Croydon is on the cusp of a great era of regeneration, according to the council’s planning chief.

Paul Spooner, Croydon Council’s executive director of planning and environment, was one of the key speakers at the Develop Croydon Conference on Wednesday.

The conference is a culmination of events held during the course of the year to promote business in Croydon.

Mr Spooner highlighted the £1 billion investment into the town centre from Westfield and Hammerson, the growth of Croydon Tech City, the opening of Bernard Weatherill House and the opening of the East Croydon bridge as evidence that the face of Croydon is changing.

He also pointed out a number of other areas gaining investment including £25 million from Transport for London to improve the A23 corridor, £34m into the restoration of Fairfield Halls and 9,500 housing starts.

He said: "I think we should see ourselves as a city centre because, in terms of scale and the number of people who work or travel in Croydon, we are undoubtedly comparable to somewhere like Bristol "There is unprecedented opportunity for growth in the city centre over the next five years.

"We believe we are the best place to draw investment that is overheating in the centre of London south to Croydon. We want to change perceptions and drive value for businesses."

Kit Malthouse, London’s deputy mayor for business, also spoke at the conference and said Croydon was a hidden gem which will be attractive to foreign investors.

He said himself and the Mayor of London had pushed Croydon during a recent visit to China.

Mr Malthouse said: "We need to position Croydon by promoting it around the world. If we position it properly the over the next three to five years money will start to come.

"There is so much international capital now coming to London that all of it will start scouting beyond zones one and two - and given its transport connections Croydon might as well be in zone one."

During the course of the conference, which was chaired by chief executive of UK Regeneration Jackie Sadek, there were a number of announcements made by various speakers.

These included Sussex University signing an agreement to set up its first off-campus innovation centre in Croydon, a new business rates free for a year deal and a scheme which gives 200 businesses free broadband.