New Croydon Westfield Plans Reveal 4,000 Homes and Public Square

Key Points

• Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) has presented revised proposals for the redevelopment of Croydon town centre.
• The emerging masterplan could include approximately 3,000 to 4,000 new homes, alongside commercial, leisure and community uses.
• The existing Whitgift Centre could be substantially transformed, with the proposed development moving away from a traditional shopping-centre format.
• A new public square, provisionally called The Forum, is proposed on the Whitgift Centre site, with capacity for events involving up to 2,000 people.
• A new green space, provisionally named Whitgift Park, is also planned as part of the mixed-use regeneration area.
• URW Programme Director Paul Eaton told councillors that the future development would be “nothing like the shopping centre”, according to the report supplied for this article.
• The proposals envisage reduced retail space and a greater emphasis on homes, public spaces, leisure, culture and pedestrian connections.
• Croydon councillors raised questions about affordable housing, transport, green space, heritage and the effect of reducing retail provision.
• URW completed its purchase of the Whitgift Centre freehold from the John Whitgift Foundation in July 2026 for £31.5 million, simplifying ownership of a major part of the regeneration area.
• The latest proposals remain at the pre-application stage and are subject to further planning work, consultation and assessment.

Extra London News (ELN) September 30, 2026 – Plans for the long-awaited transformation of Croydon town centre have moved into a further stage of scrutiny, with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield presenting councillors with more details of a proposed mixed-use development that could fundamentally change the area around the Whitgift Centre. The emerging plans include between 3,000 and 4,000 homes, new public spaces, green areas, leisure and community facilities, while the amount of traditional retail space would be significantly reduced.

The most significant change in the proposals is the shift away from a conventional enclosed shopping-centre model towards a residential-led town-centre development. URW’s presentation to Croydon’s Planning Committee on September 24 outlined a new network of streets and public spaces, including The Forum and Whitgift Park. The proposals are still being developed, meaning that the precise design, number of homes and balance of uses could change before a formal planning application is considered.

What is proposed for the redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre?

The emerging masterplan covers land bounded by Wellesley Road, George Street, North End and Poplar Walk, including the existing Whitgift Shopping Centre and Allders site. Open Council Network’s account of the September 24 Planning Committee meeting describes the proposal as a residential-led, mixed-use town-centre scheme.

The plans would represent a major change from the current configuration of the town centre. Rather than replacing the Whitgift Centre with another conventional shopping complex, URW is proposing a broader neighbourhood incorporating housing, commercial activity, leisure uses, community facilities, public spaces and new routes through the site.

According to the report supplied for this article, URW Programme Director Paul Eaton told committee members: “It will be nothing like the shopping centre.”

The statement indicates the scale of the change being considered. However, the scheme remains a proposal rather than an approved development, and the final design will depend on the planning process and continuing discussions with Croydon Council and other stakeholders.

How many homes could be built in the new Croydon development?

The emerging plans could provide approximately 3,000 to 4,000 homes, according to the summary of the September 24 Planning Committee meeting.

That figure represents an increase from earlier versions of the project. In its spring 2026 consultation, the Croydon Project described a developing masterplan with around 2,500 to 3,000 new homes in the town centre. The consultation also identified new public spaces, a major public square on the Whitgift site, a refreshed Centrale shopping centre and the revitalisation of the historic Allders building.

The difference between those figures reflects the evolving nature of the masterplan rather than a final confirmed housing total.

The proposed homes are part of a wider attempt to change the function of central Croydon. The development would combine residential accommodation with retail, cultural, leisure and community uses rather than relying primarily on shopping.

What is The Forum planned for the Whitgift site?

One of the newly highlighted elements is a public square provisionally known as The Forum.

The square is proposed on the site of the existing Whitgift Centre and is intended to provide an open civic space where people can gather. According to the information supplied for the development, it could accommodate events involving up to 2,000 people.

The proposal forms part of a wider network of public spaces intended to make the regenerated town centre more accessible and active beyond conventional shopping hours.

The September planning committee discussion identified The Forum as one of the principal features of the emerging masterplan. Open Council Network reported that councillors were also examining the scale and quality of proposed public spaces as part of their scrutiny of the scheme.

The final function, design and event arrangements for the square would be matters for subsequent stages of the planning and development process.

What is Whitgift Park and why is it included in the masterplan?

The proposed development also includes a green space provisionally named Whitgift Park.

URW has described the proposed park as a “green lung” for Croydon, according to the material supplied for the report. Its intended purpose is to provide an area where people can relax within the wider mixed-use development.

Green space has been a recurring element of the evolving Croydon Project. The spring 2026 consultation said that earlier public feedback had included calls for greener public areas, improved accessibility and more cultural and leisure activities.

The council’s September planning discussion also included scrutiny of the amount and quality of proposed green space. Open Council Network reported that councillors raised questions concerning public realm, biodiversity and the design of new routes.

As a result, Whitgift Park is not simply a landscaping element in the proposal. Its eventual size, position and relationship with surrounding buildings and pedestrian routes will form part of the detailed planning considerations.

Why would the new scheme contain less retail space?

The redevelopment represents a change in the economic role proposed for the site.

Open Council Network reported that the emerging masterplan would involve a significant reduction in retail space, with that land being used for homes and other commercial, leisure and community purposes.

This reflects the wider direction of the Croydon Project, which has been presented by URW as a mixed-use regeneration scheme rather than a straightforward replacement shopping centre.

The spring 2026 consultation outlined plans for shops, cafés, restaurants, leisure and cultural venues alongside new housing and public spaces.

The reduction in retail provision was nevertheless one of the issues examined by councillors. The September meeting included discussion about the possible impact of reduced retail space on the vitality of Croydon’s town centre.

That discussion illustrates one of the central planning questions surrounding the project: how the town centre can accommodate additional residents and public spaces while retaining enough commercial activity to support existing and future businesses.

What concerns did Croydon councillors raise?

The September 24 Planning Committee discussion covered several aspects of the emerging scheme.

According to Open Council Network’s report of the meeting, councillors questioned the provision of genuinely affordable housing, the design and width of proposed routes, the amount and quality of green space and the possible loss of Croydon’s heritage.

Transport was another consideration. A separate account of the redevelopment proposals said the emerging scheme envisages the removal of existing town-centre and commercial car parking, with the applicant stating that surrounding car parks would provide sufficient capacity. It also reported plans for step-free streets and measures encouraging walking, cycling and public transport.

Detailed assessments of highway impacts, including bus movements, vehicle access and servicing arrangements, remain necessary as the scheme progresses.

These matters are significant because the redevelopment would not simply alter individual buildings. It would change movement patterns, public spaces, residential capacity and the relationship between the town centre’s commercial and community functions.

How has URW’s ownership of the Whitgift Centre changed the regeneration project?

A significant development took place in July 2026 when the John Whitgift Foundation sold its freehold ownership of the Whitgift Centre area to URW.

The Foundation said the transaction was worth £31.5 million, payable in instalments over five years. The sale included the Whitgift Centre, Green Park House and parts of Allders not already owned by URW.

The Foundation had previously retained the freehold while URW held a long lease. The transaction therefore simplified the ownership structure of the redevelopment area.

In a statement published by the Foundation, its CEO Roisha Hughes said the organisation had considered the sale in the context of its education and care responsibilities. She said proceeds would be invested and the income generated would continue supporting the Foundation’s charitable objectives, principally its bursary programme.

URW Strategic Development Director Adam Smith described the purchase as a milestone in the planned transformation of Croydon town centre, saying the simplified ownership structure would support work with the council, the Mayor of Croydon and other stakeholders.

What has URW previously proposed for Croydon town centre?

The latest plans have developed through several rounds of consultation and masterplanning.

In March 2026, the Croydon Project said the developing framework included around 2,500 to 3,000 homes, new public spaces, a modernised Centrale shopping centre, the revitalisation of Allders and a mixture of shops, restaurants, cafés, leisure and cultural venues.

The council had previously endorsed a Masterplan Framework covering the Whitgift and Centrale shopping centres and surrounding areas. The council said the framework was intended to create a mixed-use centre with homes, shops, cultural venues and public spaces, alongside improved pedestrian connections and greener areas.

URW’s approach has therefore been developing over several years rather than emerging suddenly with the September presentation.

The project’s history is also important because earlier proposals for the Whitgift Centre did not reach construction. The government confirmed a compulsory purchase order for the centre in 2015 as part of a proposed major regeneration programme involving Westfield and Hammerson.

The present project is being advanced under a different ownership structure, with URW now controlling the relevant freehold and leasehold interests following its acquisition from the John Whitgift Foundation.

What happens next with the Croydon Project?

The proposals discussed on September 24 were part of a pre-application process rather than a final planning application.

That distinction is important. The Planning Committee’s consideration allows councillors and officers to comment on the emerging proposals, but it does not amount to planning permission.

Further technical work is expected to address issues including transport, access, public realm, housing, heritage, green infrastructure and the detailed arrangement of buildings and streets.

The project has also been subject to public consultation. The spring 2026 consultation was presented as an opportunity for residents, businesses and visitors to comment on the evolving masterplan before later planning stages.

The final scheme could therefore differ from the version presented to councillors in September.

What is the background to the Whitgift Centre redevelopment?

The Whitgift Centre has been central to previous attempts to regenerate Croydon’s town centre.

In 2015, the government said a compulsory purchase order had been confirmed to facilitate a proposed £1 billion redevelopment involving Westfield and Hammerson. That earlier project envisaged a modern retail-led destination incorporating leisure, accommodation and community facilities.

The ownership structure subsequently changed. In 2023, URW completed the acquisition of Hammerson’s 50 per cent stake in the Croydon Partnership, giving it sole ownership of a 10-hectare area containing the Whitgift and Centrale shopping centres, high-street retail frontage, offices and multi-storey car parks.

The later masterplanning process shifted towards a broader mixed-use approach.

By 2025, Croydon Council said the North End regeneration framework would combine homes, shops, restaurants, cultural venues and public spaces. The council also highlighted the proposed reuse of the historic Allders building.

The July 2026 freehold purchase then gave URW greater control over the core Whitgift site, removing an additional layer in the ownership structure.

The September 2026 presentation represents the latest publicly reported stage of that process.

How could the proposed redevelopment affect Croydon residents, businesses and visitors?

For residents, the principal potential change would be the increased availability of homes in the town centre, alongside new public spaces and pedestrian routes. The proposed 3,000 to 4,000 homes would represent a substantial increase in residential capacity if that scale is ultimately approved and delivered.

For businesses, the effect would depend partly on how the reduction in traditional retail space is balanced by restaurants, leisure, cultural, commercial and community uses. The planning committee’s discussion indicates that the relationship between reduced retail and town-centre vitality remains an issue under consideration.

For visitors, The Forum, Whitgift Park, pedestrian routes and other public spaces could change how the central area is used. The proposed event capacity of up to 2,000 people would also provide a potential setting for larger public activities, although specific future events have not been confirmed.

Transport users would also be affected by changes to streets, vehicle access and parking arrangements. Those elements require further assessment before the final development can be determined.

How could these plans affect Croydon audiences if they are approved?

The likely effects will depend on the final planning application, subsequent approval conditions and whether the proposed development is ultimately built at the scale currently described.

For local residents, the main potential long-term changes are greater housing capacity, additional public space and altered pedestrian connections. For businesses, the shift towards a mixed-use centre could change the types and locations of commercial opportunities, while the reduction in traditional retail space could also alter the existing retail environment.

For visitors, the proposed Forum, Whitgift Park and new streets could create a different town-centre experience, with more emphasis on public space, leisure and community activity than the existing shopping-centre model.

For Croydon Council and planners, the immediate effect is more specific: the proposals create a substantial planning exercise involving housing numbers, affordability, transport, heritage, public realm, green infrastructure and commercial activity.

These are potential effects rather than confirmed outcomes. The September 24 presentation was a pre-application discussion, and the final proposals, planning decision and eventual construction programme remain subject to further stages of the planning process.