Last week the row over who should redevelop the 633,400 sq ft Whitgift shopping mall in the centre of Croydon escalated. The long leaseholders named Hammerson as preferred development partner, but freeholder The Whitgift Foundation is already working with Westfield on redevelopment plans.
The Estates Gazette Big Question asked readers who they thought should develop the mega-mall.
The survey of more than 450 property professionals found that 37.7% of respondents thought Westfield would be best placed to develop the shopping centre, while just 26.3% thought it should be Hammerson. Another 22% said they should develop the scheme together, and 14% said it should be neither company.
Most respondents were in favour of the scheme going ahead, with 78.4% saying that the town centre was crying out for a revamp and had the correct demographics.
“Croydon is in desperate need of revitalisation. With developments like Shepherd’s Bush, Westfield has a history of similar developments,” said John Sutherland, design director at BPDS.
“Croydon had the good sense to develop a first-class transport infrastructure with the tram system 12 years ago, but since then, through a combination of disjointed land ownership and a failing economy, the town no longer has any semblance of order or prosperity,” said Laurence Barton, a director at Aitchison Raffety. “Much of the central area is effectively blighted by a succession of unsuccessful development schemes.”
