THE £1 billion redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre has been delayed after concerns over whether the nearby Fiveways junction could cope with the increase in traffic.
It has been expected that the Westfield/Hammerson plans would be considered by Croydon council this month.
But a desire from the developers, Transport for London (TfL) and the council to ensure transport issues connected with the scheme are properly sorted mean the scheme is now being scheduled to be presented to councillors in September, after the authority's summer recess.
The scheme involves providing about 1.4 million sq ft of retail space, combined with leisure facilities and housing, in four towers facing Wellesley Road.
The detailed transport modelling is being carried out by TfL to ensure traffic flows around the town centre are maintained, and even improved.
TfL is also understood to be in discussion with the Westfield/Hammerson partnership about its earlier indications that, as part of planning gain for the borough, it was considering providing a considerable sum of money to improve the Fiveways junction and possibly Purley Cross.
Improvements are considered to be essential to cope with what are expected to be increased traffic pressures as more people come into the town to shop when the redevelopment is completed.
A spokeswoman for Westfield said the partnership could have gone to the planning committee now, but was happy to wait until the full transport picture emerged from TfL.
She said: "This does not alter the time lines for the redevelopment. We are still looking, if permission is granted, to start construction at the end of next year and complete the work by 2017-18."
A council spokesman said: "This is a large and complex application and it's important the council considers it properly.
"The completion of the assessment of the application is likely to take us into the summer recess period, with a view to it being considered at planning committee in September."
