Croydon is one of London’s top success stories according to Boris Johnson.

Speaking at the London Retail Estate Forum last Monday, the Mayor of London said Croydon’s £1.6 billion retail regeneration scheme by Westfield and Hammerson is one of the top schemes changing London.

Mr Johnon said: “The Westfield Hammerson development is putting £1.6 billion into Croydon, regenerating the centre of Croydon.

“Since the Olympic Games, which did so much to project a positive image of London around the world, we have seen billions upon billions of investment into our capital.”

In January Mr Johnson announced that Westfield and Hammerson had agreed to enter into a joint venture, subsequently called The Croydon Partnership, to redevelop the town’s retail heart.

The mixed use scheme of around 200,000 sqm, will include retail, leisure and residential – plus the potential for hotels and offices.

Speaking at the time, the Mayor of London said: “This project will bring thousands of jobs in construction, at least 5,000 jobs in the great retail conglomeration that is going to be created, and will unlock, in the heart of the Croydon, the potential for thousands of new homes and businesses."

“It will turn Croydon into an even greater place in which to live, to shop, to do business and to invest.

"It is a momentous step to turn Croydon into an economic powerhouse in south London.”