Croydon Vision 2020

Croydon Vision 2020 is a regeneration programme by the London Borough of Croydon for the centre of Croydon in South London. The original study was carried out in 1999 by EDAW and is being taken forward through the Local Development Framework process. The programme seeks to affect urban planning extensively and promote Croydon as hub of living, retailing, culture and business in South London and South East England. It was highlighted by architect Will Alsop's 'Third City' work. Private developers have responded to the programme and currently £3.5 billion has been committed to consented and proposed development projects with more in the pipeline. The Council is now working with the Mayor of London on the Croydon Opportunity Area. An Opportunity Area Planning Framework (OAPF) has been proposed for the town centre to coordinate this investment. Work is underway on five masterplans underpinning the preparation of this framework: East Croydon, West Croydon, Mid Croydon, College Green, and Old Town. There are also a number of public realm improvements planned collectively called 'Connected Croydon'.

The biggest plan for Croydon is that they are planning on putting in the following:
 * Youth Club.
 * Disability College.
 * Four star restaurants.

East Croydon Masterplan
The East Croydon Masterplan includes the following developments: The East Croydon Masterplan's adoption as interim planning guidance by Council's Cabinet was due on 21 July 2011.
 * Ruskin Square - formerly the Croydon Gateway site, owned by Stanhope, which was due to open in 2010. The Council together with its development partner Arrowcroft had previously proposed an arena-based scheme. The site, alongside East Croydon station, would have included a 12,500 capacity arena, offices, apartments, supermarket, health club, bars and restaurants. This required planning consent and a Compulsory Purchase Order.
 * Cherry Orchard Road - developer Menta and architect Ken Shuttleworth's Make Practice are proposing a 93,000 m² mixed-use project. Originally designed as a series of crystalline towers, the development has been substantially revised to fit in with the East Croydon Masterplan. The development could also improve access to East Croydon station. Planning has been secured for this site to residents' and councillors' delight. The development requires office and residential values to increase substantially and this has been occurring due to what economists call the "multiplier effect"; land has been assembled and the developer is going ahead with enabling developments for the Royal Mail and the meat packing company.
 * East Croydon Station
 * Central One

Ruskin Square
A 12.36 acre site adjacent to East Croydon railway station, the Stanhope Schroders Ruskin Square development is based around a park, a new Warehouse Theatre, and homes and offices. The scheme has been designed by Foster and Partners. The Council previously supported proposals prepared by its development partner, Arrowcroft, to develop a mixed-use scheme anchored by a 12,500 seat arena, but these proposals were rejected by the Secretary of State Hazel Blears in July 2008.

Cherry Orchard Road
 Menta's Second Proposal 

Following the withdrawal of Menta's original planning application, a new proposal was submitted to the Council in March 2011. The main features are two residential buildings including a 53-storey tower, providing 499 homes including some low-cost housing, a 4-star ‘boutique’ hotel with 22 luxury serviced apartments, 71,000 sqft Grade A start-up office space, a new entry from Cherry Orchard Road into East Croydon station via grand stairs, and an open public space with restaurants and shops adjoining. The residential tower has caused controversy among residents in the neighbouring area with some objecting to the height, which would make it the tallest building in the borough and one of the tallest residential buildings in the UK. A decision by the Council on planning permission was expected on 21 July 2011. Some of the buildings occupying the site including Amy Johnson House were demolished in 2011.

Central One
Central One will be a new high-rise business park. Office floor spaces of approximately 25000 sqft totalling 500000 sqft will be provided over 40 storeys. The building will have internal atria every sixth floor and extensive public areas, with amenities such as cafes, restaurants, shops, and a fitness centre.

Old Town Masterplan
The masterplan will focus on the area between the High Street and Roman Way, one of the oldest areas of Croydon. Developments in the area include:
 * The Exchange and Bridge House - Howard Holdings, a former Croydon-based international developer, had three residential developments of 36,896 m² providing 337 apartments: The Exchange, Bridge House and Altitude 25. They include car parking, shopping and leisure facilities. Howard Holdings also had a development agreement Whitgift Centre, which was due to be redeveloped. Clowater, a new business led by former Howard managing director Jason Clerkin and development director Paul Hannon, is completing Bridge House and Exchange Square.

Mid Croydon Masterplan

 * Park Place - Minerva and Lend Lease's proposed scheme covering more than 1000000 sqft includes a shopping mall, bus station and office development with a new public square, similar in size to Covent Garden's piazza. It has full planning permission and has completed a CPO process to assemble the land. The development start date is unknown as no anchor department store has been confirmed.
 * Civic Complex This includes the Council's new 'Civic Hub' Bernard Weatherill House and the redevelopment of the Taberner House site.

Park Place
The proposed one million square foot redevelopment was to create over 130 shops, cafès and restaurants, anchored by a new department store. Queen's Gardens was to be completely remodelled, and a new bus interchange and tram stop were to be built. The improvements included other environmental, economic and social projects. The plan was intended to minimise the impact of the development activity, and its aim was to address areas such as carbon emissions, recycling of waste material and the selection of building materials. This scheme collapsed in 2008. A new planning application for a development of shops and homes was expected to come to the Council in early 2009.

The Fair Field Masterplan
Originally called the College Green Masterplan, the Masterplan looks at the area around Croydon College and the Fairfield Halls, including:
 * 100 George Street - a 25,824 m² office and retail development directly opposite East Croydon station.
 * Fairfield Hall
 * Croydon College
 * College Green
 * Altitude 25

Fairfield Hall
The scheme is centred upon the refurbishment and part redevelopment of the Fairfield Halls concert and theatre venue to create an arts and cultural quarter. A low-level piazza will link the Halls with the nearby Queen's Gardens. A remodelled open space will provide a new pedestrian boulevard to connect Queen's Gardens, Croydon College and East Croydon Station. Apartments will front the new boulevard and enjoy views south across private gardens. The scheme will retain parking for both public and private use at lower levels. There will be retail, restaurants and cafes around the piazza, linking with a new entrance and foyer to the Halls. The programme anticipated a planning application towards the end of 2006 and a start on site in 2007.

Altitude 25
Altitude 25 borders College Green, another Howard Holding development.

Wellesley Road


Wellesley Road is an urban dual carriageway with an underpass and subways, cutting the town centre in two with a north-south physical barrier that can be difficult to negotiate. The scale of the architecture is dramatic, but pedestrians and public transport are pushed to the edges. The splitting of the town centre causes difficulties in the way it functions, with a lack of connections between rail and bus stations, retail areas, office and cultural facilities and poor public access.

The Council is examining the options for improving the environment, image and functioning including improvements for pedestrians and better access to public transport. Street-level crossings, trees, seating, lighting and kiosks, and a central pedestrian walkway are being considered. In the proposals it is likely that Wellesley Road will remain a main route for trams, buses and cars, possibly incorporating extensions to the tram network. The difference will be that transport will no longer dominate the space to the detriment of the pedestrian experience and the image of Croydon. There is also an opportunity to simplify and improve the movement of vehicles. Opportunities exist for improving the ground floors and frontages of the buildings along Wellesley Road, connecting more effectively with their immediate surroundings and creating more activity, such as shops and cafés with spill-out spaces. Okra Landscape Architects with Peter Brett Associates, Soundings and Urhahn Urban Design were selected by the Council following an international design competition.

The area also includes surrounding development sites:
 * Saffron Square (formerly known as Wellesley Square) - Berkeley Homes proposes a mixed-use development of a 45-storey tower, 800 homes, 3000 m² of retail and public realm including a new town square. Planning permission was given in 2008 for the tower, although construction did not commence until late 2011 (see below); work is currently well underway, and the apartments are already being advertised - in the Times newspaper and the Evening Standard, inter alia.
 * IYLO - joint developers Phoenix Logistics and E3 Property's residential 20-storey tower with ancillary public gardens is planned to become a focal point at the northern gateway. It has full planning permission and the building is now largely complete. Construction had been interrupted for around a year, but has since resumed.
 * Whitgift Centre - the retail development will have a significant impact on the redesign of the road, particularly with regards to servicing and car parking.

Saffron Square
Formerly known as Wellesley Square, this site lay fallow for over ten years, but Berkeley Homes is now delivering a mixed-use development, including:


 * A new public town square
 * A 44-storey tower
 * 3,000 m² of retail floorspace including shops, restaurants and cafés surrounding the square
 * 739 homes, 10% of which will be shared-ownership
 * Ideas to minimise the scheme's impact on the environment; a significant proportion of the site's energy requirements will be met by on-site renewable energy sources.
 * Creation of improved permeability and safeguarding of future pedestrian links between East and West Croydon stations.

Construction was due to start in 2008 with a completion date of 2012. Berkeley Homes renamed the site Saffron Square and work started on site on the courtyard and perimeter blocks in 2011.

Whitgift Centre and Westfield Croydon
Leasehold owners and landlord Howard Holdings had a development agreement with freehold owners the Whitgift Foundation for a £221m development of the Whitgift Centre. A planning application was submitted, with construction due to start in 2009 and be finished in 2014, as advised by Geddes Architects, the lead consultant.

In 2010, Howard Holdings went into administration. There are now two rival schemes for the site. The Whitgift Foundation has since invited the Australian-based Westfield Group to redevelop the centre. Royal London Asset Management (RLAM) and Irish Bank Resolution Corp (IBRC) ANGIB.UL, who together own 75% of the 1.2m sq ft centre’s lease have asked UK-based Hammerson to create an alternative £1bn redevelopment scheme.

On 26 November 2013, a £1 billion venture by the Westfield Group and Hammerson, known as The Croydon Partnership, to redevelop the Whitgift Centre was approved by the Croydon Council, with work set to begin in 2015 and aim completion by 2018.

IYLO
The IYLO project is on an island site at a main entrance to the town centre originally purchased by Phoenix Logistics, seen by the Council as a vital part of housing regeneration.

The architect is Darling Associates, hired by Phoenix Logistics, E3 Property, engineers Walsh Group and Scott Wilson. The proposal will create a glass-clad elliptical tower of two equal halves that appear to be sliding past each other. The 20-storey building will provide 183 private apartments based around a central public garden. Rainwater will be collected and used to provide irrigation for the garden. Renewable sources of energy will be included, and there will be recycling facilities next to the lay-by. Over half of the site will be landscaped.

Construction started in 2007, however work on the building halted in 2009 when the projects funding source HBOS went into administration Work briefly restarted between 2010 and 2011, however the building entered further financial difficulties when Phoenix's subsidiary St James' Croydon also entered administration. Construction then halted for two years before the plot was sold to a Regency Homes Limited with a £900,000 discount and renamed as ISLAND with completion estimated in 2015.

West Croydon Masterplan
The area adjoins the North End shopping precinct and contains West Croydon station, bus station and tram stop, and historic landmarks such as the St Michael and All Angels' Church.

East London Line Extension
In May 2010 the East London Line extension to West Croydon was opened. This project connects Croydon to the new London Overground rail system and improves Croydon's public transport connections to central and inner east London. It also provides the main impetus for building a modern public transport interchange at West Croydon station linking tram, bus and rail. The East London Line extension contributed to London's transport infrastructure for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Improved Overground Network (ON)
This was a pilot scheme run by the SRA, TFL and three train operators between 2003 and 2006 to encourage more passengers to travel by train. In partnership with the South London Boroughs, including Croydon, SWELTRAC, SELTRANS and the transport users group, the scheme promoted the advantages of off-peak travel following improvements to safety, travel connections and upgrading of station facilities.

Tramlink Extension
Croydon's light rail system, Tramlink, now carries around 22 million passengers a year. An extension to Crystal Palace is currently being developed by Transport for London with the support of the council and South London Partnership. This would improve public transport access to Upper Norwood and Crystal Palace Park and help to stimulate regeneration across the wider area. The extension could be in service by 2013. Other possible extensions include Reigate, Redhill, Gatwick Airport, Sutton, M25 motorway Park and Ride, Coulsdon, Purley, Kingston upon Thames, Tolworth, Tooting, Brixton (interchange with proposed Cross River Tram), Bromley and Lewisham (interchange with Docklands Light Railway).

Croydon Expo
The Croydon Exp07 was a series of exhibitions highlighting the re-development of the London Borough of Croydon as a whole, including leisure, offices, shopping, transport and homes. It also included a town centre model which can still be seen in Croydon Central Library in the Croydon Clocktower building.