黑洞社区

Contractor McLaren is being lined up for a 拢150m scheme to redevelop Croydon council鈥檚 old headquarters into a 420-home residential scheme, 黑洞社区 understands.

The contractor is close to being appointed on the Make-designed Taberner House scheme, which is being developed by Essential Living and a new in-house development company being set up by Croydon council.

Speaking to 黑洞社区 at the Mipim conference in Cannes this week, Croydon council鈥檚 development director Colm Lacey revealed Croydon council has taken over ownership of the 190-home private sale and affordable homes portion of the Taberner House scheme from Places for People.

Essential Living is the provider for the 230-home private rented sector tower portion of the scheme, while Croydon鈥檚 local asset backed vehicle Ccurv 鈥� which was previously overseeing the scheme 鈥� has taken on a development manager role on the overall project.  

The Taberner House scheme is currently in for revised planning permission, with approval expected in May.

Lacey said the 拢70m Taberner House private sale phase was one of two schemes the council鈥檚 development company is gearing up to initially develop, worth 拢370m between them.

The formation of the development company is due to be formally approved by the council鈥檚 cabinet on Monday.

The second scheme earmarked for the development company is the 拢300m College Green mixed-use regeneration of a site opposite East Croydon station, which will incorporate between 400 to 800 homes and the revamp of Croydon鈥檚 1960s-built Farfield Halls arts and concert venue.

Commenting on the development company鈥檚 planned approach, Lacey said: 鈥淚t will focus less on density and towers and more on a culture-led approach. I鈥檓 keen that it focuses on a placemaking approach, to develop high quality, interesting places where people want to go.鈥�

Croydon council is also setting up a 拢300m revolving investment fund to help 鈥渇und our own developments as well as other developments鈥�, Lacey said.

The Croydon council schemes are part of the wider 拢5bn regeneration of Croydon town centre (pictured), including Hammerson and Westfield鈥檚 planned 拢1bn redevelopment of the Whitgift shopping centre and Stanhope and Schroder鈥檚 拢500m Ruskin Square mixed-use scheme.

A spokesperson for Places for People confirmed the organisation had 鈥渟tepped back鈥� from its role on the scheme when the council decided to take direct control of it. He said: 鈥淲e are fully supportive of Croydon鈥檚 ambitions for growth and are progressing with our JV with the Schroder UK Property Fund to deliver the first phase of residential at Ruskin Square [in East Croydon].鈥�

McLaren declined to comment.