Croydon’s well-known One Croydon tower, commonly nicknamed the ‘50p building’ due to its distinctive polygonal shape, is undergoing a major transformation.
The 24-storey building, designed in the 1960s by Richard Seifert — the architectural firm behind prominent London landmarks Centre Point and Tower 42 — has been a key feature of Croydon’s skyline for over five decades.
After years serving chiefly as commercial office accommodation, as well as an appearance as the headquarters of Tuckersoft in the Black Mirror interactive special episode Bandersnatch, plans have been revived for an £85 million redevelopment to convert the tower into 250 flats.
The project was given new momentum following the sale of the site to Irish developer BHA Construction, who are now preparing to begin internal modifications.
These works will preserve the building’s external appearance, maintaining the familiar silhouette that residents have come to recognise.
The conversion entails reconfiguring each floor to accommodate up to 12 flats, creating a high-density residential environment within the centre of Croydon.
The redevelopment has benefited from ‘permitted development’ rights, which allowed the conversion without the need for full planning permission, as it is a ‘change of use’ rather than a new build.
Planning and bureaucratic constraints have also been eased by the absence of formal heritage protection, despite the building’s striking design and cultural significance.
Efforts to secure listed status from Historic England have been unsuccessful on two occasions, to the disappointment of conservationists.
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While the initiative has received praise for revitalising a treasured local landmark and addressing housing demand, some critics have expressed concerns around the building’s density and the less appealing residential setting due to its location beside a busy roundabout.
The redevelopment forms part of a broader wave of urban renewal initiatives underway in Croydon.
Nearby, the One Lansdowne Road scheme — spearheaded by developer Greystar and designed by HTA Design — has secured planning approval to build two towers comprising up to 800 build-to-rent homes.
Inspired by architectural influences including Louis Sullivan and Richard Seifert, One Lansdowne Road aims to deliver a mixed-use development featuring public green spaces and improved links to East Croydon Station, while facilities will include gyms, rooftop gardens, co-working spaces, and retail units.
Meanwhile, in Lewisham, the borough’s shopping centre is also getting a revamp, with proposed plans detailing the demolition of the existing 1970s mall and the adjacent multi-storey car park to make way for a series of high-rise towers and mixed-use facilities, including 1,744 new homes.
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