Nothing to see here!

Today I opened my emails to an update on the Regeneration of Croydon from Croydon Council (18/10/24)

The statement by Mayor Perry reflects a commitment to the regeneration of Croydon town centre, yet again I was left deflated. Why are we still in the "visioning stage"?

Again, this long-standing visioning with no concrete action is insulting. We have been hearing about regeneration for over 10 years. While it is positive that stakeholders are being engaged, the project appears to still be at the "visioning" stage, even though regeneration has been a long-standing need and plan in Croydon. Why hasn't this visioning translated into a more concrete plan or visible action? Please do not tell me we have no money cause everyone in this is getting paid handsomely except the residents. It is crucial that, at this stage, the project progresses beyond discussions to show tangible results, or we residents may become frustrated with this lack of visible change.

Is Croydon over-relying on external expertise? This heavy involvement of strategic partners and high-profile entities, such as follows:

• Partnering Regeneration Development (PRD),

• Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) owner and developer of the Whitgift & Centrale North End shopping area,  

• Peter Freeman, chair of Homes England and the visionary force behind Kings Cross regeneration, and

• Facilitated by Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

  
  

Mayor Perry says, ‘I am very grateful, for the enthusiasm and generation of ideas that this group brought forward.’ What happened to the last set of ideas? What did this exercise cost? As a committed taxpayer, I want to know where my money is going. How many of these exercises have we had over the years? Yet more decay and yet residents like me are still paying.

Encouraging though, is that developer and operator Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) has been granted planning permission by Croydon Council to revitalise the frontage of Croydon’s historic department store Allders with several new food offers, shops, and services for the community.

I’m encouraged that there is some drawing upon the local community’s voice like the Croydon Urban Rooms    a space to talk about the future of the North End Quarter and wider town centre.   However, while engagement with residents and businesses is mentioned, it is unclear how much of their input is shaping the actual vision. Visioning must translate the community’s priorities into action, and without specifics on how this is happening, there is a risk that the process feels top-down; another land grab, gentrification rather than collaborative.

Meaningful consultation could be a wonderful opportunity to glean local expertise and implementing locally led initiatives rather than looking to these external consultants whose only investment in Croydon may be just business; allegedly. While their insights are valuable, it is important that the regeneration process remains community-driven and reflective of local needs and our emotional investment.

Croydon has long suffered from neglect in its town centre, and while a long-term, comprehensive strategy is needed,  we need something immediate, short-term interventions that make the area more liveable, and attractive in the meantime, like clean streets, and upkept green spaces to promote hope in the Croydon community.

Mayor Perry, you must now give us a plan with clear concerted implementation dates. A plan with imminent start dates. We need tangibles; your statement lacks specificity in terms of the outcomes of the visioning stage. What are the key takeaways from the workshops? What specific ideas are being considered? There is little indication of measurable progress. A clear roadmap and timelines are essential to keeping public confidence.

Thank you for sticking with this, but it feels like stagnation or stalling. We need something. Our children need something; a regenerated, thriving town centre, now.