The Whitgift Centre freehold sold to Westfield owners

The John Whitgift Foundation (JWF) has agreed the sale to the retail developer giant, which already holds the long lease on the site.

The deal covers the Whitgift Centre, Green Park House and the parts of the Allders building not already owned by URW.

The foundation will receive £31.5 million, to be paid in instalments over five years.

URW said the freehold purchase simplifies the ownership structure of the site and will help progress its long-delayed plans for the redevelopment of central Croydon.

The mixed-use regeneration scheme, known as the Croydon Project, would see retail space created alongside housing and community spaces in the North End area.

Despite numerous public consultations and the outline masterplan framework setting out the project’s agreed principles, Croydon Council has yet to receive a planning application for the long-awaited scheme.

Inside the Whitgift Centre (Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga)

Adam Smith, strategic development director at URW, said the developer was “pleased to complete this purchase”, adding: “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.”

The JWF said the sale would allow it to focus on its charitable aims of education and care while supporting the regeneration of the town centre.

Last month, the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed how the JWF recorded a £2.1 million loss last year, following the closure of Old Palace School and a fall in retail income.

The JWF acknowledged that “some of the challenges of recent years have eroded the JWF’s confidence” as it enters its 430th year in Croydon.

Speaking following the sale, Fiona Fletcher-Smith, chair of the Court of Governors at the JWF, said: “The decision to sell this landholding follows careful and sustained scrutiny by the Court over a considerable period.

"We have tested every aspect of the proposal – strategic, financial and community impact – to ensure it is firmly aligned with the JWF’s long-term charitable purpose.

“This is a significant moment for the JWF. It enables us to strengthen our financial resilience and focus our resources where they have the greatest impact: on education, care, and supporting those who rely on us most.

“At the same time, we recognise the importance of this site to Croydon’s future. By simplifying ownership and enabling progress on regeneration, we believe this decision supports the long-term vitality of the town as well as the sustainability of the JWF’s work.”

The land now occupied by the Whitgift Centre was home to Trinity School before it moved to Shirley Park around 60 years ago. Today, Trinity School, alongside Whitgift School, forms part of the historic charity’s education provision in Croydon.

The JWF is also pursuing an ambitious expansion of the Trinity School campus in Shirley, which would see the school become co-educational and increase pupil numbers from 1,050 to 1,398 by 2031.

Income from the Whitgift Centre has long helped fund school bursaries and the charity’s almshouses in Croydon, with the JWF saying this support will continue through its endowment investments after the sale.

Roisha Hughes, chief executive of the JWF, said: “As an education and care charity, it’s right that we focus on our schools, almshouses, and care provision. Following URW’s offer to buy the land, which they already lease from us, we have carefully considered what is best for the charity and the town.”