £5.25 bn of planned major investments seen in the form of new office and residential developments, as well as the Council’s town centre infrastructure improvement programme.
'The approval of the £1.4 bn plans to redevelop the Whitgift Centre represents a significant milestone for the project and for Croydon,' said John Burton, OBE Westfield UK/Europe’s head of Development. 'Retail-regeneration projects have a proven track record to deliver transformation and regeneration which is evidenced by the £5.25 bn of inward investment planned for Croydon.'
Peter Cole, Hammerson’s Chief Investment Officer, added: 'Our goal remains to deliver a world-class retail and leisure destination to attract new visitors to Croydon and enhance economic growth in the town.'
