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Click above for what became the consented plan, plus Transport page.

2019-01-20

Hammerson: Brent Cross and Croydon: two collapsed development schemes


"It is six years to the day since Westfield and Hammerson said that, jointly, they would redevelop central Croydon. KEN LEE, our Town Hall reporter, on the increasingly beleaguered mood among senior council figures"

Link to 'Inside Croydon'

"This week marks six years since the 'marriage of convenience' between Hammerson and Westfield was announced over the redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre. Then, the shiny new temple to retailing was all supposed to be rebuilt and open for business by 2017. Now, no one appears to know when it might open, or even if it ever will.

Last June, Croydon Council's chief executive, Jo Negrini and council officials were reporting that demolition work on the old shopping mall would begin in September 2019. At the Town Hall this week, that start date had been put back, at least until after Christmas.

Any further delays to the redevelopment of the town centre will be a massive blow to Negrini, the self-proclaimed 'regeneration practitioner'. Last year, when asked whether her council had a fall-back position in case Westfield decided not to go ahead with the scheme, Negrini responded, 'We're not stupid.' It seems increasingly likely that councillors from the majority Labour group as well as opposition Tories will soon be asking for Negrini to share with them what her 'Plan B' really is."

West London Orbital: Using the Dudding Hill Line to Hendon and Cricklewood, and Thomas the Tank Engine's ride on the line from Acton Main Line station to Cricklewood station








2019-01-13

New Town Utopia (2017) - The First 5 Minutes




The first 5 minutes of the documentary film 'New Town Utopia' released in 2018. A film about the state of the nation, the power of art... and some rather angry puppets.

NOW AVAILABLE TO BUY ONLINE + DVD. FOR MORE INFO GO TO: WWW.NEWTOWNUTOPIA.COM

Produced and Directed by Christopher Ian Smith (citizensmith.net) and Executive Produced by Margaret Matheson (Sid and Nancy, Scum, Sleep Furiously).