In 2005, a compulsory purchase order was issued by Croydon Council and it was planned to demolish St George's Walk by 2011 and replace it with the new Park Place shopping centre which would span from North End to Queen's Gardens. There had been little local opposition, but the owners of the shops facing eviction were not offered places in the new shopping centre proposed by Minerva plc. Croydon Council terminated the scheme in May 2009 due to planning permission having lapsed on the venture and concerns over funding, and a new redevelopment scheme to attract retailer John Lewis to the town was being investigated.