‘New Barcelona’ is a vision too far for this Croydon cynic

Last week, you asked if Croydon really could transform itself into a ‘new Barcelona’ (Voxpop, DW 22 November).

A vision to be ‘a beacon of sustainability’ is commendable, but that’s the easy bit. Delivering change in a place as dysfunctional as Croydon would take regeneration on the scale of the Olympic site. More pedestrian areas and eco-builds won’t turn Croydon into a sun-drenched, boulevarded destination for romantics by the sea. Definitely, paella in the sky.

John Corcoran, Director, Wire Design, by e-mail