More than 130 objections have been lodged against the compulsory purchase order crucial to Hammerson and Westfield's £1bn town-centre redevelopment plans.

The grievances, described by Croydon Council as a "significant number", have been sent to communities and local government secretary Eric Pickles ahead of a public inquiry later this year.

The inquiry will establish whether the council can forcibly obtain land surrounding the Whitgift Centre where owners refuse to sell to the developers.

Croydon Council will also be forced to defend the planning approval granted to developers after the Whitgift Trust, which owns a 25 per cent stake in the shopping centre's freehold, successfully applied for a judicial review.

The trust, controlled by the Anglo Irish Bank and unconnected to the Whitgift Foundation charity, alleges it was deprived adequate time to review aspects of the application and that errors and ommissions misled the planning committee members that approved it in November. 

The case will be heard in the High Court on October 7 and 8. 

Judges could opt to reserve their judgment so that the outcome of the judicial review is not known until the public inquiry begins. 

The inquiry is scheduled to take place this winter, with a decision due in the spring. 

Croydon Council is in talks with opponents of the compulsory purchase order, approved by councillors in April, in a bid to resolve objections ahead of the inquiry.