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Croydon: the facts invest in south London’s biggest borough...
Where is Croydon?
Croydon is a thriving retail and commercial hub at the very heart of south London. It is one of the capital’s two strategic office centres outside of the city. Linking central London with the Surrey countryside and the south coast, Croydon provides the lifestyle benefits of the country while being only minutes from town and acting as a gateway to London Gatwick International Airport.
St. Pancras 30 Minutes Hoxton 36 Minutes Covent Garden (West End) 24 Minutes
Canary Wharf 20 Minutes
Stratford
Bank (The City) 15 Minutes
Shepherds Bush
(Olympic Village) 33 Minutes
(Westfield) 23 Minutes
London Bridge 13 Minutes
Waterloo 21 Minutes Victoria 16 Minutes Clapham Junction 9 Minutes
Wimbledon 24 Minutes
East Croydon Station
M25 15 Minutes* Gatwick Airport 15 Minutes
Brighton 34 Minutes
to travel u *Refers by car - all other times relate to travel by train
introduction
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LONDON
croydon
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Croydon: the facts
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With 341,800 residents, Croydon is south London’s biggest borough by population. If it were a city, it would be the UK’s 10th largest by population (excluding Greater London). Just 10 miles from central London the borough is connected by rail, tube, tram and bus. Three million people live within 10 miles of the town centre. Croydon is the biggest commercial hub for the south London and south coast region, which stretches from Hampshire to Kent. The next largest commercial centres are Medway and Southampton.
For further information go to www.developcroydon.com/connectivity
Photographers: Many thanks to Croydon’s local photographic talent, particularly Eric Hands, Darren Lehane, Eleanor McMillan, and Patrick Davidson-Locke, for many of the images used in this brochure. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this brochure at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this brochure are not necessarily those of Croydon Council or Develop Croydon.
local economy
Who’s in Croydon?
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Croydon: the facts
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As one of London’s most important office hubs, Croydon has over 7 million sq ft of office space and is home to 24 blue chip organisations, including: Nestlé, Chartris, Mott MacDonald, Sir Robert McAlpine, Carillion, Network Rail, Barclays Financial and Insurance Services, Bank of America and the UK Border Agency. Banking, finance and insurance, distribution, hotels and restaurants account for 50.9% of employment.
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Twenty-eight of the UK’s top 30 retailers are in Croydon, with major outlets of John Lewis at Home, Debenhams, House of Fraser, Marks & Spencer, IKEA and Miss Selfridge, as well as a host of fashion shops from River Island and Republic to LK Bennett and La Senza. More than 9,075 businesses are VAT registered in the borough, with 555 new registrations in 2008, which exceeds the national average.
Between January 2009 and January 2010, 199 companies relocated to Croydon from other parts of the UK.
For further information go to www.developcroydon.com/economy
retail
Shopping in Croydon need to know...
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Croydon: the facts
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With 2.5 million sq ft of retail space, Croydon is London’s biggest shopping centre outside of the West End. Over £1 billion a year is spent in local shops. In London that is behind only the West End, and it’s the fourth largest retail spend in south-east England. Croydon’s prime retail pitch is the Whitgift Centre. The borough’s largest managed shopping centre is Centrale, which is spread over three levels and anchored by Debenhams and House of Fraser. Purley Way is London’s eighth largest single retail area, with a high concentration of trade counter and retail warehouse units including IKEA, Homebase, Sainsbury’s and PC World superstores.
For further information go to www.developcroydon.com/lifestyle
Working in Croydon
office
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Croydon: the facts
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At 7.9 million sq ft, Croydon metropolitan centre has the largest area of office floorspace in London outside the core of the West End, City and Canary Wharf.
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81% of the working-age population is economically active, compared to the London average of 75.5%.
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47.1% of the working population are employed in managerial, professional and associate professional occupations compared to the UK average of 42.9%.
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Top office rent is half the central London average, at ÂŁ23 per sq ft.
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Planning consent has been given for 1.4m sq ft of new office space in the borough.
For further information go to www.developcroydon.com/offices
Living in Croydon
residential
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Croydon :the facts
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The average house price is around £245,000, making the borough an affordable place for homebuyers. The borough divides between vibrant, urban living to the north and tranquil, affluent districts in the south. The Elizabethan Whitgift Almshouses (pictured left) have stood in central Croydon since 1596. The council is planning for up to 8,000 new homes across the Opportunity Area. Berkeley Homes is onsite in central Croydon with Saffron Square, a major new residential scheme for 755 units. Barratt is building 700 apartments in its “urban village” at New South Quarter.
For further information go to www.developcroydon.com/residential
Connectivity is key
access
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Croydon: the facts
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Croydon is the most connected urban centre in England’s south-east and the only London borough linked by all modes of public transport. Central London is a 15 minute train journey from Croydon; the UK’s second busiest international airport, London Gatwick, is 15 minutes by train. Stratford, home of the London Olympics, is just 33 minutes from West Croydon station by the newly extended East London Line.
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Croydon Tramlink is the UK’s biggest tram network. It is used by 28 million passengers a year and, with new trams on order, it is about to enter a new phase of expansion. Croydon is only 8.5 miles from junction seven of the M25 motorway, linked to it directly by the A23 LondonBrighton road, and thereby just 23 miles from the UK’s busiest international airport at London Heathrow.
East Croydon is Great Britain’s second busiest rail interchange and is used by 27 million passengers a year. A £20 million refurbishment will accommodate ever rising demand.
For further information go to www.developcroydon.com/connectivity
Delivery is under way
developments
Croydon: the facts
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Croydon’s five linked masterplans will together deliver one of the UK’s biggest and most ambitious regeneration and development programmes.
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Over 5 million sq ft of development is proposed across all the masterplanned sites, including up to 3,168 new homes.
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£3.5 billion of investment is already under way or in the pipeline.
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Seven sites are under construction in the metropolitan centre, a further 13 sites have planning approved and 12 more are in pre-application discussion.
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London Mayor Boris Johnson designated Croydon as an Opportunity Area, working with the council to stimulate the metropolitan centre’s economy and environment. By East Croydon station, Stanhope and Schroders’ Ruskin Square will provide a new nine acre city quarter. A mixed-use development, it comprises five grade A office buildings totalling about one million sq ft, 550 apartments, along with shops, restaurants and a new Warehouse Theatre. Barratt Homes is creating a modern urban village of over 900 homes at New South Quarter (pictured left), adjacent to Wandle Park, set around courtyards and landscaped gardens and with the River Wandle running through its heart.
For further information go to www.developcroydon.com/projects
Delivery is under way
developments
Croydon: the facts
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Network Rail and Croydon Council have committed about ÂŁ20 million to upgrade East Croydon station with a new entrance and pedestrian bridge, to be completed by the end of 2013, enhancing eastwest links and connecting key development sites.
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Berkeley Homes is building an iconic 45 storey tower and a new one-acre public space at Saffron Square (pictured left). The tower will house shops, cafĂŠs, restaurants, gym and offices, together with 755 residential units.
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CCURV, a joint venture between London Borough of Croydon and John Laing, is creating a 240,000 sq ft public service delivery hub that will house the council and other services from 2013.
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CCURV is also delivering the Waddon Leisure and Social Housing scheme for a new district leisure centre (swimming pool, sports hall, gym and community space) and 119 affordable homes provided by the Hyde Group, with completion expected in summer 2012. Croydon College is opening a multi-million pound extension this year, which will host new industry-standard facilities and new library and conference centre.
For further information go to www.developcroydon.com/projects
Schools & Colleges
lifestyle
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Croydon: the facts
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Croydon is home to the famous Brit School for Performing Arts and Technology, the first of its kind in the country and sponsored by Sony Music, Virgin Group and Warner Music, among others.
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Croydon boasts a number of top independent schools including Whitgift and Trinity, both run by the Whitgift Foundation formed in 1596.
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Over 13,000 people study at Croydon College, including over 1,000 degree students.
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The college is London’s largest provider of apprenticeships, is leading the development of a Retail Skills Academy and will be the first National Skills Academy Centre of Excellence for Health and Fitness.
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For every 100 children under the age of five, Croydon offers 20 nursery places and 11 childminders - more than any other south London borough. “Outstanding” OFSTED reports have been achieved by three secondary schools in Croydon (19% compared to a national average of 13%) and 14 primaries (17% compared to 9% nationally). Over 80% of young people in Croydon achieve at least five A*-C grade GCSEs, well above the national average.
For further information go to www.developcroydon.com/lifestyle
Sports, Arts & Entertainment need to know...
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Croydon is home to Crystal Palace Football Club and Croydon Sports Arena, as well as having the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre on its doorstep. With 127 parks and open spaces there are dozens of public sports facilities for football, hockey, tennis, bowls and much more. Croydon hosts jazz, food, fashion and Christmas festivals each year, attracting tens of thousands of people.
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With the Warehouse Theatre and the Fairfield Halls, the borough is a cultural centre for south London. The Fairfield Halls boasts a 1,789-seat concert hall, the 763-seat Ashcroft Theatre and cafes, bars and meeting rooms. It is home to the UK’s longest-established chamber orchestra, The Mozart Players, and is set to undergo a £20 million refurbishment. Croydon’s 800 restaurants, cafes and bars and nine nightclubs entertain 20,000 people every weekend.
Hotels lifestyle
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Croydon: the facts
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Croydon boasts London’s largest concentration of hotel rooms outside Heathrow airport and the West End, with 12 hotels, 18 bed-andbreakfasts and three guest houses plus a wide range of self-catering establishments. Hotels include Aerodrome Hotel, Croydon Park Hotel, Hilton Croydon, Holiday Inn Express, Jurys Inn, Premier Travel Inns (East Lodge and West Lodge), Selsdon Park Hotel and Golf Club, Swallow Coulsdon Manor Hotel and Travelodge Central Croydon. A 120-room Hampton by Hilton hotel is under development, another hotel is planned at 1 Lansdowne Road and a third at Cherry Orchard Road.
For further information go to www.developcroydon.com/lifestyle
Green space
lifestyle
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Croydon: the facts
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Croydon is London’s greenest borough, with green space occupying one third of the total area. Croydon Council maintains 127 parks and open spaces, including Happy Valley, Farthing Downs and Foxley Wood. Nine of these spaces have green flag awards. Woodland covers 8% of Croydon, which also borders some of the UK’s most beautiful countryside on the North Downs. Croydon has been named the UK’s “greenest large city” and has been recognised as home to the “Best Park in London”, Coombe Wood.
For further information go to www.developcroydon.com/lifestyle
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www.developcroydon.com