During the 1950s and 1960s, Croydon enjoyed major development activity. Inward investment has slowed since, even though the borough is home to more than 20 blue chip companies; lack of investment in the public realm and poor planning has created an image problem for Croydon.

The Council has ambitious regeneration plans for the borough with some £3.5bn of redevelopment funding in the pipeline. The Council commissioned leading planning firm EDAW in 1998 who helped to develop Vision 2020; a strategic document that has influenced planning and regeneration in the borough since 1999.  Major developments since and planned future developments include:

• The Tramlink tram system which opened in 2000
• The Skyline project to light up Croydon’s tall buildings
• Commercial developments; HSBC on Park Lane, Metro Point and Trafalgar House
• The 80,000sq m Centrale shopping centre and an extension to the Drummond Centre including flagship stores for major high-street brands
• New city centre housing developments from Bryant Homes, Barratts and Kerkeley Homes
• Conversion of the Grants department store into a major entertainment centre
• The Gateway site adjacent to East Croydon station – planned to include a 12,500 seat arena amongst housing, retail, office and entertainment accommodation

Croydon is set to become a major retail centre and our ambition is to become a top 10 retail destination by 2012.

Following on from Vision 2020, leading architect and urban designer Will Alsop was commissioned in 2007 to lead a consultation exercise to develop a plan for Croydon’s town centre – the third city – as part of the Croydon Metropolitan Centre Area Action Plan, due for completion mid-2008. The vision is to make Croydon a destination again by actively working with financial partners to bring investment and improvement to the public realm, re-developing the deliver this vision. The next few years will be critical in the transformation of the town. The ideas are radical; addressing the divide the Wellesley Road creates in the town centre, the need for a central park, the use of high, tall buildings to improve the skyline and the resurrection of the river Wandle, culverted underground since 1967.