Centrale

It seems that the ludicrously named waste of space of a shopping centre, Centrale, is to experiecne something of a makeover in order to attract more shoppers.

The "makeover" will in effect be nothing more than adding some coloured lights to the outside.

A few problems with this:

1 Centrale is shut at night

2 Around 50% of Centrale's retail units are empty

3 The shoppers who use Croydon are not so stupid as to be attracted to Centrale, merely by the addition of a few coloured lights. Empty retail units are the issue, not the lighting.

4 The only shop worth visiting within Centrale is House of Fraser. This in itself is showing significant signs of decline, as the food hall has now lost its fresh vegetable counter and the fish counter. Clearly they are not making any money.

5 Centrale is located near the very run down area of West Croydon, where no one wants to be near or go (least of all at night time). Until that part of town is regenerated, anything placed within spitting distance will be negatively impacted by the decay.

Those in charge of "planning" the development of Croydon have lost the plot. Croydon currently projects a downmarket, tacky and third rate image.

People are not the slightest bit interested in coming to Croydon to shop, as they know they will be greeted by the sight of decay and squalor (eg Dingwall Road) and lack of quality shops/amenities (look how far Allders has declined in the last few years, that shop is now a joke).

The solution being proposed by Croydon Council, and their "trusted" associates in the property development companies, is that we have a third shopping centre built in Croydon.

They don't get it, do they?

Until the problems of the decay and squalor that are eroding Croydon town centre are addressed, shopping centres such as Centrale will remain empty and neglected.

Sweating The Assets

Croydon Council have announced a joint venture proposal whereby the council will put between £30m and £60m of property assets into a specially created limited partnership, to be matched by funds from a private sector developer.

The private investor will take over the development of the joint venture, which will also take on bank debt to help regenerate Croydon town centre and, in theory, make profits for both the council and the private company. The ultimate value of the vehicle has been estimated at £450m.

Councillor Tim Pollard, a fan of the arena development, said:

"We have to make better use of our assets. The Government White Paper has been encouraging councils to look to their assets and make sure they are sweating them. In this kind of deal it makes a lot of sense for us to put in our assets and the private sector to put in the equity."

I am most certainly in favour of the council making the most of its, sorry, our assets. However, given the lamentable shortcomings demonstrated so far with regard to the "regeneration" of Croydon (eg the arena) are the council actually capable of making a success of this?

The Bird House II

I have had a response from Croydon Council, regarding the query I sent to them on Friday about the "Bird House" at Sydenham Road.

It seems that an application to build flats on the site has been received and approved by the Council.

That is good news, the residents of Sydenham Road have had to endure that dangerous, decaying eyesore for over seven years. Finally something is being done about it.

The only question being, when will work commence?

The Bird House

Text of enquiry sent to Croydon council today:

"Given Croydon Council's predilection to use compulsory purchase orders (see www.catarena.org), why have the council not used one on this derelict eyesore in Sydenham Road?

I first wrote about it in February 2004, yet it remains untouched and unloved.

Instead of providing much needed accommodation for human beings, this decaying carbuncle is merely providing a home for flocks of pigeons.

The owners and Croydon council should be ashamed of themselves for not ensuring that this building is used for the purpose for which it was intended."

CATARENA

Announcing a new website.

Croydon Against The Arena (www.catarena.org) is a site dedicated to opposing Croydon Council's plans to build an arena on land adjacent to East Croydon station.

This site has been created to provide a news source and public forum for the citizens of Croydon who are opposed to the plans of Croydon Council and Arrowcroft to compulsory purchase the land adjacent to East Croydon station, in order to construct an arena.

All contributions, news items and comments welcome.

The "Charm" Offensive

I received an interesting letter today, from Croydon Council's Corporate Solicitor. In it he notes that the council have seen my letter to the Secretary of State, objecting to the CPO of the land near East Croydon station, and would welcome an opportunity to arrange a meeting between myself and the project team "to discuss your concerns in more detail".

Seemingly an Associate, within the compulsory purchase and compensation team of Donaldsons (an independent firm of surveyors and property consultants), will contact me in due course.

That's very nice, but why leave it to this stage to invite me for a friendly chat?

I have, after all, made my opposition to the Arrowcroft scheme very clear for quite some time now (in fact I have been objecting to it since before this administration was elected to office, last May).

I wonder if this sudden desire to engage with me has something to do with the forthcoming public inquiry into the the CPO?