Croydon councillors have been told the long-awaited 'Westfield' regeneration of the town centre could look "nothing like" the current Whitgift Centre, with revised plans proposing up to 4,000 new homes, green space and a public square capable of hosting events for up to 2,000 people. The plans are currently being scrutinised by the council following URW’s purchase of the ageing Whitgift Centre earlier this year.
Pre-application plans presented to Croydon's Planning Committee
Representatives from developer Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) presented the plans as part of its ‘Croydon Project’ and insisted they are financially viable. The pre-application plans were discussed by Croydon’s Planning Committee last week (September 24), and included new details and images of URW's proposed community and leisure offering.
Among the proposals is what URW is calling 'The Forum', a public square on the site of the existing Whitgift Centre that would provide space for people to congregate and host events for up to 2,000 people. The plans also include a new green space within the mixed-use regeneration area, provisionally named Whitgift Park. The developers said the park would provide a 'green lung' for Croydon where people could relax.
Leisure centre excluded due to viability concerns
During the meeting, Labour Councillor Sean Fitzsimons asked URW whether active leisure facilities would form part of the regeneration plans. "Croydon Town Centre desperately needs a proper sports centre and swimming pool," he added. However, URW’s Strategic Development Director Adam Smith said a new leisure centre would not form part of the regeneration, citing a lack of financial viability.
The proposals include between 3,000 and 4,000 new homes, alongside a smaller amount of higher-quality commercial space. Smith told the committee that while Croydon’s North End attracts nearly 20 million visits a year as a shopping destination, a residential-led model was necessary to make the project financially viable.
Housing mix and tower heights under discussion
Fairfield’s Green Party Councillor Ria Patel welcomed the progress made on the plans but expressed reservations about housing provision, stating: "This doesn’t mean we are meeting housing needs. What we need is genuinely affordable housing." Conservative Councillor Jack Barwell called for the inclusion of three to four-bed family homes in the scheme.
URW’s Smith said details on the housing make-up would come at a later stage. However, he also told members: "Yes, there will be flats here that will be expensive for some people, but we need those flats to balance the equation and bring the more affordable categories too." The plans would deliver housing across a series of residential towers, including four blocks of 30 to 45 storeys along Wellesley Road. Three towers of 15 to 25 storeys would sit towards the centre of the site, stepping down to a 12-storey building and lower-rise blocks near the historic North End corridor to reduce the impact on surrounding conservation areas.
Heritage concerns and next steps
Conservative Councillor Luke Shortland raised concerns about previous delays to the project, saying residents regularly ask when construction will begin. He called for assurances that URW would not leave Croydon with "empty concrete shells of buildings". In response, Smith said: "Viability is absolutely critical. This the most efficient masterplan we can come up with to make sure it is as viable as possible."
The masterplan’s design and heritage implications also came under scrutiny from the committee and the council’s independent Design Review Panel. Cllr Patel highlighted the panel’s view that the proposed demolitions could harm local heritage assets, with the scheme’s public benefits not yet considered sufficient to justify that harm. The future of the locally listed 1960s Centre Tower was a particular point of discussion. The panel recommended retaining the tower for creative or community workspace, but Smith told the meeting that retaining the building would not be feasible, while saying demolition was not confirmed at this stage. "What we don't want to do is is leave it as a ruin over a square that supports it," he told the committee.
The layout of pedestrian routes across the site also remains under discussion. Councillors and the Design Review Panel recommended a direct east-west route linking Lansdowne Road and Drummond Road, while URW has proposed routing pedestrians through The Forum square. Conservative Councillor Mark Johnson stressed the importance of active uses, such as restaurants and bars, along these routes to help maintain safety throughout the day and evening.
URW purchased the Whitgift Centre, Green Park House and the parts of the Allders building from the John Whitgift Foundation in July. The £31.5 million deal was described as a "positive milestone" at the time, clearing a key planning obstacle for the developers. URW is continuing pre-application discussions with Croydon Council ahead of its aim to submit a formal outline planning application in 2027.
