One of the most acrimonious development battles of recent times took a fresh twist this week as a defiant Stanhope and Schroders unveiled new plans for Croydon’s Gateway site.
The plans focus on the 4.5-acres of the 13-acre site that the partners do not own, including the Dingwall Road multi-storey car park.
This part of the site has been earmarked by owner Croydon council for a contentious 12,500-seat arena.
It wants preferred partner Arrowcroft to develop the arena as part of a major mixed-use scheme.
But Stanhope/Schroders – which have consent from the Secretary of State for a rival 1.6m sq ft scheme on the remaining 8.5 acres – argue that such a large-scale arena is not economically viable.
This week they said they would be lodging their own Foster & Partner-designed plans for the northern fringe that do not include an arena as part of a drive to create a comprehensive masterplan.
Instead the proposals comprise a further 261 homes, 50% of which will be affordable, alongside restaurants, cafes and an extension of the urban park.
The plans, which were presented to residents and other interested parties in Croydon last week, in part answer one of Arrowcroft’s major objections to Stanhope/Schroders’ consented scheme as it calls for secretary of state Ruth Kelly to reconsider her approval.
Arrowcroft is arguing that Ruth Kelly failed reasonably to interpret the council’s planning policy to require a masterplan which demonstrated how “the comprehensive development of the whole site would be secured” because Stanhope/Schroders have not included plans for the northern part of the site.
In a further act of defiance Stanhope/Schroders said it had instructed Foster & Partners to prepare detailed design work to enable the first phase to commence on site at the “earliest possible opportunity”.
The first phase will include an office building of around 200,000 sq ft, the GPs’ surgery and the majority of the new urban park.
This phase may then be extended to include two office buildings and two or all of the residential buildings.
The programme is due to start on site at the beginning of 2007 with a build period of five years. Enabling works are commencing in November 2006 to clear up the site so that construction can start in earnest.
As part of the project, Stanhope and Schroders said it would be working closely with Croydon council to fund a range of local initiatives, particularly in relation to training and education, both during the building process and beyond.
William Hill, head of property at Schroders, and David Camp, chief executive of Stanhope, said: “The scheme has the broad support of local residents and Croydon businesses, the Mayor of London, local amenity groups and property owners in Croydon.
“Croydon council recommended at the recent public inquiry that planning permission be granted and we look forward to working with them to help realise their ambitions and plans for the regeneration and renaissance of Croydon.”
References: EGi News 24/10/06
