Hammerson's more successful involvement in "a far-away London borough, of which we know little"

Link to 'Metro' web site

"Croydon’s toughest critics find it hard to fault the transport network. There are three stations – East, West and South Croydon – plus buses and trams. [Not like Brent Cross, then.]

"Trains from East Croydon, which is currently being upgraded, run south to the coast and north [via Cricklewood and Hendon] to Bedford, with the fastest reaching Gatwick Airport or London Bridge in less than 15 minutes.

"... The Croydon Partnership, a joint venture between Westfield and Hammerson, will transform the outdated Whitgift and Centrale shopping centres into 1.5million sq ft of retail and leisure space. This will include a major department store – John Lewis has expressed interest – a full range of shops, cinema, bowling alley and restaurants. Construction should start next year, once full planning permission has been secured, and the target date for opening is 2018.

"This £1-billion project will act as the catalyst for the wider regeneration of the town centre and includes up to 600 new homes. It has received widespread local support, but few people can be more delighted than buyers at Saffron Square, a new housing scheme by Berkeley just down the road."