Croydon to get £1bn mega mall?

A new £1 billion mega mall may be opening in Croydon. 

Westfield has unveiled plans to develop the new structure at the Whitgift Centre, which would encourage regeneration in the borough. The company already owns two outlets in the city - at Shepherd's Bush in the west and Stratford in the east - and is looking to dominate the retail market in London.

If the plans are successful, property to rent in Croydon may be a more appealing prospect for many. Westfield development director John Burton told ITV his organisation has already regenerated two sites in the capital and delivered thousands of jobs in the process.

"Together with The Whitgift Foundation, our plans are to bring a world-class centre to Croydon, which deserves a retail solution that meets the needs of its local residents and businesses without compromising on quality or style. Our plans will bring an outstanding shopping, leisure and residential development to Croydon and will kick start the wider regeneration of the town," he added.

Mr Burton went on to note Westfield has the experience to make sure the project passes off smoothly and they are looking forward to putting the plans out to consultation with local people and businesses - this process starts on July 5th and lasts for four days.

Some 1.5 million sq ft of retail space will be delivered through the development, while a multi-screen cinema, bowling and restaurants are also in the pipeline. Over 5,000 permanent positions are expected to be created by the scheme.

It is not the only improvement project scheduled for Croydon, as plans are afoot to revamp the tram network. The £16.3 million upgrade will deliver a 50 per cent hike in services for the busiest parts of the system, while a new route through the town centre has also been unveiled.

At present, some 28 million passengers use the trams every year and it has been a success since it was introduced in 2000.

Posted by Andy Britten

Published 29th June, 2012

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