The pre-application plans were presented to Croydon’s Planning Committee and Design Review Panel.

Croydon councillors have been told the long-awaited ‘Westfield’ regeneration of the town centre could look “nothing like” the current Whitgift Centre, with revised plans proposing up to 4,000 new homes, green space and a public square capable of hosting events for up to 2,000 people.

The plans are currently being scrutinised by the council following URW’s purchase of the ageing Whitgift Centre earlier this year.

Representatives from developer Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) presented the plans as part of its ‘Croydon Project’. The pre-application plans were discussed by Croydon’s Planning Committee on September 24, and included new details and images of URW’s proposed community and leisure offering.

Among the proposals is what URW is calling ‘The Forum’, a public square on the site of the existing Whitgift Centre that would provide space for people to congregate and host events for up to 2,000 people.

The plans also include a new green space within the mixed-use regeneration area, provisionally named Whitgift Park. The developers said the park would provide a ‘green lung’ for Croydon where people could relax.

Showing committee members a new map of the plans, URW’s Programme Director Paul Eaton said: “It will be nothing like the shopping centre.

“The image shows you it will be streets, spaces and squares and things that feel more familiar to people in Croydon.”

The proposals include between 3,000 and 4,000 new homes, alongside a smaller amount of higher-quality commercial space. Smith told the committee that while Croydon’s North End attracts nearly 20 million visits a year as a shopping destination, a residential-led model was necessary to make the project financially viable.

URW’s Smith said details on the housing make-up would come at a later stage. However, he also told members: “Yes, there will be flats here that will be expensive for some people, but we need those flats to balance the equation and bring the more affordable categories too.”

The plans would deliver housing across a series of residential towers, including four blocks of 30 to 45 storeys along Wellesley Road. Three towers of 15 to 25 storeys would sit towards the centre of the site, stepping down to a 12-storey building and lower-rise blocks near the historic North End corridor to reduce the impact on surrounding conservation areas.

URW purchased the Whitgift Centre, Green Park House and the parts of the Allders building from the John Whitgift Foundation in July. The £31.5 million deal was described as a positive milestone, clearing a key planning obstacle for the developers.

Few topics are still to be discussed, including leisure provision such as a sports centre or swimming pool, the mix of affordable housing and family-sized homes, the pace of delivery, the potential impact of demolition on local heritage assets, including the locally listed 1960s Centre Tower and the layout of pedestrian routes. URW is continuing pre-application discussions with Croydon Council ahead of its aim to submit a formal outline planning application in 2027.