Everything is in place for work to start on a new billion pound shopping centre in Croydon but it is still not clear when or even if Westfield go ahead.

Back in October it was announced that the development would include a hotel and more offices but fewer parking spaces and fewer actual shops.

And in the annual results report for 2019 published last week, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield stressed again that the scheme will be reviewed.

The proposed new Croydon shopping centre was one of six projects removed from its pipeline projects.

It says that these: “require major redefinition, are postponed significantly due to market or administrative circumstances, or did not meet the group’s return requirements.”

But the Croydon Partnership, the joint venture between Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and Hammerson in charge of the redevelopment, says it ‘remains confident in Croydon as a destination and its potential for mixed-use development.’

The Croydon Conservatives have blamed the Labour council’s “dithering” for delays to the scheme.

Tory councillor Mario Creatura Tweeted: “The Labour council jeopardised it right from the start, needlessly amending the scheme, unnecessary delays, crippling the economic hub of our town with the market changing throughout.

“They should have moved quicker, they dithered and now we have this.”

But despite the latest news, Croydon Council leader Tony Newman is confident that the company will soon reveal “exciting plans” for the town centre.

He hit back blaming Brexit and retail uncertainty.

Councillor Newman Tweeted: “Nobody dithered, Westfield have made clear Brexit and retail uncertainty have led to their scheme being redesigned, like you we look forward to hearing their exciting plans going forward.”

Delays have blighted the scheme for years, recently work has been pushed back from September 2019 to 2020 and now there’s no clear idea of when it will start.

Taking over the former Allders building last July was the final step in securing land needed for the development which will see the current Whitgift Centre knocked down.

Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood councillor Stephen Mann Tweeted that all town centres across the borough need support until Westfield comes back with a plan.

Councillor Mann said: “Awful news for Croydon town centre.

“It is now imperative we do all we can to support our other town centres such as Crystal Palace to fix their localised challenges, and problems we can fix, until Westfield decide to get a move on.”

A spokesperson for the Croydon Partnership said it is still working with the council to make sure the town centre ‘remains active’.

The spokesperson said: “The Croydon Partnership is working on a comprehensive review of the Croydon development to respond to the rapidly changing UK market. We remain confident in Croydon as a destination and its potential for mixed-use development.

“As part of this review, we are focused on right-sizing the retail and introducing additional uses including a hotel and offices, alongside residential, and are looking at opportunities to reuse some of the existing buildings to ensure a more sustainable development.

“During this phase of the review, we are also working with the council and local stakeholders on the scheme and to ensure the town centre remains active.”