City3 #1 by 3Fox

60%

of all office leasing transactions in croydon in 2005 & 2006 involved savills offices team

no 1 croydon

contact:

45,250 sq ft let - 2006

simon glenn associate director sglenn@savills.com 020 7409 8792

joint agents: Stiles Harold Williams

leon House

55,945 sq ft let - 2005 - 2006

tom mellows associate director tmellows@savills.com 020 7409 8964

joint agents: Stuart Edwards Fullermoon

david williams director dwilliams@savills.com 020 7409 8709

69 Park lane

Piers nickalls director pnickalls@savills.com 020 7409 8704

32,295 sq ft let - 2006 joint agents: Stuart Edwards Fullermoon

knollys House 22,569 sq ft let - 2006 joint agents: Stiles Harold Williams

delivering

29%

savills.com

rental growtH over tHe Period

City3

issue 1 2007 City3 City3 3

Editor: Sarah Herbert sarah@3foxinternational.com Deputy editor: Kirsty MacAulay kirsty@3foxinternational.com Designers: Mike Booth, Terry Hawes Contributors: David Blackman, Pamela Buxton, Alison Jones Advertisement sales: Lee Harrison lee@3foxinternational.com Production: Sue Mapara sue@3foxinternational.com Managing director: Toby Fox toby@3foxinternational.com Printed by: Trade Winds Images: Adventis, AWW, Barratt Kent, Croydon Council, Darling Associates, Devereux Architects, Fairview,Good Relations, Rolfe Judd, Sheppard Robson, Tesco Published by: 3Fox International Limited 3rd Floor Lansdowne House 3-7 Northcote Road, London SW11 1NG T: 020 7978 6840 F: 020 7978 6837 For Croydon Council

Taberner House, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 3JS 020 8726 6000

30 With £3.5 billion of investment coming to Croydon, this first edition of City3 (so called because Croydon is London’s third city) celebrates the confidence the borough has in its Vision 2020 planning framework. With so much regeneration to talk about, the magazine will be published every six months.

Director of planning and transportation Phillip Goodwin

A city in all but name, Croydon is set to be transformed by £3.5 billion of investment. So what will it be like?

14 Map

Croydon centre will be changing. We show you where the work will be going on

16 Public realm

How, by thinking big, the borough is overcoming one of its main challenges – improving its environment

21 Regeneration context

In many ways, Croydon personifies the past 50 years of planning thinking. From now on, it will lead the way

30 Central Croydon

A round-up of the major projects planned, or already going up, in the heart of the borough

42 Greater Croydon

The regeneration isn’t confined to the centre. Big ambitions are already coming to fruition in the wider area

Divisional director of regeneration Iain Sim Senior planner and liaison officer Keith Briars

47 Partnerships

For all this to succeed, the right people need to be on board. So how does the council choose its developer partners?

Subscriptions and feedback: go to www.city3magazine.com © 3Fox International Limited 2007. All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of 3Fox International Limited is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of 3Fox International Limited or Croydon Council.

06 Croydon life

City3 is produced at no cost to the Croydon council-tax payer

50 Did you know A round-up of facts and figures about Croydon, its people, and its markets

REGENERATION BY BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO LONDON AND THE SOUTH EAST DURING THE EARLY 1990’S WE DETERMINED TO FOCUS OUR SKILLS AND EXPERTISE ON THE REGENERATION OF COMPLEX BROWNFIELD SITES IN TOWNS AND CITIES THROUGHOUT LONDON AND THE SOUTH EAST; FOCUSSING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH QUALITY MIXED-USE SCHEMES THAT ACT AS CATALYSTS FOR THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RENAISSANCE OF THE AREAS IN WHICH WE WORK.

“Just a few years ago, this was underused MOD land and a virtual no-go zone for the public.Today it is a vibrant mix of quality shops and housing on a prime waterfront site. Gunwharf Quays is a key location for us in the long-term renaissance of Portsmouth Harbour and a tremendous asset to the City.” Councillor Mike Hancock of Portsmouth City Council

GUNWHARF QUAYS Gunwharf Quays has proved to be the catalyst for the remarkable renaissance of Portsmouth Harbour. The complex nature of this large site required a visionary development to regenerate this area. Berkeley Homes rose to the challenge by evolving an imaginative scheme encompassing a commercial factory outlet retail centre, residential development, a hotel and a leisure complex.

Many of our developments combine leading edge design whilst maintaining and renovating key elements from our architectural heritage. From highly complex developments that combine residential, retail and leisure facilities, to key worker apartments or the more traditional rural communities – we strive to provide quality, style and sustainability. As a major contributor to the renaissance of Britain’s towns and cities we are committed to improving the quality of life in the communities that we develop. We recognise that we must respect the physical environments and the societies in which we operate. Environmental and social responsibilities are, therefore, at the heart of our business. This commitment has been recognised with Building

The site was awarded the prestigious BURA award in 2003, the Zurich Customer First Award 2003 for the South East and the Home Builder Design Awards for the Best Mixed Use Development 2004. In 2005, it won the BURA Crystal Award for Best of the Best.

Magazine’s Award for the Best Sustainable Housebuilder of the Year 2006 and Building Magazine’s Building Homes Quality Award for the Best Land, Planning and Regeneration Strategy 2004. BERKELEY HOMES (CAPITAL) PLC Berkeley House, 7 Oakhill Road, Sevenoaks, TN13 1NQ Contact: Harry Lewis Tel: 01732 227600 Fax: 01732 227601 www.berkeleyhomes.co.uk

ROYAL ARSENAL This waterfront scheme is bringing the treasured history of Royal Arsenal back to life and transforming the site into one of London’s most exciting regeneration schemes. The result is a remarkable community which meets and in many instances exceeds today’s criteria for a sustainable development. Evening Standard’s New Homes Award for Best Conversion 2006.

“The site at Royal Arsenal was originally seen as a problem. It’s important to highlight that Royal Arsenal sits in the wider Thames Gateway initiative and it’s vital that we get the overall initiative right. Berkeley Homes has risen to the challenge magnificently.” Nick Raynsford MP

TABARD SQUARE

ARAGON TOWER

Tabard Square is a striking mixed-use scheme incorporating a landmark tower set around a magnificent landscaped public square. Located in Borough, Tabard Square enjoys a host of local, national and international transport links as well as some of London’s liveliest bars, restaurants and cafes. The House Builder Federation’s Innovation Award for the Best Design Initiatives 2006.

Aragon Tower is London’s tallest occupied residential tower situated on a prominent location on the Deptford waterfront. The site was once part of the famous Royal Victoria Navel Victualling Yard founded in 1742. The area is undergoing major regeneration and Aragon Tower is at the heart of this dynamic new waterfront community. Daily Mail’s Best Property Award for the Best Apartment and Best Redevelopment (Multiple) 2006.

CHELSEA BRIDGE WHARF

BREWERY SQUARE

Occupying a prime central location just 3/4 mile from Sloane Square, Chelsea Bridge Wharf is innovatively designed for city living. Over 4 acres of public space has been created within the scheme which features the largest water garden piazza in London with its tree lined walkways, weirs and ponds providing a welcome sanctuary from busy 21st Century London. Channel 4 Homes Award 2003, the Express’ Platinum Award for Best Landscaped Development 2004 and Mail on Sunday’s Home Builder Design Award for the Best Landscaping of a Development 2004.

With its stunning architecture and contemporary specification, Brewery Square can be found near the centre of Clerkenwell, amongst some of London’s smartest bars, restaurants and shops. It provides a vibrant mix of apartments and town houses together with retail and office space, all set around a public square. Gold Standard for CABE’s Building for Life Award 2003, Gold Standard for CABE’s Building Homes for Life Award 2004, Building Magazine’s Building Homes Quality Award for the Urban Housing Development of the Year 2004 and Bronze for the Telegraph’s What House Award for the Best Development 2004.

City3

Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third city

Croydon Life

he origins of Croydon date back to Roman times, although it owes its name, thought to mean ‘valley of crocuses’, to the Saxons. Its industrial and commercial importance grew in the early 19th century as a result of transport developments, in particular the London to Brighton railway, helped bring visitors from all over the country to the fashionable saline spring at Beulah Hill, or the glittering glass structure of the original Crystal Palace nearby. Croydon redeveloped rapidly in the late 1950s and 60s. It came into being as a London borough on 1 April 1965, and in 1966-67 it was the country’s fastest-growing borough. It is now home to 340,000 people, and would be the UK’s seventh largest city if it were not a London borough. Home to more than 20 ‘blue chip’ companies, it’s the country’s sixth-largest commercial centre. However, by 1999, although an established business location (London’s largest suburban office centre according to Jones

Lang LaSalle’s Croydon Office Market Report, (box p9), there was little inward investment into the town centre. Croydon was off the property market radar, in decline, and suffering an image problem. Poor planning of the 1950s and 60s was exacerbated by piecemeal planning since, with low-quality public realm and the legacy of some rather unimaginative architecture. The council recognised that in a competitive world, to remain economically strong and culturally vibrant, having a strong office market alone would not be enough. Lifestyles and perceptions were changing, and future town centres will have to offer an improved quality of life, work and relaxation. As Phillip Goodwin, Croydon Council’s director of planning and transportation, puts it: “It was apparent to me that we ought to be doing something signalling our intentions loud and clear.” The result was Vision 2020, commissioned in 1998 from one of the world’s leading masterplanning firms EDAW, and ➔ published in 1999. This

City3

Croydon, London’s largest borough and one of the UK’s largest commercial centres, is a city in all but name. And now, with £3.5 billion of redevelopment in the pipeline, its enormous potential is about to be realised

Opposite: The IYLO project Top: The proposed cultural quarter This picture and inset: Altitude 25, already on site

City3 Croydon’s integrated public transport system, with its muchloved trams, is one of its greatest assets

focused on the importance of rebranding the town centre, and set out the strategic objectives for land use, property, urban design, public realm, economic development and transport. Partly sponsored by developers, retailers, transport bodies and other companies it remains the template for the town’s centre redevelopment. While not a policy document, Vision 2020 was a major influence in informing subsequent plans, selling central Croydon to developers, and persuading the GLA to give Croydon enhanced policy recognition in the London Plan and making it a recognised Major Opportunity Area, in recognition of its enormous potential. It was also awarded Beacon status for town centre regeneration in 2001, becoming a benchmark for other boroughs to follow. It has been highly effective, with 70% of the scheme already committed and 20% complete. Major developments include (see map on p 14-15): n The extensive tram system, run by Tramlink, covering both

the city centre and the wider borough, which opened in 2000 n The huge Skyline project, lighting up the tall buildings of Croydon, increasing night-time activity while reducing fear of crime n Three major commercial office developments: the HSBC on Park Lane by Rolf Judd Architects, the 500sq m Metro Point and the just completed Trafalgar House n The 80,000sq m Centrale shopping centre, an extension to the existing Drummond Centre, serves 4.5 million customers each year in its 70 stores. These include a 16,000sq m House of Fraser anchor store, tempted in to the development “because it was so confident in Vision 2020”, according to Goodwin n Large apartment buildings by Bryant Homes, Barratts and Berkeley Homes in the city centre n Conversion of the former Grants department store, which had fallen into disrepair, into a major entertainment centre, including a multiplex cinema, bars and nightclubs, entertaining 7,000 people on a weekend night

It has also begun to see positive changes to the public realm, now developers involved in the vision contribute to its improvement. The thrust of Vision 2020 has been incorporated into the revised unitary development plan, adopted in 2006 as the Croydon Plan. Supplementary planning guidance (SPG11) in the UDP states: “Through Vision 2020 the council seeks to create a more attractive, cohesive and user-friendly centre that will deliver the aspirations of the whole community… All new proposals will be expected to contribute to Vision 2020.” After all, as it goes on to say, the quality of central Croydon’s environment has a critical bearing on its economic success and public impressions. Now that the momentum from Vision 2020, which has increased developer confidence, has coincided with an upsurge in regeneration thinking, Croydon is on the verge of a huge transformation, expecting £3.5 billion of investment over the next 10 years.

City3

Croydon Life

“

The quality of the central Croydon environment has a critical bearing on its economic success and peoples’ impressions of the borough

”

One of the biggest schemes in the pipeline is for the strategic Gateway site, next to East Croydon station. The 5ha mixeduse site will host a 12,500-seat arena, 50,000sq m of offices, 800 homes in a 35-storey tower, shops, restaurants, a fitness centre and community health centre, and a covered plaza linking the scheme to the town centre. As Arrowcroft, its likely developer, puts it, this project will contribute to a renewed ‘sense of place’ in Croydon, by creating a new office core, reinforcing Croydon’s role as a regional centre for business, leisure and shopping, and creating a lively local community, active every day of the year and stimulating the evening economy, one of the council’s planning objectives. Directly south of the station, Altitude 25 is a 196-apartment tower by Howard Holdings which, at 25 storeys and 82m high, will be the town centre’s tallest building. As Goodwin says: “Howard Holdings is buying into the idea of Croydon becoming the natural choice

for living as well as working. Rather than commuting to your Croydon office, especially when combined with cheaper office rents than in central London, it will make sense to live here. People will be able to get 80% of their work/life experience where they live. A two-bedroom apartment here will cost £300,000. Howard Holdings imagines its customers will think ‘why spend twice that to live in a more congested part of London, eight miles away?’ They could get most of their needs here – a leading department store, theatre, concert hall, a multiplex cinema, arena, and a vibrant retail and restaurant scene.” Helping create this new, night-time economy will be two more developments by Howard Holdings: Bridge House and the Exchange in the heart of what is proposed as the new cultural quarter, centred on a historic grade-II listed pumping station, with the aim of making this area the focus for artistic and heritage activities. Bridge ➔ House in Surrey Street

Trouble at the office Jones Lang LaSalle’s Croydon Office Market Report, December 2006 “Croydon’s offer of low operational costs has attracted employers. However, skilled, and therefore highly paid, residents tend to commute outside the borough to central and south London to more lucrative jobs. Croydon retains a loyal following of key occupiers, but it is only a matter of time before operational needs persuade those companies with active requirements to relocate to centres which can provide new highly specified offices in better environments. The solution to Croydon’s growing pains lies with the long-awaited improvements to the town and the delivery of new top-quality offices and retail facilities. The fostering of an alliance between the local authority and the private sector will further ensure that Croydon is able to achieve its full potential and will allow promotion of the town to follow.”

DTZ, Managers and Letting Agents for The Whitgift Shopping Centre Is delighted to have been appointed as sales advisers on Howard Holdingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; exicting new residential schemes

The Exchange Surrey Market and

Altitude 25

East Croydon,

the new landmark residential tower

Supporting Croydon for the future

City3 11

Croydon Life

will bring together 75 homes (48 affordable and 27 private) with retail, bar and restaurant facilities. Plans for the Exchange comprise 66 loft-style apartments in a converted telephone exchange, overlooking a new piazza, overlooked by cafes, bars and restaurants. The residents of these new developments could then work in the dramatic glazed George Street Tower, by Terrace Hill, and designed by Sheppard Robson to appear to be twisting around itself. Slightly further north will be two more dramatic towers – the 20-storey, £35 million residential IYLO project on St James’s Street, by Phoenix Logistics, and what Croydon Council is claiming is the UK’s tallest residential tower, the 44storey Wellesley Square project, both due to start on site this year. Cementing Croydon’s position as a retail centre will be the enormous (85,000sq m) Park Place shopping centre, with three levels of shops, linking a new 20,000sq m department store to the existing Whitgift Centre. It will also incorporate a new bus interchange, an enlarged tram stop and the existing Nestlé headquarters. The mall – developed by Minerva/Lend Lease and designed by architect RTKL – is expected to re-establish Croydon as a top 10 retail destination in the UK, and the largest and most efficient centre within South London. It will start on site in January 2008, with completion for 2012. Other opportunities for developers include revamping the Fairfield site, currently occupied by the Fairfield Halls concert and theatre venue, into a mixed-use cultural and residential quarter,

or creating a new transport interchange at West Croydon station when the London Underground East London Line extension arrives in 2010. (For more details on up-coming schemes in central Croydon, see p30). Improving the public realm is going to be at the heart of the new Croydon. As well as specific plans for improvements, such as Minerva/Lend Lease’s plans for water jets and amphitheatre for The Queen’s Gardens, the council is preparing an area action plan to provide a framework of how to accommodate the changes and deliver high-quality mixed- used development. Architect Will Alsop’s practice SMC Alsop has been appointed to outline his ideas for how the borough can be transformed, kicking off with talks early in 2007 under the banner ‘Dare to Dream’ and followed by public consultation throughout the year. SMC Alsop has built a reputation on designing ➔ imaginative and colourful

Below: Bridge House in the cultural quarter

Tim Pollard Council member for finance and regeneration

It’s no secret that Croydon has suffered from something of an image problem for the last few decades. I love our town, but it is fair to say that Croydon has lost the development impetus it had in the 1950s and 60s. Our job as a new administration is to get that momentum back. Croydon has great potential, but now needs an injection of inspiration to make it fit for the 21st century. When I was a child people from all over the south east came to the town centre for a complete day out. It falls to us, working with partners such as Will Alsop, to make Croydon a ‘destination’ again. Developments such as Park Place, the Gateway scheme adjoining East Croydon Station, and a revamped cultural offering will go a long way towards making this happen. But changes to local government finance in recent years have made it progressively more difficult for local authorities to pump-prime regeneration in the way they used to. Consequently, we are actively evaluating innovative models for working in partnership with strong financial partners through an urban regeneration vehicle. After launching our vision for this opportunity at MIPIM, we’re looking forward to meeting with prospective financial partners. This spring’s Croydon Expo is part of our commitment to sharing the new vision of the town with residents and other stakeholders, showcasing current projects and key opportunities in both the built environment and social regeneration. A key driver for this economic and social regeneration will be our Croydon Enterprise programme, which has benefited from a substantial injection of Local Enterprise Growth Initiative funding. This money is earmarked for promoting enterprise among communities and groups which have traditionally not ventured into business. I believe Croydon has a great future and that the next few years will be critical in transforming our town. n

City3 12

“

People want a more sophisticated offer, with everything on the doorstep. They’ll actively want to live in Croydon

”

Croydon Life

City3 13

Croydon’s cultural heart, including the clock tower (left), rivals much larger cities’

buildings, such as the Stirling Prize-winning Peckham Library, that have both public appeal and a regenerative influence on the surrounding area. It recently made headlines with its ambitious masterplan to turn Barnsley into a Tuscan Hill town. Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design company, designers of the award-winning clocktower complex and much of the work in Croydon besides, has been appointed to advise on delivering planning gain agreements to further improve public spaces in the town centre, and help write and illustrate the draft plan (for more on plans for the public realm, see p16). The growth will not stop at the city centre. A £70 million boost from the Local European Growth Initiative (LEGI) for employment opportunities has encouraged plans, away from the city centre, for new residential and mixed-use schemes. At New Addington a huge mixed-use scheme is planned around a new Tesco, with 300 homes, 1,185sq m of office space and shops, plus community facilities. Along Portland Road a community-led redevelopment will improve both the streetscape and the business environment, and in New South Quarter a mixed-use scheme by Barratt Homes will see 800 homes, industrial units and a medical centre, alongside restoration of the River Wandle to attract wildlife to the site. (For more on what’s going on in the wider borough, see page 42.) Croydon’s great forte is its transport. The only London borough with a tram system, it could not, says councillor Chris Wright, “have a better-

connected transport network”. The town centre is already served by two train stations, with fast services running into central London and Gatwick Airport, and the popular £200 million, 28km tram system. “The council ensured the tram system was delivered,” says Wright “People love it, and a café culture has built up around some of the streets where it runs. It sets us apart from other boroughs, and is something developers are homing in on. They all want to be within walking distance of the tram, which provides an orbital route around the city centre.” There are hopes for an extension to the tram network, maybe to link up with Crystal Palace, though this won’t happen until at least 2013. And it’s going to get even better, with the East London line extension, driven by the Olympic Games, to West Croydon station in 2010. “The new line will help get the west of Croydon up and running, and give a big boost to the Centrale shopping centre, as well as further afield in the borough,” says Wright. The London Underground line will provide direct access to South East London, Docklands and City Airport. So what does it all mean for Croydon? Phillip Goodwin sums up. “There’ll be no more ‘oh no, we’re relocating to Croydon’. People will see it as a city within a city, with easy availability of things they currently have to travel to. People want a more sophisticated offer, with everything on the doorstep. They’ll actively want to live here. “The borough will be transformed by 2020.” n

Past wonders Although Croydon is generally thought of as a modern, 1960s affair, it is in fact a very old town, with six scheduled ancient monuments, six grade-1 listed buildings, 12 designated conservation areas and more than 150 buildings listed as having special architectural or historic interest. Even the KFC on Crown Hill has medieval beams in the ceiling. n The Lord of the Manor of Croydon was granted markets and fairs at intervals from 1276, and the market still held today in Surrey Street dates from 1343. n Eleven Archbishops of Canterbury are buried throughout the Borough. The summer palace of the 1086 Archbishop of Canterbury, also Lord of The Manor, still stands today, now as the Old Palace School. Archbishop John Whitgift was one of Croydon’s greatest benefactors, founding schools and a hospital in the 16th century. The Whitgift Almshouses, in the centre of Croydon, is a 400-year-old haven of tranquillity and security. n Croydon Airport was London’s first major airport, opening in 1920. By the time it closed in 1959 it had seen such historic events as Neville Chamberlain waving that famous piece of paper, and Amy Johnson taking off on her famous solo flight to Darwin, Australia in 1930. n Addington Palace has a colourful past dating from before the Domesday Book. In later years it saw King Henry VIII court Anne Boleyn, become the country retreat for six Archbishops of Canterbury, and trained generations of musicians while Royal School of Church Music. n The London Borough of Croydon came into being on 1 April 1965. It was formed largely from the territory of the former County Borough of Croydon and the Urban District of Coulsdon and Purley. n Since then it hasn’t stood still, giving us such icons of modern life as Kate Moss, and even using radical architect FAT to design the Museum of Croydon.

IYLO, ST JAMES’S ROAD

So, how’S how’s thiS this £3.5 billion of inveStment investment going to take Shape? shape? (for (For more detail, go to page 32) 30)

What’s happening, where

01.Croydon gateway Gateway 02.george 02.George St tower Tower 03. park Park place Place 04.altitude 04.Altitude 25 05.bridge 05.Bridge house House 06.iYlo, 06.IYLO, St James’s project 07.exchange 07.Exchange 08.wellesley 08.Wellesley Square 09.Cherry orchard Orchard road Road

:IFP;FE (City3 14

THE QUEEN’S GARDENS

GEORGE ST TOWER SUFFOLK HOUSE

:IFP;FE (. City3 15

#(%229 CHERRY /2#(!2$ ORCHARD 2/!$ ROAD

City3 16

Space age Now is the perfect time, with all the regeneration going on, for croydon to grasp the opportunity to significantly improve its public realm

“ Opposite: New vision for Wellesley Road (inset)

massive £3.5 billion of investment in Croydon’s town centre is on the cards over the next five years, as cranes, followed closely by new buildings, pop up across the townscape. But what of the public realm? The pavements, parks and squares that relate to the new developments? It’s no secret that Croydon is found wanting in this department, as visitors arriving at East Croydon station soon discover as they dodge trams and cars and wander off in search of the inadequately signed town centre. “We want to secure improvements to the public realm right across the town centre,” says councillor Chris Wright, cabinet member for planning, urban regeneration and the environment. “There’s virtually nothing at all. It’s been lacking over the years and we’d like to address that – Croydon has a reputation for being dull and ordinary. Part of what we aim to do is to bring its image up.” Wright is one of those behind a new initiative to tackle the problem through the creation of a new Area Action Plan: a

masterplan for Croydon town centre which will pay particular attention to the public realm. This will be drawn up with the help of leading international architect Will Alsop, who is carrying out a re-visioning exercise for the town (see box p19). Crucially, the new AAP will be statutory. “Croydon’s time is here,” says Alsop, who launched the project with a public presentation in early January. “With the right image, branding and PR it’s wide open to investors.” Renowned for his radical ideas, Alsop is likely to come up with suggestions for a number of interventions that the council hopes will tackle some of the borough’s most stubborn problems. His work will be supplemented by a more pragmatic initiative by masterplanner Tibbalds Planning & Urban Design. This practice will ensure that spin-off benefits from the host of new developments in the pipeline will be channelled towards improving the public realm via an effective Section 106 agreement strategy. The two practices were appointed after a top-flight competition involving OMA (headed by superstar architect Rem Koolhaas), MAKE (the practice led by Norman Foster’s former right hand man Ken Shuttleworth) and EDAW, which played a key role in masterplanning London’s Olympic bid. It is not the first time Croydon Council has involved leading architects to improve its profile

Even small improvements to the townscape can have significant results and lift peoples’ spirits

”

and townscape. Back in 1993, the ‘Croydon, the Future’ initiative led by the Architecture Foundation attracted plenty of big names, but proved more conceptual than practical. More recently, Vision 2020, published in 1999 by masterplanner EDAW began the serious focus on the public realm. Hopefully the new AAP, when completed, will prove even more effective. There’s clear consensus that something should be done to improve the tired, dull townscape. “It’s simply not good enough,” admits Andrew Beedham, head of urban design at Croydon who was involved in the appointment of the consultants to produce the AAP. “In many places the experience of pedestrians is pretty grim, although North End, the principal shopping street, has been transformed over recent years.” “The public realm is awful,” adds Tibbalds director Sue Rowlands. “It’s the place where improvements need to be directed. Croydon Council recognises it needs a practical, pragmatic way of making things happen.” Even small improvements to the townscape can have significant results. “It can lift people’s spirits. They take possession of the space and think it’s theirs rather than somewhere to be avoided,” says Wright. It’s certainly the right time ➔ to be making changes.

City3 17

Public Realm

City3 18 Croydon has been identified in the latest London Plan as an area capable of accommodating thousands of new homes as well as the many commercial developments on the cards. These include the major Croydon Gateway project, which includes new green public space; the mixed-use Fairfield scheme by Wellesley Road; and the three-storey Park Place shopping mall by Minerva Lend Lease. With so much coming up, the council is keen to make sure that all the new developments are of a high quality, and can also contribute to an enhanced public realm. One of the problems before was that there wasn’t a very clear public realm strategy, says Rowlands. “Our role is to focus on public realm strategy and

“

Our main challenge is to rebrand Croydon, to bring it up to something that’s as good as it should be

”

delivery mechanisms in parallel with what Alsop is doing. We can’t wait – there’s development happening all the time.” She feels that a “fair and equitable” 106 framework would enable funds to be both better extracted and more usefully spent. One of the key areas is Wellesley Road, perhaps Croydon’s biggest public realm problem and bound to be addressed by Alsop in his vision. It’s notoriously noisy and divisive: a four-lane dual carriageway thundering right through the town. The council hopes that it could become an attractive boulevard, with trees, kiosks and seating along a new pedestrian walkway, possibly down the centre of the road. The hope is to have street-level crossings instead of the current

underpasses, which should help make the road far more permeable to pedestrians. Just as Birmingham has done with its inner ring road, there is scope to soften the environment and stitch back together the routes severed by the road. It’s no small task. The traffic implications are considerable as it would entail a significant reduction in volume. But Andrew Beedham, Croydon Council’s head of urban design, is hoping that it could in time become one of the Mayor of London’s exemplar 100 Public Spaces programme. Currently, there’s not much other central public space, except for Queen’s Gardens next to Taberner House, which it is hoped will be improved through the AAP. Areas away from the

Public Realm

City3 19

Wellesley Road could become an attractive boulevard, with a new pedestrian walkway

Where there’s a will…

town centre should also benefit. Croydon has the substantial but under-used Wandle Park to the south, which is served by the tram but which Beedham considers has “huge potential” for greater use if pedestrian links from the town centre were improved. The nearby Wandle Park Village residential development will also boost use, and the park may also in time be regenerated using section 106 agreement funds via the AAP. West Croydon is another key non-central area for potential benefit, especially when the East London Line extension in 2010 links it to the London Underground network. At that point, Beedham foresees a major opportunity to improve the environs of the station and provide a better integrated node.

Other areas that could benefit are the busy High Street, Surrey Street and George Street, which could be made more appealing to visitors and shoppers alike. Both Alsop and Tibbalds expect to finish their strategies by April. But after that, there’s a very long way to go to implementing the AAP and ensuring it has enough lasting clout to shape a better Croydon for residents, workers and investors. “The work we’re both doing is [just] a starting point,” says Sue Rowlands, who is optimistic that the combination of visionary and pragmatic approaches will prove successful. For Croydon’s sake, the AAP chance must be taken. “It’s an opportunity which won’t come to us [again] for a long time,’ says Wright. n

You don’t commission Will Alsop to come up with ideas if you want run-of-the-mill solutions. But then Croydon’s persistent problems, such as Wellesley Road, are not those that can be solved easily. Clearly, a radical approach is required, and Croydon Council is hoping that the world-acclaimed architect may be just the one to help them find a way forward. But he’s not doing it on his own. Since January, Alsop’s SMC Alsop team has been engaged in a series of six workshops with residents, town centre users and other stakeholders in preparation for devising a three-dimensional vision for Croydon’s future that takes on board the results of the workshops. “It’s a very special time in Croydon’s history. Our main challenge is to rebrand Croydon, to bring it up to something that’s as good as it should be,” he says. “It’s got everything going for it. Geographically it’s very good, with a nearby airport and central London just 18 minutes away.” During the consultation, Alsop and his team explored people’s perceptions and aspirations of the borough, as well as discussing the practice’s own thoughts on Croydon’s problems and potential. Alsop – who once lived in Croydon while a student

at the central London Architectural Association – has carried out similar visioning programmes for other towns such as Bradford, Middlehaven and Barnsley. But speaking before the workshop programme started, he made it clear he is wary of premature judgements on what needs to be done. “I’m trying not to have too many thoughts and to keep an open mind,” he says. But broadly speaking, he is keen to expand the notion of what is down-town Croydon and improve the popularity of the shopping centre. He is interested in better links between East and West Croydon, and is inevitably planning to tackle Wellesley Road, which so disastrously splits the centre of the town: “We’ll have to spend a lot of time talking about that,” he says. “At the moment it acts like the town’s great divide.” He also feels the town centre needs a park, and that there should also be better links with existing parks such as Lloyds Park in south Croydon. Alsop believes that today’s council has a can-do and open attitude that can make a difference. “Croydon’s not afraid of height, which is useful,” he says. “It’s not a worn-out city but a forgotten one. I for one believe in Croydon.” The results of the visioning exercise will be fed into the new Area Action Plan. After that, both Alsop and the council are hopeful that it will lead to further projects. n

09/02/2007

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ARAGON TOWER

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CHELSEA BRIDGE WHARF

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Best laid plans

Croydon is still very much a legacy of its, then, radical 1960s planning. Now the borough is poised to take advantage of both new regeneration thinking, and the expansion of London. â&#x17E;&#x201D;

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Regeneration Xxxxxx context xxxxx

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nce upon a time, Croydon was the future. Greater London planners decided in the 1960s that the borough should be the home for a new skyscraper city on the edge of the capital – the La Defence or Canary Wharf of its day. Nicholas Falk, director of consultancy Urbed, grew up and went to school in Croydon. At the time, he remembers, it had the rather sleepy atmosphere of a market town, engulfed from the late 19th-century onwards by London’s urban sprawl but still dominated by the old boys’ network from Whitgift, the borough’s premier public school. Croydon has changed a lot since then. “When I went to school, the Purley Way was full of industry,” he notes. Now it’s a continuous retail park.” While Falk was going to school, Greater London’s planners were dreaming up their bold vision for his home

town. The planners wanted to capitalise on the town’s excellent rail links to the centre of London and easy road access to create a new, modern office quarter for London, where development would be cheaper and less constrained. Croydon Council had the vision to seize the opportunity and gave the capital’s planners a chance to implement the ideas of Le Corbusier, then very much in vogue. Picking up on the French-Swiss architectural visionary’s theories, authorities across the UK were keen to create “cities in the sky”. In these new communities, everyday life would go on above the street, which would be given over to the car. Croydon is just one of the many UK town centres which bears the legacy of this thinking. But thinking on cities has radically changed since Croydon’s 1960s and 70s development heyday. Back then, dispersing the population out of the inner city and into leafy new towns and suburbs like

Croydon was all the rage, whereas these days it’s urban regeneration that is flavour of the month. Many would argue that Croydon suffers from the legacy of the town planning mistakes of the past. Much of the 1960s planned town centre is blighted by wide, windswept roads lined by giant office blocks, many empty because they are past their sell-by date. Out of town, the Purley Way has become a giant retail park, a south London version of an American ‘edge city’ and very much a legacy of the car-friendly relaxation of planning policy in the 1980s. Much of the rest of the borough is made up of low-density, residential sprawl, previously only easily accessible by car, but now increasingly accessible by tram and improved bus services. Much of the wider change of thinking on regeneration since Croydon’s 1960s heyday stems from a growing awareness that there needs to be a shift in emphasis away from the car-dominated planning of the recent past. These concerns have been compounded by mounting concerns about the impact of policies to disperse development on the economic and social fabric of cities, further fuelled by worries that urban sprawl is leading to too much of England’s precious countryside being built upon. In response to this, urban thinkers looked abroad to other European countries in the 1990s, where cities like

“

Barcelona were coming up with more environmentally sustainable patterns of development. The new thinking on urban regeneration was crystallised in 1999’s Urban Task Force report. Drawn up by a committee headed by internationally renowned architect Lord Rogers, it proposed wide-ranging measures to revive Britain’s cities. At the heart of Rogers’s analysis was the idea that cities are good for the country’s wider social and economic health, and that building at higher densities means that less land has to be developed, thus saving precious countryside. Rogers also argued that by delivering a greater concentration of activity, cities and towns could support more shops and services, thus in turn reducing the need to travel by car. As well as higher density development, the Rogers report also recommended more mixing of uses with shops and services at ground level. Cities have also increasingly featured in the thinking of economic policy makers in recent years, whose thinking on the factors that drive growth has focused on the key role ‘clusters’ of skills and expertise play in stimulating innovation and business formation. Perhaps the shining example of such a cluster is Silicon Valley in California, which has grown on the back of the concentration of ➔ IT firms and expertise in the

Much of the wider change of thinking on regeneration stems from an awareness there needs to be a shift away from the car

”

Regeneration Xxxxxx context xxxxx

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Croydon is dominated by 1960s-style office blocks, such as Taberner House and Lunar House (previous page)

Park Place: a new dis

For further information, please contact:

Mark Boyes 020 7182 9000

Steve Yewman 020 7535 1000

trict for Croydon. The proposed redevelopment of Park Place will create a one million square foot destination with over 130 shops, cafes and restaurants, anchored by a new department store. Park Place will revitalise the town centre and create a new district for downtown Croydon. Innovative public realm improvements will see Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gardens completely re-modelled, together with the construction of a fully integrated public transport hub to include a new bus interchange and tram stop. These improvements are part of a complete Sustainability Business Plan which is to be developed for Park Place in partnership with the community and retailers, and will include environmental, economic and social initiatives. The Plan will assist to minimise the impact of the development activity in the town, and will address areas such as carbon emissions, recycling of waste material and the selection of building materials. The Plan will be transparent and measurable to ensure that all stakeholders are able to understand and engage in the process. As enthusiastic supporters of the Business Improvement District, Lend Lease and Minerva are working in partnership with other land owners to realise the masterplanning aspirations of Croydon, and to create a destination that the local community can be proud of.

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The iconic Nestlé HQ will have a future in the new Croydon. Opposite: Fairfield Halls

area. In the UK, London’s City/ Canary Wharf financial services nexus is the best example. Such concentrations of economic activity are of course most likely to occur where people are gathered in one place. The government’s state of the cities report, published last year, highlighted the important role cities have to play as drivers for growth. At the same time, picking up on the work of US economic development guru Professor Michael Porter, UK cities are increasingly realising that future economic growth will require more than good transport links and serviced plots of land to attract inward investors. Instead, towns like Croydon are increasingly looking to generate growth by making use of the one asset that is most difficult to export: brains and skills. And it is not enough just to build at high densities. Cities also need good-quality environments that will attract and retain the highly skilled workers who are increasingly provide the engine for growth. Such high-quality environment need attractive streets and public spaces. Barcelona has achieved this through an ambitious programme of revamping its open spaces, a lesson Croydon has recently heeded with the appointment of Stirling Prize winning architect Will Alsop to draw up a public realm strategy for the town centre. It also involves creating more dynamic street frontages in the form of shops, cafés and bars. Regeneration thinking is also increasingly focusing on the role that culture can play. The Basque capital of Bilbao has shown the difference that a high-profile cultural attraction can make. The opening in the late 1990s of the city’s now famous Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum has spurred the regeneration of the surrounding area – the city’s former docklands.

Not every city can have a ‘Gugg’. But, even on a smaller scale, arts facilities are increasingly recognised as having an important role to play in regeneration. This isn’t just because the knowledge workers so vital to economic development want somewhere to play at night. It is also because creativity itself is seen as the essential ingredient for growth. High-profile arts and entertainment venues also attract visitors, thus generating extra spin off custom for the city’s bars, restaurants and shops. So, how can these ideas be applied to Croydon, located as it is on the edge of the capital? To increase development, Croydon needs to grow in a

“

Regeneration thinking is also increasingly focusing on the role that culture can play – the ‘Bilbao effect’

”

less car-dependent way than it has in the past. Here, it has the advantage of excellent rail links into London and the Tramlink network. In addition, Croydon is set to benefit from the extension of the East London Line, and possible extensions to the Tramlink network. Added up, these routes will make Croydon by far the most accessible place by public transport in the whole of outer London, which in turn will enable an ever higher level of development than now. The council is also working hard to improve the arts and entertainment facilities by creating a new ‘cultural quarter’. Croydon has another head start, Falk believes, in the form of

the all important human capital the knowledge sector needs. “Croydon has got very strong schools. Whitgift is one of the top schools in the country, and its state secondary schools are very good too,” he says. Former Greater London Authority (GLA) chief planner Martin Simmons believes that Croydon’s best bet is to lure some of the knowledge economy businesses, in sectors like IT and pharmaceuticals, clustered along the M3 in the Thames Valley and the M25 in Hertfordshire. “There’s a lot of capacity for new office development in Croydon and a lot of it is relatively low rent – half or less than half than the City and the West End.”

The GLA estimates that a million extra people will come and live in the capital over the next two decades. And while the authority has concentrated in recent years on pushing more development into the centre of London, it is unlikely that the capital’s creaking transport network will carry on being able to ferry the vastly increased levels of commuting implied by such an approach. Urban planning experts, led by ‘Cities and Civilisation’ author Professor Peter Hall, have called for what they describe as a more ‘polycentric’ pattern of development in London and the south east than that advocated by the GLA. Falk sees merit in

the argument. “The idea of seeing London as just the City, the West End and Canary Wharf, is a naïve one. It’s very important to retain the diversity of the peripheral centres.” London’s outlying centres, of which Croydon is already the biggest and most important, could therefore be set to play an increasingly important role in the capital’s development. And Croydon could be the first of a network of peripheral centres that transform the geography of London by acting as magnets for development. Maybe Croydon will have another opportunity to realise the dreams of its 1960s planners. n

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Regeneration context

croydon

gateway Transforming the heart of Croydon Arrowcroft are developers of a major mixed-use scheme, anchored by a 12,500 seat arena, on the Croydon Gateway site at the heart of Croydon’s town centre.

Proposals for the site, developed in partnership with the local authority, will regenerate this part of Croydon and make Croydon, once again, a major London destination for business, as well as for leisure, culture and sport. The development also includes: Retail elements including a mix of shops, restaurants, cafes and bars Over 800 new homes – for both affordable rent and private sale – including a landmark residential tower of 35 storeys An attractive pedestrian covered Plaza, which will improve links between the station and town centre A health and fitness centre and community health centre Over 500,000 sq ft of ‘grade A’ offices to bring new businesses to Croydon, and meet the expansion needs of companies already based in the area. Croydon Council has now set in place the necessary steps to acquire the parts of the site it does not own so that Arrowcroft can deliver this project, which will create a desirable, safe and attractive new focus in central Croydon.

A computer generated aerial view of the development

A computer generated image of the proposed development from the Plaza area, with the arena on the right

A computer generated image, looking towards the landmark tower on the corner of Dingwall Road, with the arena on the left

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Heart of the city As the realisation of central Croydon’s Vision 2020 scheme gathers momentum, several major developments are set to start construction, kicking off the regeneration of London’s third city. The new-build and refurbishment projects will breathe new life into the centre of Croydon, providing entertainment venues, office space, housing and improved transport hubs encouraging visitors, urban residents, commuters and shoppers to discover what Croydon really has to offer THE Queen’s Gardens Developer Minerva/Lend Lease The existing split-level gardens will be completely re-modelled with greater emphasis on activity, together with planting and lighting to encourage people to utilise the space. The main focus will be the creation of an amphitheatre providing an outdoor performance venue, the base of the structure will incorporate a dynamic water feature in the form of water jets and a seasonal ice rink. A two-storey pavilion will house a cafe with external seating on a decked area to encourage greater public usage.

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Central Croydon

Croydon Gateway Developer Arrowcroft Architect Michael Aukett Construction Starting April 2008 Completion Due 2012 The Croydon Gateway site enjoys a prime location next to East Croydon railway station. A state-of-the-art 12,500capacity arena, hosting a range of entertainment, business and sporting events,will anchor the scheme. As well as top international acts and sports such as basketball, tennis and ice hockey, the arena will also provide a venue for Croydon businesses seeking a location for conferences, promotions and awards dinners. In addition to the arena, the Gateway development will incorporate grade

A offices, homes, a health and fitness centre, community health centre, shops, restaurants, cafes and bars, creating a vibrant local community. Of the 834 private sale and affordable rent homes on the site many will be accommodated in a striking 35-storey tower. A covered pedestrianised plaza will link the station area to the city centre. And to maximise use by the local community, an outreach programme in the arena will provide a new focus for young people interested in extreme sports such as BMX, skateboarding and Motocross. Daniel Carter, development director of Arrowcroft says: “This mixed-use development will create a desirable, safe and attractive new focus for the city, which will not only contribute something re-

ally useful for Croydon families, thereby strengthening the local community, but also encourage more people to come to Croydon. “Experience in Europe and North America demonstrates that arena-led regeneration changes people’s perceptions of tired town centres. For this reason the council has long wanted an arena on this site. Arrowcroft was selected for its ability to provide one as part of a vibrant, mixed-use development.” Although Croydon Council has approved Arrowcroft’s proposals, it does not own the land. It is therefore using CPO powers to make sure the development happens quickly.

➔

Ireland Howard Holdings plc City Quarter Lapps Quay Cork Ireland

United Kingdom Howard Holdings plc 32/34 High Street Croydon Surrey CRO 1YB

Tel: +353 (0)21 485 1150 Fax: +353 (0)21 425 4227 Email: corkgeneral@howardholdings.com

Tel: +44 (0)20 8688 7760 Fax: +44 (0)20 8688 1445 Email: general@howardholdings.com

Poland Howard Property Polska Sp贸lka z o.o. ul. sw. 麓 Tomasza 34 31-027 Krak贸w Poland Tel: +48 (0)12 292 64 20 Fax: +48 (0)12 292 64 21 Email: hpp@howardholdings.com

Howard Holdings Howard Holdings Part and Partparcel and parcel of Croydon for for of Croydon over 25 years! over 25 years! These are exciting times Howard Holdings plcHoward Holdings plc Thesefor are exciting times for both in Croydon andboth in our in and Ireland, in offices Croydon in our offices in Ireland, the UK and Poland. the UK and Poland. We have in place, a hugely experienced We have in place, a hugely experienced executive and management structure executive and management structure throughout the group and a whole throughout therange groupofand a whole range of new mixed-use projects hand’ and new‘in mixed-use projects ‘in hand’ and ‘on the drawing board’ ‘onthroughout the drawingIreland, board’ throughout Ireland, the UK and mainlandthe Europe. UK and mainland Europe.

Howard Holdings - join us onHoldings our journey. Howard - join us on our journey.

o.o.

www.howardholdings.com www.howardholdings.com

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George Street Tower

Park Place

Developer Terrace Hill Architect Sheppard Robson Construction Starting mid-2007 Completion End 2008

Developer Minerva/ Lend Lease Construction Starting 2008 Completion Due 2012

The George Street tower will offer 18,000sq m of office space on a prime site directly opposite East Croydon station – a pivotal location, what with the redevelopment of the station and creation of the Croydon Gateway. Tony O’Brien of Sheppard Robson Architects says: “The site has been vacant for an extended period and we hope our project will help instigate the redevelopment of Croydon itself.” “We are delighted to be using its development expertise to create one of the most significant buildings in Croydon in recent years,” says Richard Myers of Terrace Hill. “This prime site benefits from the excellent transport links Croydon provides. The headquarters scheme has been designed to attract corporate occupiers.” Set over 15 storeys, the tower will be covered with double-glazed, siliconesealed panels, giving the impression of twisting around upon itself. The design is intended to provide an “expression of verticality”, emphasised by the fact the tower stands alone and leans forward dramatically over the entrance. Subject to planning permission.

This £500 million development in the centre of Croydon will cover approximately 8.5ha featuring retail, restaurants and office space, together with a new bus interchange and tram stop creating ‘a new district for downtown Croydon’. The proposed development will have a direct link to the Whitgift Centre providing a continuous shopping experience and greatly expanding Croydon’s current retail offering, re-establishing it as one of the UK’s top 10 retail destinations. The scheme will feature a major department store in addition to 130 shops, cafes and restaurants. Park Place will be constructed on both sides of George Street, a basement link and first floor bridge will provide easy pedestrian access both over and under George Street. As part of the project a town square will be created to enhance the public realm. Approximately 2,000 car parking spaces will be provided within the development, the ‘safety through design’ policy will provide safe and well lit parking areas where people will want to park and other car park operators in the town will be encouraged to upgrade their offering. wCroydon is identified as a major opportunity area within London, located 15 minutes from the West End

by train. Major improvement of the public realm through lighting, signage, planting and promotion will improve trade and increase profitability. Park Place will provide a clean safe environment, not only for shoppers but also for residents and workers. Sustainability is one key goal for this project. A sustainability business plan is to be developed in partnership with the community and retailers including environmental economic and social initiatives.

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Central Croydon

Altitude 25 Developer Howard Holdings Architect Devereux Architects Construction Started Sept 2006 Completion 2008

West Croydon station

Altitude 25’s 82m elliptical tower will be an urban landmark. The L-shaped building will step up in sections, from four storeys along Addiscombe Grove, rising to seven and then nine storeys on Fairfield Road and culminating in the 26storey tower, the site’s vertical emphasis. Devereux Architects claims it will re-establish the urban block and streetscape of Fairfield Road and Addiscombe Grove, while creating a distinctive and positive contribution to Croydon’s skyline. Nic Allen of Devereux Architects says: “We believe Altitude 25 will set a new benchmark in integrated urban regeneration.” Wholly residential, the building will offer 196 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses, including 66 affordable homes and ample car parking. The tower will incorporate coloured panels on the sides and balconies at each end of the ellipse. Rainscreen cladding will be terracotta on the lower section of the building, and aluminium on the tower itself.

Croydon is justifiably proud of its public transport capabilities. The extension of London Underground’s East London Line to West Croydon station, planned for 2010, has provided the impetus for a range of small-scale improvements to the station – cleaning it up, making the site more attractive and providing better access. Long-term aspirations are for a transport interchange, integrating tram, tube, bus and rail.

➔

Building

a new icon

IYLO, Croydon’s new landmark building, is a stunning creation that is set to become an instantly recognisable addition to the town centre’s northern skyline when it is finished in spring 2009. IYLO’s architects, Darling Associates, have created an impressive, glass clad elliptical tower of two equal halves that appear to be sliding past each other. The 20 storey building will provide 184 apartments, including 61 affordable units. The project is located on an island site at a major entrance to Croydon centre. It is looked upon by the Borough Council as a vital part of Croydon’s regeneration, one that will help to satisfy the large demand locally for high quality apartment living. IYLO fronts the trend for new standards in Croydon of excellent design, fit and finish, with contemporary, stylish ideas and features that add to the building’s ‘wow’ factor. It will enhance the concept of urban living in the town, where improved housing stock, transport links and other local infrastructure have been adding to its economic growth – outside central London, Croydon is the largest office and retail centre in south east England. There are 24 independent schools in the area and over 100 state schools. Its business base, where the service sector dominates, includes the headquarters of Nestlé UK, Direct Line insurance and Mondial Assistance.

Transport is good too, with two town centre rail stations, a new, £200m Tramlink service and a road network that links Croydon to major motorways and airports. A metro style rail service will link the East London Line with the London tube network when completed in 2009.

“an iconic building for inspired living” Projects like IYLO are the outcome of vision, opportunity and considerable professionalism. They are the result of teamwork and enterprise, of local knowledge and contacts, of good management and experience, of skill and expertise. They are also the result of successful partnerships led by the Joint Venture collaboration between Phoenix Logistics and E3 Property. E3 Property is an international property investment company focused on development and renovation projects in the UK and Europe. The vision for the brownfield site, formerly comprising a run-down industrial site and unused office buildings, was originally developed by Phoenix Logistics, which specialises in residential refurbishment, conversion and new build. Phoenix Logisitics and E3 Property are currently managing and delivering projects with a gross development value in excess of £200m.

Phoenix Logistics’ trademark is that of paying meticulous attention to detail inside and outside its buildings – and ensuring that the materials used reflect and enhance the local area and general landscape, thus increasing the appeal of the development. In addition to Darling Associates as architects – whose approach to residential projects centres on designing special places for people to live – Phoenix Logistics has also appointed DP9 as planning consultant and KHK as project managers. DP9, of which Estates Gazette said “Few have more experience in taking on the planning process than DP9”, has coordinated the planning application and the detail associated with successfully moving a project from planning to implementation. KHK will be assembling and managing the consultant team and the construction process, co-ordinating and monitoring progress, programme, cost and quality throughout the design, construction and commissioning phases. IYLO will become an iconic building for inspired living, and one of which Croydon will be proud – but only through the efforts of Phoenix Logistics, E3 Property and its partners. Watch it rise and feel part of it. www.phoenix-logistics.com www.e3property.com www.iylo.co.uk

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Bridge House Developer Howard Holdings Architect AWW Construction Started end of 2006 Completion August 2008 Bridge House will form an integral part of Croydon’s new cultural quarter in the central conservation area. The seven-storey building will wrap around an existing multi-storey car park to provide 75 homes (48 of which will be affordable), and the ground floor retail space will offer bar and restaurant facilities opening out on to a central piazza. The accommodation will be constructed in the form of pods. Manufactured off-site, allowing for enhanced quality control, they will be put in place, linked together and then simply clad and roofed, dramatically speeding up the build process. The green and brown roofs improve the building’s insulation, aid biodiversity and provide attractive views for adjoining terraces and surrounding buildings. The footbridge currently spanning Surrey Street market to link the car park and principal shopping area will be replaced with a more visually pleasing and better-lit contemporary version.

IYLO, ST JAMES’S STREET Developer Phoenix Logistics Architect Darling Associates Construction Starts April 2007 Completion Mid-2009 The £35 million residential development at the corner of Wellesley Road and St James’s Road will provide an “exciting gateway to central Croydon”. Described by the GLA as a positive addition to the Croydon skyline, the tower will be part of the city’s Skyline scheme (already lighting up tall buildings at night), which Joy Gopinadhan of Phoenix Logistics claims will “create a great focus for the building”. Chris Darling of Darling Associates explains: “The design brief was to provide a distinctive local landmark and beacon of regeneration for the area. We very much

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Central Croydon

The Exchange Developer Howard Holdings Architect AWW Construction Started end 2006 Completion Mid-2008

wanted the project to be part of Croydon’s re-launch. “Architecturally there was very little context to the site. Our aim is to recreate an urban environment in an area that currently lacks character. The buildings will derive their form from the curve of the land, creating a strong built edge to the road to enhance the urban context.” Providing 184 residential units, the project will comprise a 20-storey tower and four-storey wraparound feature giving the impression that the two sides of the building are sliding past each other. The wraparound will create an appropriate street feel at the lower level while the tower will be clad with a mix of clear glazing and coloured glass panels bringing the façade to life. All apartments

will have recessed balconies to break up the sides of the building, providing visual interest and activity. Great emphasis has been placed on the site’s public realm spaces. Planted buffer zones will mitigate the effects of traffic, and communal roof gardens will be created on the fourth and 18th floors. Eco-friendly elements include roofmounted photovoltaic panels to power external and internal communal lighting and solar control glazing to reduce overheating.

Howard Holdings’ conversion and extension of Croydon’s former telephone exchange at the heart of the cultural quarter will create 66 loft-style apartments. The refurbishment process will retain the classic façade of the 1930s section of the building, while the 1950s section will be updated with cladding. A further three-storeys will be added to provide penthouse accommodation and large terrace areas. The project will incorporate a variety of sustainable measures, including green and brown roofs and an element of off-site renewable energy. The ground floor of the Exchange will comprise a range of cafes, bars and restaurants spilling out on to the piazza, which will benefit from dynamic lighting to improve the night-time environment and create an attractive, safe and animated evening destination. Howard Holdings’ chief executive Greg Coughlan says: “Howard Holdings has been an enthusiastic investor and developer in Croydon for over 25 years. The three developments we are undertaking match the aspirations of the borough’s planners and will contribute to making Croydon a more vibrant place to live and work.”

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Wellesley Square

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Developer Berkeley Homes Architect Rolfe Judd Construction Starting end 2007 Completion Early 2010

East Croydon station Already operating at maximum capacity, East Croydon station is ripe for redevelopment. The various regeneration projects in the city centre will dramatically increase the number of people travelling to and from Croydon, making the extension and development of the station an essential element of the borough’s renaissance. Suggested proposals will aim to make the station safer, more accessible and more attractive. The plans include a new concourse over the existing platforms to link the various modes of transport, and the addition of shops and restaurants to link the station area to the Gateway arena and improve its accessibility to the town centre.

Central One

Developer Freshwater Group

Freshwater Group is revising its original planning application for Central One (also known as Suffolk House), a prominent site on the corner of Wellesley Road and George Street. The new plan, which is in the very early stages, is for a small office block with a retail element on the ground floor. Close to the transport links at East Croydon station, the site is a key location.

Near the St James’s Project, this development of primarily residential buildings will wrap around the edges of a central square, integral to the overall design. A spectacular 44-storey tower will dominate the southern end of the site, offering one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and studios. All buildings will have either green or brown roofs or roof gardens, which will include play areas for children. The roof of the tower will even feature an orangery. Harry Lewis of Berkeley Homes says: “We are committed to bringing this key northern gateway site back to life. Wellesley Square will act as a catalyst for the ongoing regeneration of Croydon, providing a significant new place where people will want to live, work and play.” Charles Graham of Rolfe Judd Architects agrees: “Croydon needs a gateway from the north as you enter the borough. We see this building very much as a landmark. You need to be bold in order to create something special and we wanted to do something special to flag up the fact that the area is changing. Croydon can be a very grey place and we want to change that – literally.” Indeed: colour will be used on the building’s exterior inspired by the borough’s Saxon name which originally meant ‘valley of crocuses’. “We plan to use purple and blue and possibly even print an image on the tower which will stand as a billboard for colour,” says Graham. “We hope the development will bring life and activity to the area, not limited to the daytime. The mixed-use ground floor will offer restaurants, cafes and shops to encourage people to use and enjoy the new town square.” Subject to planning permission.

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Central Croydon

Cherry Orchard Road Developer Menta Architect MAKE A series of linked crystalline towers will dominate this 90,000sq m development set across both sides of Cherry Orchard Road. The towers, which have been likened by the architect to ‘a string of diamonds’, will step down in height from 46 storeys to meet the adjacent existing NLA tower. A single-storey podium containing bars, restaurants and retail units will link the towers, as well as providing a pleasant pedestrian route from the area to East Croydon station. Craig Marks of Menta explains: “The development has been specifically designed to contribute to Croydon’s aspirations for a new state-of-the-art station. It will incorporate retail, leisure, office and residential space, including affordable housing. We hope the continuation of the development across Cherry Orchard Road will help enhance the road’s image.” The existing buildings on the site will be demolished but the post office will be relocated within the development, ensuring all jobs are maintained. Subject to planning permission.

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City limits Regeneration is not confined to the town centre. Previously down-at-heel areas of outer Croydon are being transformed into shining examples of sustainable communities. Building a new community is about much more than just bricks and mortar. Croydon Council is determined to ensure new residential developments throughout the borough provide not just somewhere to live, but somewhere to work, shop, socialise and play. The councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regeneration plan for the outer borough focuses on the need to encourage enterprise and new businesses, elements vital for a sustainable community. Residential developments incorporating shops, office space, workshops and even a science park will provide employment opportunities for residents and a local workforce for businesses. The emphasis for each project will be on providing good quality, modern and often affordable housing alongside shops, business opportunities, leisure amenities, community buildings and striking public spaces facilitating a greater sense of pride in the area, which will in turn create a pleasant atmosphere and secure attractive space.

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XxxxxxCroydon Xxxxxxx Greater

Developer Tesco Architect Accord Architects Construction Starting April 2007 Completion End of 2010 The development of Central Parade, which sits at the heart of New Addington’s community, is integral to the council’s bid to transform the shopping area into a vibrant, functional and attractive area. It is hoped the scheme will create a sustainable, workable, pleasant and inspiring centre for people to live, work, invest in and visit. A Tesco spokesperson said: “It is our hope that the project will make a large contribution towards the realisation of Croydon’s 2020 vision. The development promises to bring great benefits to the New Addington area and wider community. Tesco is extremely excited at being able to contribute jobs, housing and

community facilities to the regeneration of the area, turning it into a vibrant core.” The mixed-use scheme will provide 300 residential units (including a large proportion of affordable housing), 1,185sq m of office space, a health centre, supermarket, shops and ample parking. Community facilities will include a swimming pool, community centre, one-stop shop and library. Plans for a new office block off Central Parade will include a range of training opportunities for adults in the area. The building will support an adult and community learning service, a drop-in e-learning centre, classrooms, childcare and office space.

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New Addington

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Queen’s Gate, Broad green Developer Fairview Homes Construction Started end 2006 Completion Mid 2008 This ground-breaking development of eco-friendly homes will feature solar roof panels and wind turbines to provide low-cost heating and lighting for communal areas, along with rainwater and waste recycling. Tim McEvoy, sales director at Fairview Homes, says: “Croydon is a forwardthinking commuter town actively embracing a modern way of living and contemporary architecture.” The site is dominated by a distinctive 19th-century former hospital which will be converted and fully refurbished, retaining the façade, to provide 340 one- and twobedroom apartments. A further 25 three-bedroom townhouses, many with balconies, will be constructed in the grounds in a campus-style setting.

New South Quarter, off purley way Developer Barratt Kent Architect Stanford Eatwell and Associates Construction Starting 2007 Completion 2010 This mixed-use development of the former British Gas depot will create a new community on the banks of the River Wandle. Almost 800 residential units (studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments plus some townhouses) will be built alongside shops, bars, restaurants and workshops. Nick Fenton, managing director of Barratt Kent, says: “New South Quarter is an important project that will make a major contribution to Croydon’s residential property market, bringing private and affordable housing to the area.” Like all successful villages the quarter will contain

a variety of building styles. A total of 12 apartment blocks will range from three to nine storeys, incorporating several penthouse apartments with terraces. The focal point of the village will be the Circus, comprising two fourstorey semi-circular blocks. Transforming the 5ha site will include the restoration of the River Wandle which currently flows underground in a concrete channel. The river will be opened out to provide a charming natural centrepiece for the village which will hopefully attract wildlife to the area. Pedestrian and cycle routes of the Wandle Trail will wind through the quarter to the neighbouring Wandle Park.

Waddon Project Developer Hyde Group Architect Levitt Bernstein Construction Mid 2007 Completion Spring 2013 Currently in the very early stages, this multi-million pound development will be based on the site of the former Waylands day centre site, next to the Propeller public house. Croydon Council is considering extending the scheme to redevelop two disused buildings on Purley Way to form a major regeneration scheme set over about 3ha.

The redevelopment will comprise a new leisure and learning disabilities centre, gym, swimming pool, sports hall, dance studio, community café and residential units. Hyde Group and architect Levitt Bernstein are developing feasibility studies and a masterplan of the site, subject to consultation.

Greater Croydon Cane Hill, coulsdon Croydon Council is keen to develop the site at Cane Hill into a science park. “We are looking to provide a base for innovation and new business enterprise. We hope to include a business centre for fledgling companies and possibly establish links with a higher education facility,” says the council’s Iain Sim. “The science park will attract activity and bring investment to the area. It is part of a package of improvements included in Coulsdon’s regeneration strategy.” The site will be transferred to English Partnerships on 1st April. A review of the science park market is almost complete and English Partnerships is gearing up a project team to work with the council to take the site forward for development. The 83ha site incorporates a large, redundant Victorian asylum, a 23-bed psychiatric unit (closing at the end of 2008) and several additional buildings ripe for refurbishment. Between them the buildings occupy 13ha, providing a total of 35,000sq m of ground floor space, which is capped due to the site’s green belt status. Cane Hill is described by Sim as: “A wonderful site offering a tremendous opportunity”. The park enjoys a superb location on top of a hill surrounded by open countryside close to the M25 and A23. Accessibility is much improved since the Coulsdon bypass opened at the end of 2006. Public transport links are already very good - Coulsden train station is within walking distance and there are plans to divert local buses to the park when it is complete.

The Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) is a government scheme to “release the economic and productivity potential of deprived areas across the country through enterprise and investment”. The aim is to boost local income and employment opportunities while building sustainable communities for the 21st century. This will be achieved through: n Increasing entrepreneurial activity n Reducing the failure rate of local businesses n Attracting investment and making use of local labour resources

Portland Road, south norwood Developer Various The redevelopment of this three-mile stretch of Portland Road is part of the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI), a government-funded regeneration programme (see box, right), seeking to revitalise deprived areas of Croydon through business creation, growth, development and support. The aim of this scheme - by Croydon Council, local business owners and local community groups - is to breathe new life into the area. The draft action plan aims to improve the area through supporting investment, identifying opportunities for redevelopment and enhancing the appearance of shop-fronts and homes. It is hoped that improving the business environment and streetscape will attract investment within the area and kick-start the regeneration process providing a place where people want to meet, do business and socialise. n

Local authorities, in partnership with stakeholders, will be given the freedom to determine the needs and problems of the local economy and devise and implement the solutions to stimulate its development. Croydon has been awarded a total of £77 million over the next 10 years, with over £20 million provided in the next three years to be invested specifically in North Croydon and New Addington. The money will be used to provide support, finance and accommodation for businesses to create a more dynamic business environment improving confidence, quality of life and pride in the borough. n

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What is LEGI?

Developer English Partnerships

:@KP* +-

100 George Street, Croydon Terrace Hill has submitted a planning application for 100 George Street, Croydon. The distinctive design by Sheppard Robson will provide a 25,824m2, 15-storey, office and retail development. Situated on an island site diagonally opposite East Croydon station, it will create a landmark building and act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the heart of Croydon. It will create a prominent visual link between the proposed developments of the Gateway and Fairfield sites. The bold abstract vertical patterning of the façade will accommodate highly specified, efficient and flexible floorplates. All the façades are treated equally to express the pivotal aspect of the site. Its height is accentuated by the vertical treatment of the glazing – a combination of coloured opaque, translucent and clear panels, which complying with Part L requirements will control heat and solar gain within the building. The design incorporates a renewable energy system, which will set an exemplar for new office design in Croydon. The top of the building is animated by a raked parapet, terminating with its highest point on the prominent north east corner addressing East Croydon station. The inclined façade and use of double height bays emphasise the office entrance at ground floor level. The permeability at ground level is expressed by the peeling away of the outer skin of the façade, creating relief and exposing the vertical structure. Active single-height retail frontages on George Street are introduced at ground floor to create a degree of animation and activity at street level. Associated landscape proposals around the site include the creation of a new public plaza and pedestrianised thoroughfare to the east of the site, enhancing the public realm. Planning permission is expected in March 2007 and the scheme is scheduled for completion in mid 2009.

“Terrace Hill are delighted to be using their development expertise to create one of the most significant buildings in Croydon in recent years,” says Richard Myers of Terrace Hill. “This prime site benefits from the excellent transport links that Croydon provides and the headquarters scheme has been designed to attract corporate occupiers.”

Perfect Match To ensure the forecast ÂŁ3.5 billion of investment fulfills the long-term vision for the borough, choosing the right developers to work with is vital. So, how does the council go about choosing its developer partners? And how are the relationships faring? ILLUSTRATION: DAVID S.BLANCO@PVUK.COM

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Partnerships

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“Regeneratively beneficial” are key words in the vocabulary of Tim Pollard, Croydon Council’s cabinet member for finance and regeneration, particularly when talking about the process of choosing preferred developers and partners for the town’s regeneration. With £3.5 billion of investment planned over the next 10 years by developers and investors, Croydon is poised to transform itself. Many of the initiatives are groundbreaking, reflecting the borough’s forward thinking public-private partnerships. In fact Croydon has one of the largest and most exciting regeneration agendas in the UK. Normally, developers purchase sites for redevelopment on the basis of the type and amount of development they believe can be achieved. But for long-term regeneration and

sustainability, councils also want to see what different ideas developers have on such big complicated mixed-use sites. Issues such as housing affordability, community involvement and design innovation are all part of a selection process that aims to get the best for the people of Croydon. Yet it’s crucial to formally engage with the private sector to establish their willingness to invest in new development opportunities. Developers recognise Croydon’s many strengths, and are keen to be involved in its regeneration. Croydon is now described as a 21st-century city in all but name with a growing international profile, a wealth of skilled staff and diverse business interests. An increasing number of high profile companies across a wide variety of commercial

“

It’s crucial to formally engage with the private sector to establish their willingness to invest in new development opportunities

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director of planning and transsectors have chosen to relocate here, impressed by its reputation portation at Croydon Council. “The regeneration strategy Vision as a leading business centre 2020 established some of the with unique transport, infrapeople who are keen to work in structure and location. Croydon and with the counHowever, a report by the cil, who are just what the town Labour government’s favourite wanted.” think tank, IPPR, says that the So how does the council relationship between councils actually choose consultants? and developers isn’t always “By negotiation, competition or sweet. “To property developers, invitation to submit a tender,” local authorities are often a big explains Keith Briars, senior headache – they create barriers planner at Croydon Council. to major urban regeneration “We don’t always use the cheapprojects, it’s argued, because est one. It depends on the grasp they lack the people, resources on the task and the value for and vision to ‘make it happen’. While in the eyes of public sector money. There are often preferred people who can seriously stakeholders, private interests demonstrate quality work. We are driven only by visions of are looking for people with real profit, rather than strategic local vision and can relate to what economic development and we’re doing.” community needs.” “Companies which have Perhaps developers’ need to been located in the town for generate profit doesn’t make for a number of years, such as a happy partnership with the Nestlé,” says Chris Wright, “fully social and community duties embrace our thinking. We want of city leaders, or the financial a masterplan that works to enand bureaucratic constraints of courage investments. The masgovernment agencies. “Publicterplan is constantly reviewed.” sector players do not always apLong gone are the days preciate the financial gambles when local authorities just opted and tight timescales developers for the cheap and cheerful opand investors must face,” says tion, although value for money the report. is still imperative. “We’re now Yet where a developer is in choosing the Will Alsops of this partnership with a local authorworld,” explains Wright. Alsop ity, it is often working hand-inhand towards a shared objective, (see p19) has built an international reputation for designing says Pollard. “The problems arise imaginative and colourful when developers put a lot of buildings that have both public effort into schemes before talking appeal and a regenerative influto us. If they talk to us it makes it ence on the surrounding area, work much more smoothly.” such as the Peckham Library. A shared vision is imperative “It boils down to how partners and has to be based on a strong interpret the brief, and clearly, partnership and understanding how effective or realistic it is,” between the public and private surmises Andrew Beedham, sectors, stresses Phillip Goodwin

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We have established a good working relationship which has resulted in the inclusion of the public realm that now lies at the heart of our proposals head of urban design of Croydon Council. “It can be a difficult process and you can only peruse on submissions and look carefully through them.” SMC Alsop and Tibbalds Planning & Urban Design have been picked by the council for their specialist experience in key areas of work. Alsops will help in the creative process and provide innovative design proposals for integration into the draft area action plan (AAP) for the town. It will lead a number of interactive community workshops and produce conceptual ideas and drawings. Tibbalds will be advising on a strategy to deliver planning gain agreements to upgrade the public realm in the town centre, then writing and illustrating the final draft plan. Alsop’s pedigree includes recent work on masterplans for Bradford and Barnsley, whereas Tibbalds has recently been involved in the Elephant and Castle masterplan, the Ilford AAP and as the architect for the

Croydon Clocktower. “Architects go through a rigorous progress. You invite a number of people whose work has pushed them forward and have a formal selection process. We had a dozen people – all people with a similarly high reputation,” explains Pollard. “Will Alsop is a visionary and good lateral thinker. Croydon needs more mixed-use developments and much better public realm, it’s expected that Will Alsop will be able to flesh out and bring forward those aspirations” says Goodwin. “We [the local authority] have to make it happen. Developers want to see an effective plan, but the masterplan has to be tested at public inquiries. We have to take a lead and direct how the development comes about, but not ignore the public; they are part of it too.” The story of the Gateway development (see p31) is a particularly good example of Croydon Council working with

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developers on prime, strategically important sites. The council had long held an ambition for a high-quality, mixed-use scheme based around a state-of-the-art multi-purpose indoor arena. In October 2002, it signed an agreement with Arrowcroft Group, which shares this vision and has demonstrated that the arena can be delivered as part of a vibrant package – with retail, residential and community facilities – bringing with it a range of significant benefits to the area. Daniel Carter, development director of Arrowcroft, explains: “We were appointed on the basis of our expertise and long track record of successful mixed-use town centre development, often in partnership with local authorities and development corporations, and its financial strength. We have always found the council to be supportive, and clear in their objectives.’ Arrowcroft and the council have been progressing plans for the arena since 1997. In Decem-

ber 2003 the council resolved to grant planning permission. And at the time of going to press, the required CPO of the land is about to go through a public inquiry process. Housing developer Berkeley Homes too has had a positive experience of working with the council to date. With one completed project in central Croydon – Central C, Park Lane, a compact scheme of 38 two-bed flats, completed in 2002 – Berkeley Homes put forward the Wellesley Square proposal (see p40) to Croydon “knowing that this represents the key northern gateway site and deserves better”. “We knew that the council shared our enthusiasm to see something important happen here,’ explains Harry Lewis, land director at Berkeley Homes. “Our shared vision is to create a highquality, sustainable, mixed-use scheme,” he says. “So far, our experience of working with Croydon has been extremely positive. Officers have been proactive in meeting regularly, exchanging information and generally helping to drive the scheme forward. We have established a good working relationship which has resulted in the inclusion of the public realm which now lies at the heart of our proposals.” Goodwin sums up: “The target is 2020, by then we expect to have secured the majority if not all of the vision and to have transformed Croydon, through a groundbreaking public/private ‘partnership’, into a modern, smart, sophisticated city.” n

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Partnerships

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Croydon facts and figures

24 blue chip

headquarters

Croydon’s office stock, in context Croydon 7.8 million London’s West End 101.6 million City 86.88 million Hammersmith 6.3 million Brentford & Chiswick 6.2 million All figures square feet

*Source Jones Lang LaSalle n Rents are £20 per square foot for new prime space, expected to rise to £28 for future grade A space. n More than £300 million of stock transacted in the past 18 months n The borough has the country’s lowest death rate from accidents n The borough has 23 buildings over 10 storeys high and another 50 more than six storeys

140,000

people are employed in the borough

160,000sq m are devoted to shopping The borough measures 8,646 hectares 1,000 hectares of green park space 3,500 community-based organisations

Ronnie Corbett and Ian Wright live in Croydon

13,000 local businesses

DH Lawrence was a teacher at Davidson Road school, Addiscombe

Largest

Arthur Conan Doyle lived at 12 Tennison Road, South Norwood 1891-1894

of the 33 London boroughs, in terms of population. More than 20,000 businesses trade here

Francis Rossi, Kate Moss, Roy Hudd, Kirsty MacColl, Adam Ant are all from Croydon.

Croydon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; new development capital of London? Advisor on over 2.5 million sq ft of local office disposals, developments, acquisitions and consultancy, enabling a powerful insight and vision for the Croydon property market.

For a copy of our Croydon Market Report and for advice on all office requirements contact Vanessa Clark 020 3147 1110 vanessa.clark@eu.jll.com

MIPIM 2007 With over £3bn worth of development now underway or planned for the next three years, Croydon has one of the UK’s largest and most exciting town centre regeneration agendas. Come and join us on the London Stand at MIPIM. You won’t be disappointed.

Croydon MIPIM 2007 special events: Wednesday March 14th at 12.30pm Will Alsop lunch on the London Stand Terrace Hear the internationally-acclaimed architect talk about the new Croydon masterplan. Followed by a talk by Stephen Norris. Croydon’s unique Urban Regeneration Vehicle will be launched. Thursday March 15th at 4.30pm Ken Shuttleworth presentation on the London Stand The renowned architect reveals his thinking behind Menta’s forthcoming and groundbreaking scheme in Croydon. For more details contact: Keith Briars, +44 (0)20 8726 6800, keith.briars@croydon.gov.uk