Workshops to explore the future of Croydon town centre will kick off today (December 8) and will run to spring 2024.

Croydon Council is creating a new strategy to strengthen the town centre’s regeneration – a key priority for Executive Mayor Jason Perry.

Croydon’s community groups, residents and businesses will be key to shaping Croydon’s vision.

A team led by consultants We Made That are experts in urban strategy, design and infrastructure, and have been appointed to create a varied programme of community-led activities where participants will be able to influence the vision and strategy.

The first event is on Friday, December 8, at 5:30pm, at Little Turf in Keeley Road, Croydon, led by local artist Lina Ivanova.

Lina’s session, called Roots and Routes – Setting up in Croydon, is for those who have set up home in the borough to share their experiences and stories. 

The next events are:

- Saturday, December 9, 10am - Turf Projects, Whitgift Centre.

Family and schools’ workshop on Croydon’s secret spaces, led by visual artist and educator Asha Fontenelle

- Saturday, December 9, 2pm - Turf Projects, Whitgift Centre.

Nothing About Us Without Us: Croydon storytelling, poetry and music workshop led by Melody Akanji

Thursday, December 14, 6pm - Little Turf, Keeley Road.

Starting from the Endz – Emotional Mapping, led by Resolve Collective

Saturday, December 16, 2pm, Turf Projects, Whitgift Centre:

Survey making workshop led by Turf Projects and Georgeenia Ariaratnam.

The aim of these seminars are to make sure the borough’s voices are heard.

The team led by We Made That also includes experts in the following fields:

- GHPA for planning

- PRD, for socio-economic development.

- Useful Project for climate change and sustainability

- Turf Projects for community engagement

- Place Services for heritage and conservation

- Civic Engineers for infrastructure and transport

- Stockdale for finance.

Mayor Perry has been working closely with businesses and partners through the Town Centre Advisory Board to bring forward the redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre, this regeneration strategy and the wider regeneration of the town centre.

Six projects got funding of £18.5m from the government's Levelling Up Fund to improve connections in the town centre.

The Reconnecting Croydon projects will improve the town centre for people to enjoy and make it easier and safer to travel.

Executive Mayor Jason Perry said: “Listening to residents is a priority for me and we are looking to our residents to get involved in the planning for our town centre through these community-led workshops.

“This is a chance to have your voice heard and help to shape the vision for a revitalised town centre.”

Councillor Jeet Bains, cabinet member for planning and regeneration, said: “This is an exciting time for the regeneration of Croydon, following the announcement of funding for our Reconnecting Croydon programme and the launch of our town centre regeneration strategy engagement programme and we hope our communities will get involved.”

Tom Fox, senior associate at We Made That said: “We’re proud to be building on our work with Croydon Council to continue developing a transformative vision for the future of Croydon Town Centre.

“As one of London’s largest and most diverse boroughs, key to driving this forward is engaging and collaborating with the whole community, which is at the centre of our approach to developing the strategy with stakeholders.

“This is important work that will refresh the strategic thinking of the council, ensuring that the borough work with partners towards building a prosperous future for all.”