Proposals for a cluster of skyscrapers comprising 700 homes are being worked up for Croydon, where the Westfield effect continues to gather pace.
A private client of Springer Nicholas is in discussions with Croydon council to redevelop Mondial House into one of the tallest buildings in the borough. It wants to transform the 15-storey office building at 102 George Street into a 250-flat 42-storey tower.
Terrace Hill, meanwhile, is preparing plans for up to 305 flats in two buildings of 32 and 17-storeys with commercial space on the ground floor at the neighbouring vacant Essex House at 101 George Street.
And Croydon College, in joint venture with developer Phoenix Logistics, is also presenting plans to redevelop its car park site in nearby College Road into a part 37- and part 16-storey tower. The complex is set to house a hotel and 159 flats.
The trio of pre-application proposals come after Guildhouse UK and Rosepride Properties revamped their plans for their £350m 656ft Lansdowne Road tower (pictured) on the back of the approval of Westfield’s and Hammerson’s £1bn Croydon mall (14 December 2013, p23).
Croydon has a target of 9,500 new homes during the next five years, with capacity for 7,300 in the town centre alone.
The council is pitching for the area to become one of the first “housing zones” in the capital, which would bring incentives to encourage housebuilding.
Mike Kiely, director of planning at Croydon council, said: “The high-value areas in London are getting crowded and developers are seriously trying to get into Croydon now.
“Croydon is 15 minutes from central London and is close to Gatwick airport.”
Annabel.Dixon@estatesgazette.com
