Westfield to unveil Croydon shopping centre plans

“I will go down there and look and this! I have loved both Westfields that have been built! Beautifully designed and brings in many many customers from around the world! Westfield does have a winning formula.

Diana, yes someone got stabbed, but that was in Stratford (City). Its irrelevant to Westfield. It also happens to be ironically timed with only a month until the olympics. Nothing to do with Westfield.”

“I'm not sure Westfield will be a complete saviour - a bloke got murdered in the Stratford branch today. Security may mean that much of Croydon's population won't be allowed in.

Actually........”

“christopm, Hammerson are just the latest owners of Centrale, I think the original investors were from the Middle East, I can't remember exactly.

Ultimately it comes down to a choice. We have Hammerson backed by the two leasholders who are out to maximise their profit (investment firms). On the other side we have Westfield backed by the Whitgift Foundation, founded in 1596, to provide education to the young and care to the elderly - both of which they do brilliantly. The Whitgift Foundation is a charity. Whitgift is fully integrated into the heart of Croydon and its development (although the Swan & Sugarloaf becoming a Tescos brings some reservations).

Looking from a distance, you wonder who you would trust, 2 firms looking to make the most money possible or the organisation that has brought 3 great schools to Croydon and homes for the elderly. I trust Whitgift, so I hope the Westfield plans go down well and we can move forwards.”

“Let's also not forget that Hammerson are the same people who brought us the monstrosity of Centrale. Who in their right mind thought that top floor was a good idea?! We can't let another Centrale happen again.

Westfield are bringing something quite amazing to Croydon by actually regenerating the area, not just leaching from the area like Hammerson will no doubt do.”

“Isn't any proposed development in North End going to run into problems because of the positioning of the Alms Houses? Any proposal to amalgamate these into the development, or knock them down will cause huge outcry and potentially drive developers away.”

“Are Westfield taking into consideration the recommendations of the Riot report?”

“Perhaps Joanna Till can find out some more info for us. I, too, fear that a blight may descend upon North End, as happened with the St George's Walk, George Street, Park Street fiasco which killed off a large area of Croydon and several valued businesses like Turtles. Our politicians and planners, plus the land owners, need to assure us that they will never let that happen again. They find it so easy to believe the developers, who can obtain land and sit on it for years before they do anything. Too many times in the past this has resulted in ending leases, vacating premises, even demolition of buildings, and then nothing, nothing, nothing. Croydon needs guarantees, support for businesses during the transition, and an outcome which will benefit the current generations as well as the next ones.”

“The3rd, to quote from an article in the Croydon Guardian on 21st June, "Without this delay we would have been looking at completion before the end of 2013" - John Burton, Westfield's director of development.

Obviously there is a delay...

The article also states that the public consultation is due to start in about a week, i.e. the exhibition you are going to and that they will submit detailed plan by the end of July.

Diana, I have checked the Westfield UK website, it seems to indicate a capped rate of £5 all day parking in the week and £8 on weekends. There is a higher fee if you require valet parking...

Simon”

“Surely all they will show will be plans and an architect's model with acres of glass and some trees - but will the leases be priced such that it will fill with shops or be a white elephant?”

“Diane - unfortunately you cannot trust "professional" journalists to ask the right question.

My question would be, if they are successful, how long would this take to build? I forsee months of misery in Croydon high street.

I will take a look at the plans next week and report my findings back to everyone seeing as we cannot trust journalists to ask questions anymore.”