Adam Smith, strategic development director, Unibail Rodamco Westfield (URW) said Croydon was a “top priority for URW globally” during Restart Croydon’s “Reimagining Town Centres” panel discussion.
Mr Smith said that URW were very conscious that the “whole landscape of town centres and commerce has changed ship” but remarked that they had confidence in Croydon town centre, evidenced by them “tripling their investment” in the past year.
Smith said that URW are forming an “initial vision” for Croydon, with stakeholders and the council, but that the vision still needed to be “refined.” He suggested that Croydon wouldn’t be another “inward looking shopping centre” and that the developer are looking at “mixed uses”, with the aim to deliver a creative and diverse destination that is “right not just for 2024, but for 2040 and beyond.”
Nick Hibberd, corporate director sustainable communities, regeneration and economic Recovery, Croydon Council, stressed that while it wasn’t the council’s role to deliver a reimagined town centre or regeneration, it does play a role. He said: “we can use our position as a democratic mandate with a democratically elected executive mayor to help bring our partners together to reimagine Croydon’s future.”
Mr. Hibberd cited several things the council will be doing to help move plans forward including appointing a specialist team to “come up with us a new vision for the town centre” alongside a “new spatial strategy.” Hibberd suggested that, critically, a new regeneration and delivery plan will be delivered that will include a “pipeline of projects which will outline the infrastructure and public realm improvements the council needs to support in order to deliver wider regeneration.”
Hibberd highlighted that these initiatives would start in the new year, emphasising the need for a multidisciplinary approach involving “enforcement and support”. Immediate actions include addressing current issues, such as the “broken windows effect,” improving cleanliness, and reducing violence. The plan, focusing on collaboration between public and private sectors, aims to enhance Croydon’s safety and vibrancy, with implementation slated to commence within the next two months.
Cara Pickering, senior consultant, The Audience Agency, suggested a successful town centre needed “community and diversity at the heart of its design.” This was backed by Carolyn Forsyth, executive director & CEO, Talawa Theatre Company, a Croydon based cultural organisation, who suggested that alongside diversity, which is “massively important to Croydon,” the borough would benefit from a “cultural district” with “outdoor space where people can congregate” and “spaces which artists can repurpose and use for pop-up installations.” She cited the success of Croydon’s year as London Borough of Culture as evidence that “culture creates community.”
Panellists identified additional key elements for fostering a thriving future town centre in Croydon. These included robust security and safety initiatives to address antisocial behaviour, prioritising the current needs of local businesses for long-term sustainability, creating spaces for the active involvement of young people – both physical and within the consultation/planning process, establishing versatile workspaces for a comprehensive range of services and safeguarding against gentrification to prevent marginalisation of the voices within the existing community.
