Croydon’s North End is to benefit from a package of improvement measures Croydon Council is set to agree with developers Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW).

The upcoming changes will focus on improving  safety, security and cleaning. This will involve removing the Wellesley Road subway and replacing it with a surface level crossing. There will be a series of exciting cultural events and  some of the landmark Allders building will be brought back into use with new shops and food offers.

The regeneration of the town centre is a priority for Executive Mayor Jason Perry, as set out in the Mayor’s Business Plan. Mayor Perry has been working closely with URW to bring forward the redevelopment of the Whitgift & Centrale shopping centres and secure much-needed improvements for everyone who lives, works and visits the town centre.

A paper going to Cabinet on Wednesday 25 September details the £6m package of measures Croydon Council is proposing to agree with URW, which are to be delivered through a combination of development activities and funding payments to the Council, to compensate for the delay in the planned redevelopment of the shopping centre.

The funding will bring a welcome boost to local shops, restaurants and other businesses, and the cultural activities will build on the legacy of Croydon’s year as London Borough of Culture.

The areas of focus are:

  • North End activities – pop-ups, installations and performances to create a vibrant and varied shopping and leisure experience in the town centre and help to reduce antisocial behaviour.
  • Allders – URW will revitalise elements of Croydon’s historic department store with new food offers and shops for the community on the ground floor.
  • Safety, security and cleaning – a programme of initiatives aimed at reducing crime and antisocial behaviour.
  • Public engagement – the lease of the space in the Whitgift Centre to Croydon Urban Room, a hub for exhibitions, workshops and events all about the town centre regeneration.
  • Connectivity – a contribution towards the design and build of a level crossing across Wellesley Road, near Lansdowne Road and the closure of the subway in this location.

URW are currently developing their masterplan framework for the area of land they own in the town centre, ahead of the submission of  a new major planning application. It is anticipated that this will include a wide range of uses such as retail, restaurants, commercial, leisure as well as new homes.

Croydon Council has been working with residents, businesses and community groups to develop its regeneration strategy, which will create a vision for a vibrant town centre that meets the needs of the community. Events have been held over the past year and will continue this Autumn.

“The Council is using all its powers to drive forward our town centre regeneration, from bidding for external funding, to doing everything we can to encourage and bring forward the redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre and other key town centre sites.

“This £6m of funding from the Council’s agreement with URW will bring immediate improvements to North End, whilst we work with them to shape the longer term plans for the town centre, that will make it a vibrant, successful place of which we can all be proud.”

Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon