Unibail‑Rodamco‑Westfield (URW) has submitted plans to Croydon Council to upgrade its Centrale shopping centre with glass frontages, a large digital screen and enhanced lighting to “brighten the area and create a more welcoming feel”.
CGI of URW’s Centrale Shopping Centre upgrades, Croydon
The proposals aim to revamp the area with a series of “eye‑catching upgrades” to the North End entrances and façade.
Submission of the plans is the first step in a long-awaited overhaul of the site, following URW’s publication of a masterplan at the end of 2024, which reimagined the North End Quarter as a “dynamic hub of retail, culture, public spaces and new homes”.
Jason Perry, executive mayor of Croydon, said: “Croydon is changing, becoming a brighter, more welcoming town centre that honours its heritage while looking confidently to the future.
“I welcome this application for Centrale as part of the wider North End masterplan. It supports growth, attracts investment and shows that confidence in Croydon is returning. We have achieved a great deal in the past four years, but there is more to do.
“We will continue to stay focused on restoring pride in our borough and keeping Croydon moving forward.”
Centrale will remain open throughout the first phase of URW’s improvement programme.
URW published its masterplan after it bought out former joint-venture partner Hammerson, ending over a decade of attempts to build a new Westfield-branded shopping centre in Croydon.
In July 2025, Property Week reported that URW was exploring a potential sale of the site, as part of plans to slim down capital expenditure. Later that month, URW launched a public consultation on the redevelopment of Croydon town centre and the Whitgift Centre.
URW has been contacted for comment.
