Purley Way

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The Croydon Colonnades on Purley Way Croydon Colonades.JPG
The Croydon Colonnades on Purley Way

Purley Way is a section of the A23 trunk road in the London Borough of Croydon, in the areas of Purley, Waddon and Broad Green, and has given its name to the out-of-town shopping area alongside it with a catchment area covering most of South London.

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It was designed as a bypass for Croydon, and opened in April 1925. It was formed from improvements to pre existing local roads: from north to south, Waddon Marsh Lane, Waddon Court Road and Coldharbour Lane. (Thornton Road, the northern section of the bypass, was not renamed.) [1] In 1932, Purley Way became the first road in the United Kingdom to be lit with sodium lights.

Industrial history

The IKEA on Purley Way was built on the site of a power station, and retains its chimneys Ikea croydon.jpg
The IKEA on Purley Way was built on the site of a power station, and retains its chimneys

The opening of Purley Way attracted industry to the area and it became the main industrial area of Croydon. Industry attracted to the area included Redwing Aircraft Ltd, Trojan Ltd (car manufacturers) and Tizer Ltd. There were also several metal companies including Standard Steel Co, Croydon Foundry Ltd, Metal Propellers Ltd and Southern Foundries Ltd.

Croydon "B" Power Station, with architecture designed by Robert Atkinson, was built in the end of the 1940s and opened in 1950. It shut down in 1984, was demolished in 1991, and an IKEA was opened on its site. Its immediate surroundings were developed as the Valley Park Retail and Leisure Complex. The large chimneys of the power station were retained as a local landmark, which can be seen from Central Croydon's Centrale Shopping Centre.

Croydon "A" power station and the Croydon Gas Works were also on the Purley Way. The cooling towers of the gas works were huge, and featured in films including Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985).

Croydon Airport (operational 1928–1959) was also located on Purley Way.

Retail history

In the early 1980s, retail warehouses began to appear on the Purley Way. The first opened on the Thornton Road Industrial Estate: the Queensway furniture store in 1980, MFI Furniture in 1981, Payless DIY in 1983, and Do It All in 1986. In March 1981, Sainsbury's opened the first Homebase on Purley Way. In November 1991, Vision Technology Group Ltd opened the first PC World on Purley Way.

Several distinct retail parks are now found along the length of the Purley Way, including Valley Park Retail and Leisure Complex, Croydon Fiveways and Colonnades Leisure Park. The development of the area for retail purposes was not the result of local planning guidance, but occurred as part of a national trend towards out of town shopping. The retail parks were not formally recognised by Croydon Council until the publication of its 1997 Unitary Development Plan.

IKEA Croydon

The IKEA in Croydon is a 23,000 m2 furniture store which opened in 1992, on the site of Croydon "B" Power Station. [2] The old power station chimneys, with the addition of illuminated bands in the store's blue and yellow colours, were retained as a prominent advertisement. The store was revamped during 2006, to make it the largest IKEA in Britain: it was re launched in May 2006, at a ceremony attended by Mayor Maggie Mansell, and the ambassador of Sweden, Stefan Karlsson.[ citation needed ]

IKEA is now the fifth biggest single employer in Croydon. [3] The landmark chimneys have been a continuing point of contention with local residents. In September 2003, IKEA briefly considered demolishing them, stating that they cost over £70,000 a year to maintain, but decided against it. Ideas that have been aired for their use have included incorporating a museum of the site's history, and constructing a revolving restaurant at the top. [4]

Tony Blair and Gordon Brown visited IKEA on 5 May 2005, during the General Election campaign. [5]

Other information

Purley Way Lido operated from 1935 to 1979; the diving board remains in the middle of a garden centre [6] (which is now closed). The Croydon Water Palace, an indoor water park complex, operated nearby from 1990 to 1996. The site of the Water Palace is now occupied by Colonnades Leisure Park. In the past, there has been a depository for the Science Museum in the Retail Park area, and Tramlink passes Purley Way.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Borough of Croydon</span> Borough in United Kingdom

The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in south London, part of Outer London. It covers an area of 87 km2 (33.6 sq mi). It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name; while other urban centres include Coulsdon, Purley, South Norwood, Norbury, New Addington and Thornton Heath. Croydon is mentioned in Domesday Book, and from a small market town has expanded into one of the most populous areas on the fringe of London. The borough is now one of London's leading business, financial and cultural centres, and its influence in entertainment and the arts contribute to its status as a major metropolitan centre. Its population is 390,719, making it the Largest London borough and sixteenth largest English district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purley, London</span> Human settlement in England

Purley is an area of the London Borough of Croydon in London, England, 11.7 miles (18.8 km) south of Charing Cross, with a history going back at least 800 years. It was originally granted as an estate from holdings at Sanderstead and until as a district of Surrey and then, with neighbouring Coulsdon, as an urban district that became an electoral ward of the London Borough of Croydon, becoming part of the ceremonial county of London, in 1965. In 2018 the Purley ward was divided into two: Purley and Woodcote, and Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waddon</span> Human settlement in England

Waddon is a neighbourhood in the London Borough of Croydon, at the western end of the town of Croydon. The area borders the London Borough of Sutton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croydon Airport</span> Airport in South London

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">A23 road</span> Major road in the United Kingdom

The A23 road is a major road in the United Kingdom between London and Brighton, East Sussex, England. It is managed by Transport for London for the section inside the Greater London boundary, Surrey County Council and West Sussex County Council for the section shadowed by the M23 motorway, National Highways between the M23 and Patcham, and by Brighton and Hove Council from the A27 to the centre of Brighton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croydon</span> Town in South London, England

Croydon is a large town in South London, England, 9.4 miles (15.1 km) south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an extensive shopping district and night-time economy. The entire town had a population of 192,064 as of 2011, whilst the wider borough had a population of 384,837.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MetroCentre (shopping centre)</span> Architectural structure

Metrocentre is a shopping centre and entertainment complex in the Dunston area of Gateshead. It is located on the former site of Dunston Power Station, near to the River Tyne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Wandle</span> Tributary of the River Thames, England

The River Wandle is a right-bank tributary of the River Thames in south London, England. With a total length of about 9 miles (14 km), the river passes through the London boroughs of Croydon, Sutton, Merton and Wandsworth, where it reaches the Thames. A short headwater – the Caterham Bourne – is partially in Surrey, the historic county of the river's catchment. Tributaries of the Wandle include Carshalton Ponds and Norbury Brook.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Croydon</span> Area of London

South Croydon in south London is the area surrounding the valley south of central Croydon and running as far south as the former Red Deer public house on the Brighton Road. It is bounded by Waddon to the West and Selsdon and Sanderstead to the East. It is part of the South Croydon (CR2) post town and in the London Borough of Croydon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Croydon</span>

The London Borough of Croydon has over 120 parks and open spaces within its boundaries, ranging from the 200 acre (80ha) Selsdon Wood Nature Reserve to many recreation grounds and sports fields scattered throughout the Borough. Croydon covers an area of 86.52 km², the 256th largest district in England. Croydon's physical features consist of many hills and rivers that are spread out across the borough and into the North Downs, Surrey and the rest of South London. Some of the open spaces in Croydon form part of the well-known London LOOP walks where the first section was opened on 3 May 1996 with a ceremony on Farthing Downs in Coulsdon. As a borough in Outer London it also contains some open countryside in the form of country parks. Croydon Council is associated with several other boroughs who are taking part in the Downlands Countryside Management Project. These boroughs are Sutton; and by Surrey County Council; the City of London Corporation; the Surrey districts of Reigate and Banstead and Tandridge; and the Countryside Agency. An additional partner is Natural Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centrale (Croydon)</span> Shopping mall in Greater London, England

Centrale is a shopping centre in Croydon, South London, one of the largest covered retail developments in London. It is owned and managed by Hammerson and was opened in 2004. Plans were announced in January 2013 to redevelop Centrale and combine it with the Whitgift Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ampere Way tram stop</span> Tramlink tram stop in London, England

Ampere Way is a tram stop in the London Borough of Croydon, serving the Purley Way commercial area. Tramlink trams serve the stop, which is located opposite IKEA Croydon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waddon Marsh tram stop</span> Tramlink tram stop in London, England

Waddon Marsh tram stop is a stop on the Tramlink service serving the area between Waddon and Croydon in the London Borough of Croydon. It is close to the commercial areas of the Purley Way. The stop is overshadowed by the giant gasometer of Croydon Gas Works. There was previously a railway station about 100 metres north of this site called Waddon Marsh, though all that remains of the previous station is an access path still lined with streetlamps painted BR red.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croydon Water Palace</span>

The Croydon Water Palace was an indoor water park complex that opened in 1990 on Purley Way in Waddon in the London Borough of Croydon, opposite Croydon Airport. It featured four water slides, a large jacuzzi area, a lazy river and a wave pool using an artificial wave-making machine. There was also an on-site café. It was part of the Purley Way retail development drive that occurred in the early 1990s, which also saw the creation of the Valley Park Retail Area.

Waddon Marsh railway station was in Waddon in the London Borough of Croydon on the West Croydon to Wimbledon Line. It was between West Croydon and Beddington Lane Halt stations. There was pedestrian access by footpath only from Miller Road a side street near Purley Way.

The Croydon Exp07 was a series of events held from 2007, aimed at business and residents in the London Borough of Croydon, UK to demonstrate the £2bn of development projects planned for Croydon in the next 10 years. It is part of the Croydon Vision 2020 regeneration programme. The council-backed scheme hoped to interest investors to fund part of the regeneration projects around Croydon, and help to establish Croydon as "London's Third City" Croydon has applied for city status twice but failed. If it had succeeded, the borough would have become the City of Croydon, like the City of Westminster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colonnades Leisure Park</span>

The Colonnades Leisure Park is an out-of-town leisure park located in the Purley Way retail and industrial district of the London Borough of Croydon, South London. It opened in the late 1990s on the former site of the Croydon Water Palace, an indoor water park complex that operated from 1990 to 1996. It lies alongside the Purley Way Playing Fields, and opposite the former Croydon Airport site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valley Retail and Leisure Park</span> Shopping mall

Valley Retail and Leisure Park is a retail park in the Purley Way retail and industrial area in Croydon, England. It is located near the Broad Green and Waddon areas of the London Borough of Croydon. Valley Park was opened in 1992 on the site of the former Croydon power stations, the first of which was built in the late nineteenth century. Croydon B power station was closed in 1984 and the majority of the site cleared in 1991. However the local council ordered the station's landmark chimneys be retained, which almost put IKEA off the site, but a compromise was made that IKEA could paint the top skirt of the tower in their colours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of the London Borough of Croydon</span>

The London Borough of Croydon has a wide variety of buildings mainly from post-war through to modern. Much of the modern architecture in the borough is centred on the commercial centre of the town, with much of the Victorian designs spread out on both the northern and southern corridors of the borough. Many former warehouses and factories have been converted for other uses changing the external appearance of Croydon erratically.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croydon power stations</span>

The Croydon power stations refers to a pair of demolished coal-fired power stations and to a gas-fired power station in the Purley Way area of Croydon, London.

References

  1. "Purley Way and Valley Park". Croydon Online.
  2. "IKEA Group stores". IKEA Group corporate site. Archived from the original on 14 July 2004. Retrieved 30 July 2007.
  3. "IKEA is bigger than ever (from Croydon Guardian)". Croydonguardian.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
  4. "Ikea Looks At Ideas To Transform Chimneys (from Croydon Guardian)". Croydonguardian.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
  5. "Pm Makes Pitstop At Ikea (from Croydon Guardian)". Croydonguardian.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
  6. "Diving stage at former Purley Way Lido, Non Civil Parish - 1412916 | Historic England".

Coordinates: 51°22′45″N0°07′16″W / 51.37929°N 0.12105°W / 51.37929; -0.12105