Croydon to have major redevelopment

A regeneration scheme is in place for the London borough of Croydon which is intended to afford the area city status.

According to the Guardian, the plans draw on various European cities including Barcelona and involve the construction of a plethora of sustainable developments, parks and 20,000 new homes.

Dubbed the Third City plan, it will feature a will feature a 30-storey greenhouse described as "a vertical version of the Eden Project" as its centrepiece.

It is hoped that previous planning errors in Croydon will now begin to be rectified.

Architect Will Alsop said: "Developers are lining up their money to invest and I have faith that the people of Croydon are behind what we are planning to do. We know London is under housing pressure but rather than building new estates in the Thames Gateway area, we should be looking to build ... in places like Croydon."

Musician David Bowie once described Croydon as a "complete concrete hell".