Sarah Jones, the MP for Croydon Central, today responded to the news that Westfield’s parent company had bought out Hammerson’s half-share in the Croydon Partnership, including the Centrale shopping mall, potentially removing the log-jam in the long-delayed redevelopment of Croydon town centre.
Time to get to work on town centre: MP Sarah Jones
The MP said, “Yesterday we had the welcome news that Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield has bought out Hammerson and acquired an outstanding stake.
“This has been on the cards for months and I hope it shows a real and lasting commitment from Westfield to the town of Croydon. Our town has been waiting for so long for change to the Whitgift Centre and town centre.
“There are two major challenges now. The first is to fix the basics in the Whitgift Centre and High Street – the leaky roof, the pigeons, graffiti, run-down shop fronts – and bring in some temporary ‘meanwhile use’, like pop-up shops or community spaces.
“The second challenge, of course, is the design that must now be developed, agreed and completed. I am hoping we will see a master plan agreed before the end of the year, and begin to see movement on site in 2024.
“The last time I met the chief executive of URW I told him about the wonderful place that Croydon is, its 1000-year history and its people. I talked about the huge potential in our town centre and the incredible opportunity to breathe life into our shopping centres.
“There are so many exciting things going on in Croydon: green shoots of regeneration with so much potential that will only keep growing and strengthening if Westfield grips this opportunity.
“I hope that this announcement is progress, and I will keep talking to Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, working constructively with them wherever I can.”
Read more: Westfield seals deal to buy Hammerson out of town centre
Read more: Perry blasted after trying to take credit for Westfield’s new deal
Read more: Crisis for Croydon as Westfield ‘reviews’ its £1.4bn scheme
Read more: Mary Portas, Westfield, Bradford and a £1bn hole in the ground
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