Planning and regeneration

Consultation on issues and options for the AAP

Consultation has now closed on the Issues and Options Report but the document can still be viewed. This report sets out a vision for the Centre and asks "What are the issues that prevent us from achieving this vision?" and "What options are there to address these issues and help realise the vision?" It is the first indication of how the Area Action Plan (AAP) might co-ordinate development interests in the Centre and how a combination of change and conservation might be used to realise the vision outlined in the Issues and Options report. It incorporates the work of Will Alsop and the Third City proposals (see below) and puts them in a statutory planning context.

To view the document please use our Public Consultation website. (see 'Associated link')

The summary leaflet can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. Alternatively, it can be viewed on our consultation page.

Overview

Croydon Metropolitan Centre is an area likely to experience considerable change in the next few years with the London Plan identifying the Centre as an "opportunity area" for providing more employment and several thousand new homes. The Centre is also the preferred location for new retail development and other facilities and services aimed at serving a wide area of south London. In order to facilitate this the London Plan states that a new development framework should be drawn up for the Centre. Therefore, preparation of an AAP for the Centre is a very high priority for the council. The Croydon Metropolitan Centre AAP will provide the long-term planning framework for development and change in the Centre, ensure its growth through investment and facilitate delivery of a well-managed and mixed-use regeneration area serving the borough and the wider region.

Background information

Croydon Council has commissioned a number of studies to develop the evidence base for the Croydon Metropolitan Centre AAP. These include a baseline analysis of urban structure, layout and public spaces produced by Space Syntax Ltd, retail background papers produced by Drivers Jonas, and an office market assessment produced by PACEC. They can all be viewed on the Croydon Metropolitan Centre AAP consultation background papers page.

Sustainability appraisal

The environmental, social and economic impacts of the AAP will be assessed using a sustainability appraisal (SA), the first stage of which was the preparation of a scoping report for the SA. This scoping report is only for the SA of the Croydon Metropolitan Centre AAP.

The scoping report is not only assisting with the preparation of the SA of the AAP, but also helps with the preparation of future scoping reports relating to other Development Plan Document (DPDs) and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs). The scoping report contained various questions designed to help consultees respond to the report. The scoping report was out for public consultation from 31 January to 14 March 2007.

The council has also carried out a habitats regulations appropriate assessment screening. This has been done to see if any of the proposals in the AAP Issues and Options report will have an effect on any of the six sites of special scientific interest or national nature reserves within 50km (30 miles) of Croydon Metropolitan Centre. It concluded that none of the proposals would have any discernible effect on these sites. If you wish to view or comment on the habitats regulations appropriate assessment screening, it can be viewed at our online consultation page. It can also be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

Alsop Third City

On the evening of 13 November 2007, renowned architect Will Alsop unveiled his far-reaching plans for the regeneration of Croydon to a packed audience in the town's Braithwaite Hall. The audience of 180 was comprised of a broad range of stakeholders including the business and development community, representatives of local amenity groups and residents associations as well as local residents and young people, many of whom attended a series of creative workshops held earlier this year.

Will Alsop's concepts are a powerful device for stimulating interest and provoking debate through a range of ideas about what Croydon Metropolitan Centre could be in the future. But even in their formative stages they appear to have already captured enthusiasm among developers, investors, businesses and stakeholders - including those residents who helpfully contributed to the formative workshop discussions. 

The ideas are an important contribution to the preparation of a new statutory plan for the town centre. However, at present no part of the Third City proposals represents the council's proposals for the Centre. Some or all of the specific ideas in Third City could eventually be included in the first draft (the preferred options) of the Croydon Metropolitan Centre AAP and some have been included as options in the Issues and Options report as well.  

We have added a low resolution copy of the booklet at the bottom of this page.

Contact Details

Contact name

Tim Naylor

Department

Urban Design

Telephone

020 8726 6000 ext. 62615

Email

ldf@croydon.gov.uk

Contact name

Sylvia Francis-Mullins

Department

Policy & Strategy

Telephone

020 8726 6000 ext 62701

Email

ldf@croydon.gov.uk