Investing
It’s not only its proximity to central London that draws people and businesses to Croydon. Its vibrant, metropolitan centre with superb transport links, coupled with its green open spaces and tree-lined pockets of suburban housing, give Croydon all the benefits of a stand-alone city and an enviable quality of life.
Croydon is the largest financial and retail centre outside the city of London, with a population approaching a third of a million. It currently has £3.5 billion of commercial investment underway or in the pipeline, underpinned by five innovative and joined-up Masterplans, led by the UK’s youngest local authority urban design team.
With the City and Whitehall just a 15 minute train journey away, a pioneering environmentally friendly tram network in place, and West Croydon Station set to be connected to the tube network in the next few months Croydon is the most connected urban centre in the South East. Gatwick Airport is on its doorstep, and road links connecting the borough to all the major motorways in the South East - Croydon’s accessibility is second to none.
The town has a commercial office development pipeline of over 8 million sq ft and is also among 4th largest retail centre in London. Over £1billion is spent here every year.
With all these factors already in place, and the plans for redevelopment about to get underway, there’s little doubting that Croydon presents one of the best UK investment opportunity for 2010.