The Whitgift Centre, a 1970s shopping centre in south London that recently appeared in Taylor Swift's Opalite music video, has been sold as part of a major step in Croydon's long-awaited £5 billion regeneration programme.
Sale Details and Ownership Transfer
The sale was agreed by the John Whitgift Foundation, a Croydon charity, with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), which already held the site's long lease. The transaction also includes Green Park House and the remaining sections of the former Allders department store that were not previously under URW's ownership.
According to URW, acquiring the properties will help progress proposals to redevelop central Croydon. The wider Croydon Project aims to deliver a mixed-use neighbourhood featuring new shops, homes and community facilities in the North End area.
Regeneration Vision and Planning Status
Adam Smith, strategic development director at URW, said: "It is a positive milestone on the path to the transformation of Croydon town centre in partnership with the Mayor of Croydon, Croydon Council and other stakeholders." A planning application has not yet been submitted to Croydon Council, despite an extensive public consultation process and the publication of a masterplan for the scheme.
Jason Perry, executive mayor of Croydon, said: "We want to see a town centre that is busy, confident and thriving – one where people want to visit and spend time. The master plan for North End is an important part of this vision. This freehold agreement simplifies ownership of the site and helps to smooth the pathway for the redevelopment of the Whitgift site."
Taylor Swift Music Video Connection
Opened in 1970, the Whitgift Centre was recently used as a filming location for Taylor Swift's Opalite music video. An insider previously told The Sun that the singer selected the shopping centre because of its "nostalgic feel". The production is reported to have cost around £1 million and features multiple high-profile names, including Graham Norton, Domhnall Gleeson, Cillian Murphy, Lewis Capaldi, Greta Lee and Jodie Turner-Smith.
