The Westfield/Hammerson retail-led development in Croydon has moved a step closer after Croydon Council agreed to make a compulsory purchase order (CPO) on land needed for the development.

The £1bn development is a major regeneration project and includes 300 shops, 400-600 homes, new restaurants, a multi-screen cinema and a bowling alley. It will also create 5,000 new permanent jobs and thousands of temporary construction employment opportunities.

Cllr Mike Fisher, Leader of Croydon Council, said: "The Westfield/Hammerson development is hugely important for Croydon.
It is the catalyst for our town's regeneration, delivering thousands of new jobs, homes and fantastic retail and leisure facilities while attracting further investment.

"We know our residents and businesses are as eager as we are for this long-anticipated transformation of our town centre to get underway. As a council, one of the most important things we can do to ensure it progresses quickly is to help assemble the land. The decision to make a CPO brings Croydon another step closer to regeneration and marks another milestone on this exciting journey."

The Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government have also approved the plans. The signing of the S106 agreement in January 2014 was the final stage in the planning process and planning consent was then issued for the scheme.