page_title: Architecture of the London Borough of Croydon
section_title: Future developments
hierarchical_section_title: Architecture of the London Borough of Croydon / Future developments
caption_attribution_description: Croydon's tallest tower Altitude 25 during construction
context_page_description: The London Borough of Croydon has a wide variety of buildings mainly from post-war through to modern. Much of the modern architecture in the borough is centred on the commercial centre of the town, with much of the Victorian designs spread out on both the northern and southern corridors of the borough. Many former warehouses and factories have been converted for other uses changing the external appearance of Croydon erratically.
  Croydon also has a number of high rise buildings. Most were built during the sixties and seventies. However, in the last few years there has been a renewed interest in constructing tall buildings in Croydon. Numerous residential and office blocks are being built or have recently been built in the town centre. Saffron Square, a residential building completed in 2016, overtook Altitude 25 as Croydon's tallest tower. A taller building, Croydon Vocational Tower, was scheduled to finish construction in 2010 near East Croydon station. As of August 2015, however, construction had not taken place. As of 2014, there are several upcoming architectural projects in the centre of the borough in the form of the Croydon Gateway scheme and the Cherry Orchard Road Towers.
context_section_description: Further new projects are planned for the city under the Croydon Vision 2020 regeneration plan. Croydon's ambition to become "London's Third City" is a result of increased investment in the town and has led to some of South London's most ambitious non-residential schemes in the past ten years. Plans include the construction of a new shopping centre to replace St George's Walk and older properties on George Street. The proposed redevelopment of Park Place by Minerva and Lend Lease will create a one million square foot destination with over 130 shops, cafes and restaurants, anchored by a new department store which the council hopes will be John Lewis. Other tennents interested include Habitat, Borders and Gap. Improvements will see Queen's Gardens completely remodelled, together with the construction of a fully integrated public transport hub to include a new bus interchange and tram stop. The building of Park Place will create Europe's largest covered retail area.
  Croydon Gateway is the latest focus of major developments in the centre of Croydon following the demolition of various buildings there, including Wettern House. The Gateway site, a former railway goods yard which has been largely unoccupied since the 1960s, represents the largest single development opportunity in the district. Although there has been considerable interest in the site since the late 1980s by Stanhope, another party has also been interested in the site. Arrowcroft, which has received backing from both the former Labour and the current Conservative administration, has made the development of any project halted repeatedly. The problem is that Stanhope already owns part of the site, and without them selling it to Arrowcroft or Arrowcroft losing interest in the site no building work can commence. The Secretary of State will announce which plan will be granted the compulsory purchase order in mid 2008 after the public inquiry. The proposed scheme from Stanhope called Ruskin Square, named after John Ruskin, incorporates four blocks of office accommodation totalling 99,174 m², a health and fitness centre, a replacement Warehouse Theatre, an urban park and 560 residential units, with 50% affordable housing on a 3.4 hectare site bounded by George Street, Dingwall Road and Lansdowne Road. There would be a 41-storey skyscraper which is intended to act as the defining feature of Croydon's planned revival. Occupiers of the retail and restaurant units could include names like Carluccio's, Strada, Café Rouge, Giraffe, Las Iguanas, Wagamama, Ciao Baby, Pizza Express, Loch Fyne and All Bar One. Norman Foster's firm are the principal architects of the scheme. The other scheme that carries the original name has backing from the local council. The plan incorporates a state-of-the-art 12,500 seat arena designed to attract world-class performers and international sporting events. Business conferences and dinners could also be held there, and community activities encouraged through the development of a bespoke community plan. In addition to the arena, the proposals include a mix of shops, restaurants, cafes, bars and a new 9,425 sqm food store. 640,000 sq ft (59,000 m²). of offices, 874 new homes, both affordable and private with a landmark tower, a health and fitness centre and a community health centre, a pedestrian plaza and a replacement Warehouse theatre. The result from the High Court is expected in June 2008.
  On the site of the Fairfield Building of Croydon College, a mixed-use development named the Croydon Vocational Tower has begun construction. The architecture and design of the building has similarities with the Trump International Hotel and Tower currently under construction in Chicago. If the building is finished before the Croydon Gateway Landmark Tower, it will officially become Croydon's tallest tower and one of London's tallest 20 buildings. Planning permission was approved by Croydon Council in February 2007, but building work has been slow ever since. It will be used for both educational purposes on the lower 10 floors by the college and private use as
caption: Altitude 25 while under construction in early 2008. When finished it is set to become Croydon's tallest building.
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