Mayor Boris has been, seen, and got the T-shirt
MAYOR Boris Johnson has put
his shirt on the borough to mark
the Greater London Authority
becoming the 50th member of
the Develop Croydon Forum.
The milestone membership,
which was presented at a special
ceremony on the Develop
Croydon stand at the MIPIM
international real estate show in
Cannes, marks the remarkable
growth of the private sector-led
organisation since its formation
nearly five years ago.
Mr Johnson received the
forum’s membership certificate
and a special ‘Croydon London’
t-shirt from Jo Negrini, Croydon
Council’s executive director of
development and environment,
Mike Kiely, the borough’s
director of planning and
building control, and Richard
Plant, chairman of the Develop
Croydon Forum.
Mr Plant, a partner of Stiles,
Harold Williams Partnership
LLP, said: “It is a remarkable
growth from the eight founding
members who formed Develop
Croydon in the depths of
recession.
“Those founding members
showed their belief in Croydon
when times were bad.
“They saw a need to spread a
message and over the past five
years we have grown as others
have come to believe in that
message as well.”
BACKING CROYDON: Boris
Johnson with Jo Negrini, Mike
Kiely and Richard Plant, chairman
of the Develop Croydon Forum at
the MIPIM trade show
The facts
Westfield & Hammerson’s
redevelopment of the
Whitgift Centre will create
Europe’s largest urban mall,
covering 2 million square feet,
retail and leisure space and
400 new homes
Business growth in Croydon is
three times the UK average
with the financial services and
insurance sectors having risen
by 6 per cent
Croydon is London’s fifth
biggest finance and
insurance cluster in London
- behind the City, Canary
Wharf, Westminster and
Southbank – and the largest in
outer London
Croydon offers Grade A office
space for a third of the cost
of Central London, despite
being just 15 minutes away.
Average costs are £35 in
Croydon compared to £160 in
the West End.
There are 1.1 million
economically active
individuals within 30 minutes
commute of Croydon
New homes at heart of
borough’s bid for growth
Croydon’s leading role in meeting the capital’s housing targets
C
ROYDON is set to take
centre stage in mayor
Boris Johnson’s huge
housebuilding plans by
delivering more than
27,000 homes in the borough over
the next 20 years.
With the 9,500 new starts
planned in the borough over the
next five years alone - putting it
at the heart of Mr Johnson’s
target of 42,000 new homes a year
across the capital - Croydon is
considering pitching to be one of
the first ‘housing zones’ in the
capital which would allow it to
benefit from financial incentives
to encourage house-building.
London deputy mayor Richard
Blakeway told a recent Croydon
Housing Congress meeting that
the housing zone concept was
based on the successful
enterprise zone initiative and
aimed to test new methods of
delivering housing affordable to
middle and low-income families.
“We have a real issue in the
mainstream market, in that 80
per cent of homes in London are
only affordable by 20 per cent of
the population,” he said.
“The last significant drive to
build affordable homes in
London was the push into the
suburbs in the inter-war period.
We need to find new ways of
achieving more affordable
housing in the capital and
Housing Zones will help us to do
this.”
Mr Blakeway said the GLA
saw Croydon, with its focus on
regenerating its metropolitan
centre as well as its planned new
Cane Hill suburb, as having the
potential to become a key part of
the new homes strategy.
“Croydon is the one borough
in Greater London that has the
potential to supply new homes of
a quality that nowhere else in
London can supply due its range
of small and large sites,” he said.
“That comes with the ability to
support the area’s rejuvenation
and the Croydon economy.”
Speaking to an audience of key
public and private stakeholders,
including major housebuilders
and developers, Croydon’s new
executive director of
development and environment
Jo Negrini, said: “We are looking
to transform Croydon in the next
generation; not just in the town
centre but throughout the whole
borough.
“Our housing target is 9,500
new starts in the next five years
and there is 7,300 capacity just in
the town centre.
“We want to see that delivered
not with just one kind of
housing, but every kind of
housing across the borough.”
Croydon is looking to
kick-start packages to support
house-building in the town
centre. It has already been
encouraging the conversion of
outdated office stock where
appropriate to new homes while
its commitment to quality saw it
single out as an “examplar” by
the recent Farrell Review (full
story, page 10)
2
Advertiser, Friday, May 2, 2014
CCR-EO1-S3
croydonadvertiser.co.uk
THE
F RUM
Revamp of
Whitgift to
revitalise
economy
In brief
Reversing
the decline
JIM Hendley, managing
director of regeneration
specialists Riley Consulting,
says the Whitgift
redevelopment project is extra
special as the company’s
headquarters are located in
Lansdowne House.
“The centre has been in
decline for many years yet,
with its central transport and
communication links, it is an
ideal place for investment and
regeneration,” he said.
Homes boom
THE £1 billion mall plans are
creating a housing boom,
according to estate agents.
Tony John, of Cray and
Norton, told the Advertiser:
“Buyers have seen the impact
Westfield has had on Stratford
and Shepherd’s Bush and are
offering thousands above the
asking price.”
BILLION-POUND TRANSFORMATION: An artist’s impression of the Westfield/Hammerson project
Uniting land for town’s
milestone development
Purchase order marks
important step forward
C
roydon Partnership’s
£1 billion retail
redevelopment moved
a step closer as the
council voted in favour
of a compulsory purchase order
(CPO) to bring together the land.
Westfield and Hammerson are
leading the regeneration of the
town centre, which is expected to
create 5,000 permanent jobs as
well as thousands of temporary
construction posts.
CPOs are often used by local
authorities to assemble land for
complex regeneration projects in
the public interest, particularly
those which involve multiple
land owners.
Mike Fisher, leader of Croydon
Council: said: “The Westfield/
Hammerson development is
hugely important for Croydon.
“It is the catalyst for our
town’s regeneration, delivering
thousands of new jobs, homes
and fantastic retail and leisure
facilities while attracting further
investment.
“We know our residents and
businesses are as eager as we are
for this long-anticipated
transformation of our town
centre to get under way.
“As a council, one of the most
important things we can do to
ensure it progresses quickly is
to help assemble the land. The
decision to make a CPO brings
Croydon another step closer to
regeneration and marks another
milestone on this exciting
jour ney.”
The Croydon Partnership
has already acquired some of
the land and aims to reach
agreement with the vast
majority of other owners in the
coming months without the need
to resort to a CPO.
The £1 billion development
will include 300 shops, 400-600
homes, new restaurants, a
cinema and a bowling alley.
The development has received
cross-party support. Labour
group leader Tony Newman said:
“We have to make sure this
scheme truly benefits all the
people in Croydon.”
The council voted unanimously
for the redevelopment at a special
meeting of the strategic planning
committee in November and the
plans have also been approved by
the Mayor of London and the
Secretary of State for
Communities and Local
Gover nment.
Planning consent was agreed
in January after the signing of a
section 106 deal, which paves the
way for significant investment
into local transport networks,
with £29 million worth of
improvements agreed.
These include:
■ £2.5 million for local
highways improvements
■ £10 million for additional bus
services
■ £15 million for trams
■ £1.6 million for sustainable
transport
Streets and public spaces in
North End will benefit from a
revamp with £2.1 million spent
on new lighting and other
environmental improvements,
while £150,000 has been
allocated for public art within
the scheme, or a programme of
performance art.
John Burton, director of
development for Westfield, said:
“Delivering a new development
which brings maximum benefits
to the local community is an
intrinsic part of our proposal to
transform the Croydon retail
town centre.”
Peter Cole, chief investment
officer of Hammerson, added:
“This is a major step towards
restoring Croydon to its role as
the leading south London retail
and leisure destination.”
RESIDENTS will reap the
benefits of the Whitgift Centre’s
redevelopment as millions of
pounds pour into the town.
Thousands of jobs created
as a result of Westfield and
Hammerson’s joint project will
especially help the long-term
unemployed.
Mayor Boris Johnson
said: “The £1 billion Croydon
Partnership redevelopment will
transform Croydon’s town centre
and provide south London with a
state-of-the-art retail and leisure
destination.
“It will create 5,000 new jobs
for Londoners and provide over
£30 million towards transport
improvements and employment
and training benefits.
“It is estimated that the
increase in employment will
make a contribution of £136
million a year to the economy
in terms of gross value added.
“This scheme will act as a
major catalyst for the wider
physical and social regeneration
of Croydon town centre, helping
it to once again become one of
London’s most vibrant town
centres and a major driver of the
London economy.”
Westfield and Hammerson will
be required to deliver a wide
range of initiatives through a
comprehensive training and
employment strategy to help
local people into work.
This will range from providing
apprenticeships and internships,
to supporting local contractors
and backing new business startups by providing test trading
spaces in the shopping centre.
Richard Plant, chairman of
the Develop Croydon Forum,
said: “We finally have a scheme
that has the potential to make
the step change to the recovery
of the town. It is now that the
hard work starts and we at
Develop Croydon will continue
to promote and encourage the
regeneration of the borough
as a whole.”
Croydon as
a top retail
destination
RETAIL giant Westfield has
announced the sale of its UK
regional centres to concentrate
on new developments in Milan
and Croydon. It is selling three
sites outside London to Intu
Properties as part of what cochief executive officer Steven
Lowy describes as “strategic
repositioning of the
international portfolio”.
Mr Lowy added: “The UK/
European portfolio will comprise
our two major London assets –
Westfield London and Stratford –
and will also include the major
development opportunities at
Milan in Italy and Croydon in
London, which we expect to be
amongst Europe’s top retail
destinations.”
croydonadvertiser.co.uk
Advertiser, Friday, May 2, 2014
CCR-EO1-S3
THE
F RUM
‘Croydon’s turn for Olympics’
SHE has led one London borough through its Olympic-legacy
inspired change. Now, regeneration chief Jo Negrini is preparing
to take Croydon through its very own ‘Olympic-sized’ change, as
she explains why it is most definitely NOT business as usual...
T
HIS is Croydon’s
Olympics. That’s the
message from Jo
Negrini, as she settles
into her role overseeing
the borough’s £3 billion
regeneration.
Croydon’s new executive
director of development and
environment has moved here
from a similar role in Newham,
where she had responsibility for
the 2012 Olympic legacy, which
included construction of
Westfield Stratford.
Ms Negrini believes Croydon
has the potential to outstrip the
east London borough because of
its “total package” and told
delegates at MIPIM 2014, the
prestigious international real
estate show, that the south
London borough’s time had
arrived.
FORMER ROLE: Jo Negrini was
behind the Olympic-led
regeneration of Stratford
and what is absolutely key for us
in all of this is that the
infrastructure is already there,”
she said.
“It is not like other parts of
London where we are waiting for
the infrastructure to catch up
with the demand. We have a lot
of developers which work in
Croydon, as part of our fantastic
Develop Croydon partnership,
who have hung in there, kept
their investment here and made
sure they didn’t leave until their
developments had taken place.
That is starting to happen here
now.
“We have got Saffron Square, a
big Berkeley development,
coming out of the ground, we’ve
got Menta launching its
residential scheme for which
they sold £2.5 million even before
its launch, we’ve got Ruskin
Square and – of course – we’ve
got Westfield and Hammerson.”
“If you have a look at all the
development taking place, what
we have going on in Croydon
now is our Olympics,” she said.
“It’s our time to make it
happen. It’s a major event and
the London Borough of Croydon
needs to plan, deliver and treat
Croydon like it is a major event.
It is not business as usual.
F RUM
THE
“Perhaps without Westfield
and Hammerson’s
redevelopment of the Whitgift
Centre this would still have
happened but what that has done
for us is accelerated it all.”
Ms Negrini highlighted the
fact that Croydon already has
the required capacity, with plans
to build 9,500 new homes over
the next five years, as well as the
infrastructure in place to fulfil
its ambitions.
CHIEF: Jo Negrini says it is time for Croydon to seize its moment
“Croydon was a fabulous
commercial centre in the Sixties
Size of opportunity so impressive
CROYDON stands out as a
development opportunity
because it has the “total
package”, according to Jo
Negrini.
A regeneration practitioner in
the UK for more than 20 years,
the executive director of
development and regeneration
admits she was attracted to her
post by the borough’s untapped
potential.
“Croydon has everything it
needs to make it the biggest
growth area in London,” she
said. “You look at Newham,
Camden, Nine Elms, which have
previously been considered ‘the
biggest opportunity for London’.
“The pitch for Croydon’s
regeneration is even better;
Croydon has got everything.
“A reason I came here now
was because it reminded me of
a conversation I had with two of
the big investors in Canning
Town.
MORE TO COME: Jo Negrini
says Westfield and Hammerson
scheme is the tip of the iceberg
“When I asked them why they
invested there, they said it was
really good to be ahead of the
curve and, for me, I wanted to
be in Croydon now because I
feel that we are just ahead of
that curve at the moment.”
The ambitious £1 billion
redevelopment from retail giants
Westfield and Hammerson is set
to restore the town’s reputation
as south London’s premier
shopping destination.
But, according to Ms Negrini,
that huge investment – which
will bring 300 shops, between
400 and 600 new homes, new
restaurants, a multi-screen
cinema and a bowling alley in
place of the existing Whitgift
Centre – is just the tip of the
iceberg in terms of the
transformation taking place in
Croydon.
“Croydon’s story is bigger and
better than just that of a costeffective business location plus
the next Westfield,” she added.
“It’s the scale that makes the
difference – it’s the biggest
borough, the youngest borough
– all these things are going for
Croydon.
“It’s not only a great place to
do business, it’s a great place to
send your kids to school, it is
the total package.
“That’s what makes our
development opportunity really
different.”
Jo Negrini
ORIGINALLY from Australia,
Ms Negrini has a wealth of
experience in bringing
investment to neglected areas
of the capital, gained in her
previous roles at Newham and
Lambeth – two inner London
boroughs with similar
opportunities to Croydon.
In her previous role as
Newham’s director of planning
and Olympic legacy, of which
the Westfield Stratford
development was part, she led
the borough’s £1 billion
regeneration programme,
which also included
development the Olympic
Park.
As director of major
development projects in
Lambeth, her responsibilities
included boosting investment
and enterprise in Clapham and
Streatham centres.
Ms Negrini said: “My
previous roles have taught me
about how to sell a place to
investors and how to ensure
that investment translates into
the quality of residents’ lives.”
3
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Advertiser, Friday, May 2, 2014
CCR-EO1-S3
croydonadvertiser.co.uk
THE
F RUM
Fond farewell to Taberner House
VISION: The new look proposed
for the old Taberner House site
CROYDON Council has begun
demolition of Taberner House in
preparation for the
deconstruction of the 1960s office
block, formerly the council’s
headquarters.
The 19-storey building is being
deconstructed one level at a
time, until the demolition is
completed around January 2015.
Essential Living has
exchanged a conditional contract
for the forward purchase of 230
new private rental homes in a
landmark deal for the borough.
Under the proposals being
drawn up the Croydon Council
Urban Regeneration Vehicle
(CCURV), a joint venture
between Croydon Council and
John Laing, the existing 1960s
office block would be
transformed into 400 new homes,
including social housing and
shared ownership.
Martin Bellinger, chief
operating officer at Essential
Living, said: “Croydon has the
potential to provide thousands of
new homes across a mixture of
tenures and to become a new
hub in London.”
Plans have been approved this
week for the 38,000 sq m
development, which would
feature five new buildings,
including a 32-storey tower, and
would become one of the
landmark developments in
Croydon’s regeneration.
David Patterson, lead project
architect and partner at Make
said: “We are delighted with the
positive planning outcome. “Our
hope is for Taberner House to be
an important new asset for the
Croydon community and the
start of the regeneration
process.”
A familiar site on the Croydon
landscape, Taberner House has
been in use as council offices
since 1967 and until the end of
last year accommodated around
1,800 staff.
The council says its move to
Bernard Weatherill House will
represent efficiency savings in
excess of £2 million a year over
the next 20 years. It also saved
the taxpayer an estimated £60m
in the projected cost of bringing
Taberner House up to modern
standards.
Park residences
on course to be
a popular choice
C
ROYDON’S blossoming
reputation as a
desirable place to live
is being enhanced by
new apartments
overlooking a recently restored
beauty spot.
The Roval Crescent, situated
in a prime position adjacent to
the River Wandle, is scheduled
for completion next month and
many residents have already
moved into their homes at the
heart of the New South Quarter
development.
Once complete, Barratt
London’s scheme will comprise
of 923 studio, one, two and
three-bedroom apartments at the
heart of Croydon’s green
regeneration.
Popular
Gary Patrick, Barratt
London’s regional sales director,
said: “Croydon is exceptionally
popular with buyers not only
because of the excellent
transport links to London but
also for its green spaces,
including the restored Wandle
Park.
“Croydon is becoming
increasingly popular with a
range of buyer profiles. Thanks
to Westfield and Hammerson
investing £1billion into the
Whitgift Centre, Croydon is
becoming recognised as an
economic hotspot, with great
prospects.
“Rental yields can only be
expected to rise with retail
redevelopment set to bring an
additional £30m investment in
the town’s infrastructure and the
RIVER VIEWS: The Roval Crescent in the New South Quarter
creation of 5,000 new jobs.”
The latest phase of the
award-winning scheme is made
up of one-bed suites, plus one
and two-bed flats with open-plan
living areas and fitted kitchens.
All either have a balcony or
terrace, many with river views,
plus on-site concierge and a
proposed cafe and nursery.
The New South Quarter
development recently featured in
the Metro newspaper, with
homeowner Doris Woehnl
describing how a one-bedroom
flat had provided the perfect
buy-to-let investment.
“‘Not only are the apartments
incredibly well designed, they
are also affordable and within
close proximity to central
London,” she said. “I’m
extremely pleased with this
property and I think that there’s
an incredible amount of
potential not only at New South
Quarter but also in central
Croydon.”
Of Barratt London, she said:
“It made my first buy-to-let
investment practically a joy and
I feel confident that this was a
great decision.”
Wandle Park itself has
received a major facelift thanks
to a £3.8million restoration
project, which was part-funded
by Barratt, featuring a
bandstand, children’s
playground, formal gardens, a
pond and a pavilion as well as
the existing skate park.
New Cane Hill homes come closer
PROPOSALS to transform the
site of the former Cane Hill
Hospital with 675 new homes
moved forward after plans were
approved by Croydon Council
last month.
Having been appointed by the
Mayor of London to develop the
proposals, Barratt Homes and
Ward Homes aim to provide
housing on the site in Coulsdon,
while retaining its character and
rural feel.
The developers intend to build
99 new one and two-bedroom
apartments, 551 two, three four
and five-bedroom houses and up
to 25 new homes converted from
existing buildings.
The scheme involves the
retention of buildings on the site,
including the water tower and
chapel, as well as providing new
commercial facilities close to the
town centre.
HOW IT COULD LOOK: Artist’s impression of Cane Hill development
A spokesman for Barratt
Homes and Ward Homes said:
“We are extremely grateful to
everyone who has helped to get
the plans to this stage, in
particular to the residents and
local stakeholders who have
provided us with such valuable
feedback about our proposals.
“We will continue our work
with the local authority,
residents and local stakeholders
as the plans continue to evolve
during the next stage to ensure
that we deliver a sustainable
community on this site which
fits in with the landscape.”
■ Further information on the
plans is available at
www.canehill.info
croydonadvertiser.co.uk
Advertiser, Friday, May 2, 2014
CCR-EO1-S3
THE
F RUM
A life of luxury in town
T
HE borough’s skyline is
being transformed in
impressive style with
the Saffron Tower – the
final phase of Berkeley’s
luxury development – currently
under construction.
When the 43-storey block is
completed in 2016, it will become
Croydon’s tallest building at 142
metres and provide a fitting
finish to a scheme that has
already helped to change the
image of the town.
According to sales and letting
specialists 1st Avenue, the town’s
premier address is dragging
price-savvy tenants away from
areas such as Clapham and
Streatham.
“Saffron Square stands
as the yardstick by which other
developers will follow and its
popularity is hard to ignore,”
said managing director Paul
Endacott.
“Not just a city crash pad or a
pied-à-terre but a lifestyle
destination for the cash-rich,
time-poor busy young
professionals looking for a
private gymnasium, concierge
and cafe on their complex.”
The Saffron Square
development has had a
transformational effect on the
property market with huge
demand for the apartments
bought off-plan and both rental
and purchase values having
increased substantially.
And Mr Endacott predicts
Saffron Square’s appeal will
continue to push up rents again
during 2014.
“Saffron Square remains my
property investment of the year,
but buy now – Croydon will not
be this pocket friendly for long.”
Residents began moving into
Saffron Square last April with
the first three phases of the
scheme – Keats, Rosetti and
Waterhouse – having been fully
sold and occupied while more
are currently moving into the
newly constructed Tennyson
Apartments, which forms the
entrance to the development.
There is a 24-hour concierge,
a residents’ gym and a Tesco
Express on site.
Residents also have access to
stunning roof terraces and the
opening of a coffee shop is
imminent.
Justin Tibaldi, divisional
managing director of Berkeley
Homes (Capital) said: “Since
Saffron Square was launched we
600 homes
CRITERION Capital has
underlined its confidence in
Croydon by acquiring four
buildings for conversion to
residential use – Canterbury
House, Delta Point, 5 Bedford
Park and Astral House.
These four developments
will deliver around 600 new
homes for private rental by
October 2015.
HIGH-END LIVING: Saffron
Square is attracting more young
professionals to Croydon
have seen a significant increase
in demand for high-end homes in
the area both from owner
occupiers and investors.
“The development is already
achieving some of the best rental
yields in Greater London with a
waiting list from prospective
tenants proving the demand for
rental properties in the area.”
GREEN: The Scarbrook Road development will be built with high
standards of sustainability in mind
materials and methods including
biomass heating to deliver
renewable energy.
There will be a mix of tenures
on the site. Amicus Horizon will
use 17 homes for affordable
housing and 22 for shared
ownership. The scheme also
F RUM
THE
Vertex is sustainable and stylish
AN IMPRESSIVE 13-storey
development is taking shape in
the heart of Croydon.
Developer Durkan is behind
the 98-home Vertex scheme in
Scarbrook Road, which has been
part-funded with £4.5 million
from the Greater London
Authority as part of the Homes
and Community Agency’s Get
Britain Building initiative.
Scheduled for completion in
March 2015, this landmark £20
million building in Croydon’s
town centre will feature stylish
one, two, and three-bedroom
apartments.
Fraser Wells, managing
director of Durkan Estates, said:
“Since Durkan completed the
Get Britain Building funding, we
are really pleased with the
progress we have made on site.
“It is a great time to be
developing in Croydon and we
are very proud to be part of the
dynamic, changing face of the
town centre.”
Designed by BPTW Architects,
the homes are being built to
exceptionally high standards of
environmental sustainability,
using the latest modern building
features 39 homes for sale and 20
for private rent.
Durkan bought the site in 2006
but progress originally stalled
during the recession with the
banking crisis and a series of
unsuccessful funding
applications.
Work to begin on Ruskin Square
WORK on the Ruskin Square
development will start this year.
A 22-storey residential tower
will form the first phase of
Stanhope and Schroders’ giant
East Croydon scheme, which is
due to be completed in 2016.
The Homes and Communities
Agency last year approved
funding of £3.7 million to
facilitate the infrastructure for
the first phase of 163 homes.
Nestlé base
transformed
THE former Nestlé building in
Croydon is among office
blocks to be converted for
residential use.
Legal & General has
secured planning consent to
turn the existing offices into
two striking buildings, which
will feature 288 apartments
as well as underground car
parking, a concierge service,
roof gardens and a coffee
shop.
“Gains will not match the
mercurial rise of 22 per cent seen
last year,” he said.
Berkeley describe the scheme
as bringing city-style living to
Croydon and its development
will eventually comprise 756
private suites, ranging from
studios through to luxury duplex
penthouses, decked out in a
choice of four interior styles.
In brief
Ian Mason, fund manager at
Schroders, said: “We want to
ensure there is animation and
activity on this important site so
that Ruskin Square fulfils its
role as Croydon’s gateway.”
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Advertiser, Friday, May 2, 2014
croydonadvertiser.co.uk
croydonadvertiser.co.uk
CCR-EO1-S3
Advertiser, Friday, May 2, 2014
CCR-EO1-S3
7
F RUM
THE
THE
F RUM
Impressive projects altering the face of our town forever
1. Edridge Road
■ Developer: Sloane International Group
■ Planning: Granted
2. Impact House
■ Developer: Tricos Group
■ Planning: Built
3. Vertex
■ Developer: Durkan
■ Planning: Under construction
Vertex is a new, exciting landmark in the
heart of Croydon providing 98 one, two
and three-bedroom apartments. Vertex
is an outstanding development which
will be built to a high standard of
environmental sustainability, using the
latest modern building materials.
WE FIRST published this map showing the
spread of developments across Croydon
town centre in December. But as the pace
of change becomes ever more rapid,
here’s a reminder of what is happening,
and has already progressed since the
previous publication...
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09
11
E A S T C R OY D O N
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06
07
05
01
02
08
4. Green Dragon House
■ Developer: Inspired Asset
Management
■ Planning: Under construction
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5. Bernard Weatherill House
■ Developer: CCURV
■ Planning: Built
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6. Taberner House
■ Developer: Essential Living
■ Planning: Planning application
submitted
Essential Living will develop 230 new
homes designed specifically for the
private rental market as part of CCURV’s
redevelopment of Taberner House, one
of the landmark schemes of Croydon’s
regeneration.
The scheme is the first public/private
partnership incorporating a PRS
component to be signed in the UK.
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8. College Green
■ Developer: London Borough of
Croydon
■ Planning: Masterplan in place
The College Green development is
central to the successful realisation of
the Fair Field Masterplan and the
regeneration of central Croydon.
The mixed use scheme will see up to
600 residential units with provision of
retail, community and business space to
complement the existing uses within the
area.The development will be aligned
closely with the Fairfield Halls
refurbishment and will complement and
exploit the potential of the unique and
historic institutions, Croydon College
and Fairfield Halls, and activities within
and around the area.
9. College Road
■ Developer: Phoenix Logistics
■ Planning: In pre-application
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04
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15
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7. St George’s House
■ Developer: Legal & General
■ Planning: Granted
St George’s House has planning consent
to convert the existing office space into
two striking residential buildings.
The high quality redesign and
refurbishment incorporates 265 private
residential apartments, 23 affordable
apartments, underground car parking
and amenity/retail space.
The amenity space has been designed
to enhance the design, providing
common areas to include; coffee shop,
reception, concierge service and roof
gardens. It is anticipated that the
construction programme will be
completed in 2015.
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10. 96 George Street
■ Developer: Freshwater
■ Planning: In pre-application
A proposed new major development of
96 George Street and adjoining land
which will provide up to 100,000 sq ft of
newly developed offices in the heart of
East Croydon with immediate access to
the mainline railway station.
11. Chroma
■ Developer: Terrace Hill
■ Planning: In pre-application
12. Whitgift Centre
■ Developer: The Croydon Partnership
■ Planning: Granted
The London Borough of Croydon and
Mayor of London granted planning for
the Croydon Partnership’s £1bn scheme
for Croydon town centre, creating a 2m
sq ft state-of-the-art retail, leisure and
restaurant destination. This includes new
prime retail and leisure space, public
realm, new car parking and up to 600
new residential units.
13. St Anne House
■ Developer: Bravo Hotel Group
■ Planning: Granted
14. Renaissance
■ Developer: Abstract Group
■ Planning: Built
Renaissance Croydon is a 100,628 sq ft,
five-storey office building which
achieved practical completion in
November 2013. It combines a top
BREEAM excellent 2011/EPC B
specification with the lowest rent and
cost per workstation of any new building
within the M25 – £22 per sq ft and
£3,000 per workstation. The building is
already 40 per cent let and has been
sold to M&G Investments.
first residential phase of Ruskin Square,
the landmark East Croydon development
by Schroder Investment Management
Ltd and Stanhope plc, advised by Jones
Lang LaSalle. The total residential
scheme comprises 600 homes, and the
wider site includes 1.5 million sq ft of
grade A office space, as well as shops,
restaurants, and extensive new
landscaped public realm. The first phase
of 161 apartments will be delivered in
partnership with Places for People.
16. Royal Mail Site
■ Developer: Deloitte LLP
■ Planning: Granted
17. Morello Offices
■ Developer: Menta
■ Planning: Granted
15. Ruskin Square
18. Morello
■ Developer: Stanhope Schroders
■ Planning: Under construction
Work is due to start imminently on the
■ Developer: Menta
■ Planning: Granted
Morello is a mixed-use scheme by
K EY
E X I ST I N G D E V E LO P M E NT
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12
W E ST C R OY D O N
Menta which includes a landmark
55-storey residential tower. The tower
creates a ‘vertical street’ comprising 424
residential units, ground and first-floor
retail spaces and a series of communal
amenity spaces.
A 17-storey four star boutique hotel
sits adjacent to the tower and will
become a new commercial and
community hub. Work is scheduled to
start in 2014.
19. Cherry Orchard Road
■ Developer: Menta
■ Planning: Granted
Menta has secured planning consent for
a mixed tenure development of 71
residential units and a community
centre, public square and shops in
Cherry Orchard Road.
A mix of town houses, and apartments
– which are predominantly focused at
the affordable end of the market – will
complement the new station
environment being created within the
Morello Quarter proposals and the
Morello Tower.
20. Morello Quarter
■ Developer: Menta Redrow
■ Planning: Under construction
Sales were launched in March 2014 on
this exciting development of 290 one,
two and three bedroom
contemporary-designed new
apartments.
They are being designed as a garland
of four low to mid-rise buildings of up to
20 storeys linked as pairs at lower levels.
The joint venture development by Menta
and Redrow Homes started on site in
April and is scheduled for occupation in
2016.
21. Quest House
■ Developer: Family Mosaic
■ Planning: Under construction
22. One Lansdowne Road
■ Developer: Guildhouse Rosepride
LLP
■ Planning: Granted
One Lansdowne Road is a landmark
N E W D E V E LO P M E NT
S I N C E 2 013
55-storey tower designed by Piers
Gough CBE, of CZWG Architects.
Planning consent is in place for 397
residential apartments, a 217-bed hotel
and 180,000 sq ft of office space.
This iconic mixed-use scheme has
strong potential for change of use to
deliver an enhanced solely residential
scheme.
The main tower element of the
scheme will be one of the tallest
residential buildings in the UK at a height
of 200m – firmly placing One Lansdowne
Road as one of the focal points of
London’s skyline.
23. Canterbury House
■ Developer: Criterion Capital
■ Planning: Granted
A 79,385 sq ft scheme delivering 110
residential one and two bedroom
apartments to the private rental sector.
24. St Michael’s Square
■ Developer: Barratt London
■ Planning: In pre-application
25. Delta Point
■ Developer: Criterion Capital
■ Planning: Granted
Consented scheme set to deliver 348
residential one and two bedroom
apartments to the private rental sector.
This 367,630 sq ft development is
currently on site and it is anticipated that
it will be completed by October 2015.
26. Saffron Square
■ Developer: Berkeley
■ Planning: Under construction
Berkeley Homes is building a
high-quality mixed use development of
791 new homes incorporating an iconic
43-storey tower. Saffron Square is
designed around a one-acre public
square complete with water features and
overlooked by a residents’ gym,
business lounge, 24-hour concierge and
a selection of shops and cafes.
27. 5 Bedford Park
■ Developer: Criterion Capital
■ Planning: In pre-application
A 56,816 sq ft scheme delivering 91
residential one and two bedroom
apartments to the private rental sector.
28. Interchange
■ Developer: Canmoor CarVal Investors
■ Planning: Built
Interchange is a new 180,000 sq ft
Grade A office building located in the
heart of Croydon, close to West and East
Croydon stations and the Whitgift
Centre. It provides exceptional quality
and value, with 18,000 sq ft flexible floor
plates, a vibrant three-storey atrium and
400 secure parking spaces.
29. Island
■ Developer: Regency Homes
■ Planning: Under construction
30. Cane hill, Coulsdon
■ Developer: Barratt Homes
■ Planning: Granted
Barratt and Ward Homes are finalising
plans for the redevelopment of the
former Cane Hill Hospital in Coulsdon.
Subject to planning the development will
consist of up to 675 new homes, 163 of
which will be affordable, ranging from
one-bedroom apartments to
five-bedroom houses. The proposals
seek the retention of existing buildings
with the provision of new commercial
facilities close to the town centre.
31. New South Quarter
■ Developer: Barratt Homes
■ Planning: Under construction
Barratt London’s New South Quarter
offers 923 studio, one, two and
three-bedroom apartments adjacent to
the historic 21-acre Wandle Park in
Croydon. Excellent transport links via
Wandle Park tram station offer services
into both East and West Croydon in
under 10 minutes and into the city centre
via London Bridge station from East
Croydon in 15 minutes. The range of
shops, pubs and restaurants will expand
when Westfield and Hammerson’s new
shopping centre opens in 2018.
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Advertiser, Friday, May 2, 2014
CCR-EO1-S3
croydonadvertiser.co.uk
THE
F RUM
State-of-the-art
building now open
A
FLAGSHIP office
building in the heart
of Croydon –
Interchange – has been
completed, offering
180,000 sq ft of premium office
space.
Canmoor, the leading
commercial property company,
and its sponsor CarVal Investors,
are celebrating the completion of
Interchange, the largest new
Grade A office scheme to be
launched in the borough for
more than 20 years. The building
is the product of a £15 million
renovation programme of the
former BT offices, adjacent to
West Croydon Station.
Tom White, director of
Canmoor, said: “We are very
proud of this development,
which transforms a landmark,
but out-of-date, office building
into a state-of-the-art workplace
to meet the demands of the
modern day occupier.
“Interchange provides
businesses of all shapes and
sizes with the opportunity to
occupy a stunning headquarters
building of exceptional quality
for a fraction of the cost of
London, the south east and even
Thames Valley.
“It really does represent
unbeatable value. Croydon is
undergoing major
FLAGSHIP: Interchange is
Croydon’s first big office
scheme for two decades
transformation and we are
thrilled to be at the vanguard of
this change.”
The nine-storey building
provides 180,000 sq ft of flexible,
modern floor plates and more
than 400 car parking spaces.
A prominent feature is the
stunning, triple-height glass
altrium and reception area,
creating a striking first
impression for visitors.
The space provides a meeting
point for office workers,
complete with coffee bar, wi-fi
and on-screen real-time
community information.
With a BREEAM ‘very good’
rating the building features
energy efficient design such as
the Building Energy
Management System, solar
shading in reception, and a
cycle rack and suite of shower
facilities.
Robert Balick, senior
managing director and head of
Real Estate Europe for CarVal
Investors, said: “Historically,
Croydon has built its reputation
on its status as an office hub,
and we believe the town is on its
way to recapturing this mantle
as a commercial hub for south
London.”
Canmoor and CarVal have
appointed Savills and Dowley
Turner Real Estate as joint
letting agents for the building,
and quoting rents, subject to
covenant and lease length, from
around £20 per sq ft.
■ For more information about
the offices and availability visit
www.interchangecroydon.co.uk
Residential space replaces offices
SIXTEEN office buildings
changed hands in Croydon last
year as part of a boom in office
to residential conversions.
This was prompted by the
Government last year
introducing changes to
permitted development rights,
allowing for a change from
business to residential use in an
attempt to solve the UK’s
housing shortfall.
According to Vanessa Clark,
founder of consultant surveyors
Sinclair Clark, the changes will
give some of the borough’s
outdated office stock – much of it
dating back to the 1960s – a new
lease of life.
However, while reducing a
large stock of obsolete buildings,
the Government scheme is
having a profound effect on
Croydon, London’s third biggest
office market outside of the
central London core.
“Our statistics show that 1.2m
sq ft has changed hands as a
result of the 16 sales of former
office buildings, most of which
are likely to proceed for
conversion to residential under
the Government initiative,”
Vanessa said.
“This leaves a formerly
oversupplied second-hand office
market with decreasing
availability and, in the medium
term, this will impact on rents
and terms.”
The vacant office supply has
fallen from a high of 12 months
ago of 1.8m sq ft to around
650,000 sq ft – a drop of 67 per
cent.
Meanwhile, the pipeline
supply of new offices has
reduced, leading to an
opportunity for new office
development.
Vanessa added: “Occupiers
have yet to recognise they need
to look at their requirements
sooner than before, given the
reduced pool of office supply
they have been used to.”
BOOST: Vanessa Clark says much
of Croydon’s empty office stock
has been given a new lease of life
Hotel set for old civil service site
A NEW hotel will be built on the
site of a former government
building opposite the new
Whitgift Centre redevelopment.
Bravo Hotels Group has
purchased St Anne House, which
was sold with planning
permission for a 144-bed hotel
and 46 residential units on its
upper floors, from Redefine
International plc.
Stiles Harold Williams and
joint agents BCM sold the 1960s
73,452 sq ft office building,
previously occupied by the Home
Office, for £8.4million.
Alon Demol, chief executive of
Bravo Management UK Limited,
said: “Bravo Group is excited
about this project and proud to
take part in Croydon’s
regeneration. We are looking
forward to working with various
communities in Croydon and
being involved in successful
business ventures.”
Following the purchase, Bravo
Management UK Ltd has been
appointed to develop the asset
and manage the operations
under the Bravo brand.
Richard Plant, a partner of
Stiles Harold Williams and
chairman of the Develop
Croydon Forum, said the sale
reinforced the sentiment that
Croydon was rising into an
exciting location.
“Once famously known as
‘Little Manhattan’, the town has
in recent times been blighted by
the same stock of office buildings
which catapulted it into the
limelight,” said Mr Plant.
“However, the tide is now
turning and regeneration is a
hot topic. The sale of St Anne
House is an important deal that
will contribute to a dynamic mix
of uses in Croydon’s
ever-changing landscape.”
croydonadvertiser.co.uk
Advertiser, Friday, May 2, 2014
CCR-EO1-S3
THE
F RUM
T
HE changing face of
Croydon has been
highlighted by the
launch of one of the
borough’s most
ambitious development projects.
Despite urban regeneration
specialist Menta and UK
housebuilder Redrow Homes
having launched their sales
programme just seven weeks
ago, they have already generated
great interest at home and
abroad in their Morello Quarter
scheme.
The mixed use development,
in Cherry Orchard Road next to
East Croydon station, will
eventually include more than 800
new homes and a 55-storey
residential tower.
The first phase, featuring
more than 290 new homes, was
launched in March.
Craig Marks, chief executive of
Menta, said: “The Morello
scheme was extremely well
received during the UK launch
in March and also had a
successful airing in Singapore
and Hong Kong. The main focus
has been on educating potential
homeowners and investors about
the transformational change
being delivered in Croydon.”
There have already been a
number of sales as the
developers prepare to transform
an underdeveloped and largely
derelict site into a cutting-edge,
sustainable and innovative
solution that will integrate with
Public views
Square ideas
PLANS to redevelop an area
of West Croydon went on
display to the public last
month. Developer Barratt
London exhibited its
pre-application proposals for
the St Michael’s Square site
between Poplar Walk and
Station Road. One of the key
areas within Croydon
Council’s West Croydon
Masterplan, the scheme aims
to improve accessibility to
West Croydon station.
Yes to plan
FUTURE VISION: The Morello Quarter scheme is set to transform the area around East Croydon station
and regenerate East Croydon
and its surroundings.
“I’ve been involved in Croydon
for the best part of seven years
assembling sites next to the
station,” said Mr Marks.
“We have planning consent for
a 55-storey residential tower and
hotel and we’ve got planning
consent for another 300 units, so
in total we’ve committed to
about 800 new homes.”
Office delivery rewards
investor’s faith in town
CROYDON’S first speculative
office scheme for a generation
has underlined the faith shown
in the town by investor Mark
Glatman.
The Renaissance building, sold
to M&G Real Estate three
months ahead of completion, is
already 40 per cent let to the
Pension Protection Fund, while
Abstract is currently in
discussions to let another floor
of the five-storey building.
Mr Glatman, chief executive of
the Abstract Group, said: “With
the commitment from Westfield
and Hammerson, Croydon is
definitely about to come into its
own and people will see what a
good place it is to do business.
“My message to businesses in
the City of London would be to
move your back-office jobs to
Croydon.
“The rent at Renaissance is
£22 per sq ft on a 15-year lease
but, more importantly, the
finance director likes hearing
that it’s £3,000 per workspace.
F RUM
The Morello Quarter will form
part of one of the biggest
mixed-use urban revitalisation
programmes in Europe,
including 9,600 new home starts
across the borough over the next
five years and capacity for up to
2.8m sq ft of Grade A office
space.
THE
Ambitious
scheme aims
to revive a
derelict area
with superb
living space
In brief
SOUND INVESTMENT: The Renaissance building was sold three
months ahead of completion
That is significantly cheaper
than anything else in London.”
Renaissance has made it on to
the shortlist for two awards in
the Office Agents Society
Development Awards 2014,
having been nominated for best
development outside London and
the sustainable achievement
award. The winners will be
announced on June 20.
A PROPOSAL for a
supermarket and health centre
in Coulsdon has been
approved by Croydon Council.
The authority has granted
permission for CCURV, the
council’s partnership with
developer John Laing, to
develop a council-run car park
in Lion Green Road.
9
10
Advertiser, Friday, May 2, 2014
CCR-EO1-S3
croydonadvertiser.co.uk
THE
F RUM
‘Proactive planning’
earns praise for town
CROYDON has been singled out
in the Farrell Review for its
exemplary approach to planning.
The review, led by Sir Terry
Farrell and backed by a panel of
11 industry leaders, published its
findings last week after a
national review.
Work nearing end on new
Selsdon Quest Academy
And Croydon’s approach was
singled out with Sir Terry
recommending that the planning
system needed to be “proactive
rather than reactive”.
In response to Sir Terry’s
findings, Croydon’s director of
planning and building control
Mike Kiely has written an article
entitled ‘Croydon: What the rest
of Britain can learn from us’.
Mr Kiely wrote: “In our view
planning should absolutely be
positive and proactive.
“Croydon has developed a
radically pragmatic and
place-based approach to
planning that is seen as the
necessary driving force behind
setting the borough’s vision and
‘PRAGMATIC’: Mike Kiely
shaping its long-term prospects
for growth and prosperity.
Having our planning framework
in place puts us in an extremely
strong position as we enter
recovery, providing vision and
certainty for those who wish to
invest in the borough.”
T
TAKING SHAPE: Paul Newman, Wates’ project manager, and Simon Givens, Wates’ site manager, with students from Quest Academy
HE construction of the
new £16m Quest
Academy in Selsdon has
reached its final phase
as work commences on
the school’s interior ahead of
completion this summer.
Academy has progressed well in
spite of challenges in the build
programme due to poor weather
conditions and the site team has
reached an exciting new phase of
construction as the building’s
interior begins to take shape.
Students from the school
recently joined contractor, Wates
Construction, on site to view the
progress so far made and to take
a tour of the new 1,115-pupil
capacity academy building in
Farnborough Avenue.
“It is great to welcome the
students to the site so that they
can start to visualise their new
facility ahead of the big move in
the summer.”
Site activity includes the
mechanical and electrical
installations to power the
building and the assembly of the
room partitions to accommodate
flexible teaching spaces.
Construction of the new
facility began last summer on
the site adjacent to the existing
school building, which has
remained operational
throughout the work.
The project is being delivered
on behalf of academy sponsors,
The Coloma Trust, and Croydon
Council, which part-funded the
project.
Once complete, the former
school building will be
demolished to make way for new
landscaped areas including wild
PRINCIPAL: Andy Crofts
meadow gardens and a pond that
will be used to assist the delivery
of the biology curriculum.
The new facility will also
accommodate a 215-capacity
sixth form and will introduce
new community sports facilities
to replace the former Monks Hill
Sport Centre.
Completion of the building
work is scheduled for the new
academic year in September,
following a build programme of
59 weeks.
Richard Shroll, from Wates
Construction London & Kent,
said: “Work at The Quest
Andy Crofts, Quest’s principal,
said: “We are really excited now
about the prospect of moving
into our new first class facilities
that will complement the
excellent teaching and learning
now taking place at the Quest.”
Year 9 Quest student,
Mohamed Mohamed, who
recently completed work
experience on the building site,
said: “I believe that the new
building will be interesting and
that it will last through ages.”
Designed by CPMG Architects,
the rebuild project utilises
Wates’ innovative Adapt school
building model, which can
facilitate a 21 per cent reduction
in build programme and cost
savings on average of 23 per cent
against a typical new school
building.
Find a package to boost turnover
THE council has unveiled a
series of packages to boost
businesses before the completion
of the town centre’s
regeneration.
Jo Negrini, the executive
director of development and
environment, is currently
preparing an economic growth
plan for the borough.
She said: “We are doing a lot of
work looking at animating our
dead spaces and, meanwhile, on
uses as part of our High Street
Improvement and Retail Support
project to bring some of the
heart back into the town centre.”
Key elements of the council’s
package are:
■ Croydon Rate Free for a
Year: An incentive programme
including a unique rate-free
holiday for new occupiers in
2014/15 to attract businesses to
take up commercial space within
the town centre
■ Pop up Shop Programme:
Empty shop spaces available to
businesses and community
organisations at minimal cost.
■ London Road Retail Support
Project: Business support and
renovation of vacant
units/unused spaces for
meanwhile uses.
■ Surrey Street Retail Support
Project: Support for new firms
setting up in vacant units.
■ Meanwhile Use Partnership:
Promoting the benefits of
meanwhile uses in town centre.
Grants are also available to
boost enterprise in the borough.
The Coast to Capital Local
Enterprise Partnership aims to
create economic growth with
initiatives such as business
growth grants.
Meanwhile, the Croydon
Enterprise Loan Fund, being
managed on behalf of Croydon
Council by GLE One London,
offers start-up loans of between
£1,000 and £5,000. Businesses
which have been trading for
more than 12 months can borrow
between £2,000 and £25,000.
croydonadvertiser.co.uk
Advertiser, Friday, May 2, 2014
CCR-EO1-S3
11
THE
F RUM
Summit will focus on
Tech City progression
C
ROYDON’S potential to
become London’s next
big hub of digital
industries will come
under scrutiny at a
summit taking place at Croydon
College on June 6.
The borough is home to more
than 1,000 digital, creative and
software companies, making it
the second biggest cluster of tech
and media businesses outside
central London.
At the event, to be formally
opened by London’s Deputy
Mayor for Business and
Enterprise Kit Malthouse,
experts including Rupert
Whitehead from Google, Juliette
Morgan from TechCity UK and
Julian Blake, TechCityInsider,
will debate Croydon’s ability to
rival Shoreditch in attracting
tech and media talent thanks to
its skills base, infrastructure,
environment.
Croydon Council’s lead
investment executive Matthew
McMillan said: “This expert
line-up brings together the best
of the teams involved in building
London’s reputation as the
world’s leading digital hub and
will offer a tantalising insight to
Croydon’s future role at the
heart of London’s position as a
global tech player.”
There is strong cross-party
support for Croydon’s future as
‘the Silicon Valley of the South’.
At a recent debate hosted by
Croydon Tech City, Labour MP
for Croydon North Steve Reed,
and Conservative MP for
Croydon Central, Gavin Barwell,
put their political differences
aside to agree on support for the
borough’s tech cluster
Mr Barwell said: “One of the
things I admire is the fact that
Croydon Tech City has been set
up by the people, not the
Gover nment.”
Both politicians stressed that
they would like to see more
commitment from Croydon
Council to technology startups,
saying that, while they would
help in any way they could,
direction should be taken in the
HUGE BENEFITS: Croydon
could gain from up to £559m
of Government funding
Bid for £559m from Government
AMBITIOUS plans for economic
growth in Croydon are outlined
in a bid for £559 million of
Government funding.
Coast to Capital local
enterprise partnership –
covering Croydon, West Sussex,
Brighton & Hove, Lewes, East
Surrey and the Gatwick
Diamond – has delivered its
economic strategy to back a bold
and widespread investment
programme that will yield new
jobs and improved
infrastructure, together with the
acceleration of plans for new
housing.
If the bid is successful, Coast
to Capital has committed to:
■ create 60,000 new jobs, 26,000
homes and 970,000 sq m of new
employment space;
■ invest £550 million of publicsector funding from local
authorities, higher education
and others;
■ leverage £2.78 billion of
private-sector funding to support
the proposals;
■ invest £61m of European
funding.
Councillor Jason Perry,
cabinet member for planning,
regeneration and transport, said:
“Croydon may be only one patch
of what is a large area of the
South East, but I believe we can
play an important and
influential role in the future
prosperity of the region.
“In addition to being a
recognised business centre with
unrivalled transport links, we
have a large and diverse
workforce that’s not afraid to
buckle down and get the job
done.
“If this bid is successful, it can
only help in the continued
growth and success of a borough
that is already seeing massive
investment and the instigation of
exciting plans, such as the
redevelopment of the town’s
retail centre and the Connected
Croydon programme of
infrastructure improvements.”
Coast to Capital straddles the
UK’s two most important
economic regions – London and
the South East. Growth is at the
core of the strategic economic
plan. The message is: create
growth, sustain it and propel the
Coast to Capital region to
compete even more strongly on
an international footing.
The plan has been developed
in collaboration with the
business community,
universities, colleges and local
authorities. It was unanimously
agreed by the Coast to Capital
joint committee of the region’s 17
local authorities.
The Coast to Capital strategy
will now be considered by
Government alongside the 38
other plans prepared by LEPs
across the UK competing for a
share of the local growth fund.
main from the community.
Mr Reed called for Croydon to
follow in Lambeth’s footsteps
and establish rent-free working
space in underdeveloped areas,
while Mr Barwell suggested the
setting up of a free school to
encourage young people to
specialise in the digital skills
required.
Tickets for the event at
Croydon College on June 6 are
available until May 15 at an early
bird rate of just £95 plus VAT
(£114).
Book at www.participant.co.uk
■ For details about the
Croydon Tech City movement,
visit www.croydontechcity.com
SPEAKER: Deputy mayor Kit Malthouse will be at the tech city event
12
Advertiser, Friday, May 2, 2014
CCR-EO1-S3
croydonadvertiser.co.uk
THE
F RUM
Transformation of
town gives us all
plenty to celebrate
Forum offers
opportunities
to network
THE Develop Croydon Forum is a group of
businesses, agencies and individuals whose
main aim is to promote Croydon as a
location to invest, work and live.
The forum is a not-for-profit community
interest company which represents those in
the private, public and third sectors wishing
to contribute to the regeneration and
economic renewal of the borough.
Develop Croydon holds a series of events
throughout the year, allowing investors to
visit the borough and hear about the
exciting investment opportunities.
These events include:
■ JUNE 6: Croydon Tech City summit.
Hear about the progress of the Croydon
Tech City movement.
■ JUNE 9-20: New Croydon Architecture &
Design Exhibition, Fairfield Halls, Croydon:
A public exhibition showcasing best
practice, innovation, design and
development schemes in the borough
■ JUNE 19: Develop Croydon Forum VIP
evening drinks reception. Enjoy fantastic
views of the River Thames from the Deck,
Waterloo, while networking with Croydon’s
key stakeholders over canapés.
■ SEPTEMBER 16: Live Croydon Half-day
Housing Seminar: Debate the opportunities
and challenges Croydon faces in meeting its
housebuilding target of 9,500 new starts
across the borough in the next five years.
■ NOVEMBER 25: Develop Croydon
Conference, Fairfield Halls. Now in its fifth
year, this one-day conference will debate
and present Croydon’s growth plans.
■ To register your interest, call Yolande
Carpenter or James Clark on 020 8726
7968.
RICHARD Plant, chairman of the Develop Croydon Forum
and a partner of Stiles Harold Williams, shares his thoughts
on the town’s transformation...
G
IVEN the impressive
developments
appearing in Croydon,
the deals being
completed, and the
huge investment pipeline about
to transform the town, it is easy
to forget where we were just five
years ago when Develop Croydon
was formed.
Croydon is now a hotspot
where everyone wants to be, but
in the depths of the recession,
Develop Croydon was formed by
private-sector organisations
either based in Croydon or with
projects here, which saw the
need to encourage investment.
OPTIMISTIC: Richard Plant, chairman of Develop Croydon
Forum, is enthused by the scope and pace of change here
Assael
The eight founding members
always believed in the
fundamentals of location,
transport, opportunities, and the
people that make Croydon what
it is, and what it can be.
Despite the adverse publicity
caused by the riots of 2011 –
others have come to believe in
the huge opportunity Croydon
presents – and have backed this
belief with action. Develop
Croydon now has 50 members.
Impressive new housing
developments are under
construction and we have
penthouses selling well in excess
of £1million. We have two brand
new Grade A office
developments, and Croydon
Council and the GLA have
played their part in enabling
great public realm
improvements such as the
facelift to the area between
Lansdowne Road and East
Croydon station.
We also have substantial
transport infrastructure
®
improvements at East Croydon,
West Croydon and on Tramlink.
That is even before a projected
£3billion public and
private-sector investment over
the next five years headlined, of
course, by Westfield and
Hammerson’s redevelopment.
The collaborative approach
brought about by Develop
Croydon has been at the
forefront of this change and, as
we stand on the cusp of the
biggest change in the town since
the 1960s, we will continue to
champion Croydon as it prepares
to restore its rightful status at
the centre of south London and
the South East.
We are also here to help the
Occupier Forum and Live
Croydon to make this transition
the celebration it is.