London mayor calls for investors as City Hall injects £23m cash into the riot-hit area

London Mayor Boris Johnson has called on investors to “help make Croydon great again”, as he unveiled a major regeneration drive for the area, which was hit by rioting over the summer.

Speaking at the annual ‘Develop Croydon’ conference, Johnson unveiled a £23m package of works aimed at rejuvenating the south London town centre.

The investment comes a month after retail giant Westfield announced its intention to develop a third London ‘mega mall’ in Croydon.

The £23m investment is a large chunk of the mayor’s £70m Regeneration Fund, set up to help repair the damage caused to high streets and town centres in the August riots.

The package includes –

  • £5m to improve the entrances to Croydon, including the transport interchange around West Croydon station and other pedestrian routes.
  • £7m to repair and improve Croydon’s high street.
  • £6m to improve pedestrian routes in and around Croydon.
  • £5m to attract businesses with a three year package of support.

Johnson said: “Croydon is ripe for investment and the devastation of the August riots is a reminder of the urgency of investing serious sums into this potential economic powerhouse. 

“South London is critical for capital’s long-term economic success and prosperity.  Its people deserve to live in attractive surroundings and the rest of London needs the jobs, opportunities and economic growth that Croydon has so often created throughout its long history.”

Croydon council leader Mike Fisher said: “Croydon is committed to investing in major regeneration. The funding from the Mayor of London will help us to realise many of our ambitions.”

The mayor also unveiled investment in other London boroughs, including –

A package of improvements to regenerate Southall in west London including a £1m investment to re-develop a disused historic building in the town centre.

  • £600,000 to help Enfield develop commercial market gardening on its extensive farmland.
  • £1.5m to help Hackney create a fashion outlet hub in the town centre, taking advantage of existing footfall to the borough’s Burberry outlet store
  • £4-5m for a package of measures to improve Peckham Rye station, creating a public plaza and retail space.
  • £2m for a range of public realm works to improve the area south of Camden Town.

Topics