Councillors approve two huge regeneration projects next to East Croydon train station

Two major redevelopment schemes, designed by Foster & Partners and Make respectively, won planning permission in Croydon last night.

Stanhope and Schroders secured permission with a Foster & Partners-designed scheme comprising 140,000 sq m of office space and 600 homes on the 3.6 ha Ruskin Square site next to East Croydon Station. AHMM is designing the residential elements.

Developer Menta gained approval for the Make plans including two residential buildings, one of which is a 55-storey tower, a 165-bed hotel, 6,600 sq m of office space, shops, bars and restaurants.

Both the Foster’s and Make projects involve extensive improvements to the surrounding public realm.

Cara Bamford, partner at Make, said: “The tower will be an elegant landmark building offering a lifestyle as totally removed from outdated concepts of high rise living as possible.

“The building will host a genuine ’vertical community’ with shared amenity spaces at all levels including roof gardens, games room, craft room and business centre, and rooms available for private hire for family celebrations and other events.”

Ian Mason, head of UK Property Fund management at Schroders, said: “Ruskin Square is the centerpiece of East Croydon’s transformation into a revitalised central business district. It will deliver restaurants, cafes, a theatre, new homes, new public routes and outdoor space and 1.5 million square feet of grade ’A’ office space.”