The joint owners of Croydon’s Whitgift Centre have unveiled ambitious plans for a £150m extension to the 1970s-built city centre retail scheme. The focus of the proposal will be a new department store of around 32,000 sq m (344,500 sq ft) and 16,800 sq m (181,000 sq ft) of associated retail units.
Co-owners the Whitgift Shopping Centre Partnership, the Whitgift Foundation and United Friendly have submitted a planning application to Croydon council for the redevelopment of a 1.95ha (4.8 acres) site between North End, George Street and Dingwall Avenue, to be known as Bishop’s Court.
The site currently houses offices and retail, including an existing Allders department store. Building is likely to start in mid-2001 and the scheme will be completed in two phases, starting with the department store, from 2003 to 2005.
Investors in the partnership include NPI, Norwich Union, the Church Commissioners, the BG Pension scheme and Barclays Bank retirement fund.
EGi 20/07/00
