Southwark #10

Culture Take the tour of Southwark’s cultural gems, from world famous to profoundly quirky

Camberwell Changing streets – with community support, an urban neighbourhood’s reinvention is under way

Love Nunhead Businesses and residents work to renew this London village, retaining its character

Squares of Southwark Past, present, future – the public square, interpreted and adapted for contemporary living

Food and drink Epicurean treats from budget snacks to gourmet feasts – discover the borough’s culinary best

southwark Issue 10 Summer 2013

green space & accolades

Award-winning NEO Bankside’s luxury development invents landscaped public spaces, linking Bankside to Tate Modern

One Tower Bridge Introducing an exciting new chapter in Southwark

The luxury residential development in an unparalleled location presents an abundance of community and business opportunities, including: • 356 luxury private apartments • 70,000 sq ft culture space (options for use include exhibition space, gallery or theatre) • 14 retail & leisure units (ranging from 300-4,851 sq ft) • River fronting restaurants, cafes and bars • Interactive water feature

• Luxury 70 bed ‘Lalit’ hotel in Grade II listed St Olaves with destination bar and dining • New public realm with beautifully landscaped pedestrian boulevards • Private residents facilities include gym & spa, treatment rooms, business lounge, urban golf and state of the art underground car park.

One Tower Bridge is an exceptional place for people to live, work and relax.

Details correct at time of going to press. Computer Generated Images depict One Tower Bridge and are indicative only. Photography depicts views from One Tower Bridge.

For further information, please call 020 7871 0011 or email onetowerbridge@berkeleygroup.co.uk In the last ten years, the Berkeley Group has invested ÂŁ260 million in the facilities communities need Including ÂŁ1.3m towards healthcare, education, public realm and renewable energy as a result of One Tower Bridge

Our Vision. Your Future.

www.onetowerbridge.co.uk

Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

Sales Lounge (temporary location): The Pavilion, Empire Square, Long Lane, London, SE1 4NA

Creating places where people want to live in Southwark L&Q is working in partnership with Southwark council to create vibrant, new communities across the borough.

We have recently won the Evening Standard’s 2013 New Homes Award for Best Regeneration Project for Ruskin Walk. Now, with over 3,000 homes completed or under construction in Southwark, we look forward to building on our commitment to the borough for many years to come.

The L&Q Foundation is backing Southwark people too. Whether it’s through our support for the Ducklings swimming group, healthy eating projects or the work of the Creation Trust in the Aylesbury community, we’re working for Southwark residents.

southwark

Issue 10 Summer 2013

contents 16 Squares Attractive public realm is a key feature of Southwark’s regeneration. We discover the diverse range of imaginative squares, with photography by Peter Durant.

07 Contacts Southwark regeneration contact information.

09 News Regeneration news update.

22 Projects Southwark’s project developments, including the continued regeneration of the Elephant and Castle.

56 Technical case study The vital role local authority building control officers have to play in Southwark’s regeneration projects.

58 Sitematch Facts and figures presenting key development opportunities in Southwark.

30 Parks Exploring the array of attractive parks in one of London’s greenest boroughs.

36 Nunhead South London’s “undiscovered gem” revealed.

46 Camberwell We look at some of the key factors contributing to the emergence of Camberwell as a London hotspot for regeneration.

50 Culture A tour around the many artistic and cultural attractions to be found in and around Southwark.

Editorial director Siobhán Crozier head of design Rachael Schofield design Smallfury Designs Contributing editors Sarah Herbert, Lucy Purdy reporter James Wood divisional director of business development Paul Gussar production assistant Joe Davies Office manager Sue Mapara subscriptions manager Simon Maxwell Managing director Toby Fox Printed by Tradewinds Images Peter Durant, Southwark Council, NEO Bankside, Pollard Thomas Edwards architects, Foster + Partners, Mickey Lee and Associates, Jack Hobhouse for Maudsley Learning, © Sellar Property Group, Design Museum, White Cube Bermondsey, Ben Westoby, courtesy White Cube, Gilbert & George ‘London Pictures’, White Cube: Mason’s Yard, Bermondsey, Hoxton 9 March - 12 May 2012 © Gilbert & George, Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd Courtesy White Cube, Vinopolis, The Horniman Museum, Chapter of Southwark Cathedral, Fashion and Textile Museum, Menier Chocolate Factory, Tim Crocker, CZWG Architects, the CLF art cafe aka the Bussey Building, Jonathan Gregson, Russia Dock Woodland, Pie Minister, Richard Bryant, Jody Kingzett, AOC, Picture Plane / AOC, London Glassblowing 375 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5QY T 020 7978 6840 W 3foxinternational.com Published by Subscriptions and feedback southwarkmagazine.com

southwarkmagazine.com

40 Food and drink London’s diversity in the culinary world is nowhere better reflected than it is in Southwark.

We tuck into some of the food and drink currently tantalising the tastebuds of seasoned headonists around the borough.

©3Fox International Limited 2013 All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of 3Fox International Ltd is strictly forbidden.

The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors.

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of 3Fox International Ltd.

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8

Enterprise House Great Guildford Business Square The Leathermarket

BUSINESS CENTRES

Tower Bridge Business Complex Linton House

640+

The Biscuit Factory T Marchant Trading Estate Canterbury Industrial Estate

NEW AND GROWING BUSINESSES

WORKSPACE Providing Southwark with unique working environments that enable new and growing businesses to have the freedom and opportunity to thrive

The Leathermarket

Club Workspace at The Leathermarket

Southbank House

The Biscuit Factory

Great Guildford Business Square

Linton House

Case study The Leathermarket

Since acquiring The Leathermarket, ÂŁ5.9m of investment and redevelopment has taken place. Workspace has increased the number of business occupants from 17 to over 130.

The Leathermarket is now a thriving business centre attracting top end SMEs and start ups.

The launch of Club Workspace within The Leathermarket now provides a versatile business solution for; drop-in space, swing space between offices, overflow or projects, or a first step from home working.

020 7369 2389 info@workspace.co.uk workspace.co.uk

quality streets The regeneration of Southwark is often measured by the pace at which new building is taking place. But for us, the measure of success will be the quality of the experience of a resident, worker or visitor going about their daily business. We are proud to be involved in projects delivering thousands of badly needed new homes, especially affordable homes, and transforming Southwark as a place to live, work and visit.

As well as new homes, I’m also excited about the jobs being created not only in major central London office developments, such as at London Bridge and Blackfriars Road, but also in a vast range of smaller schemes to create and retain work spaces throughout the borough.

Southwark has a rich variety of spaces from the riverside by Tate Modern, through medieval streets of Borough and Bermondsey to Georgian and Victorian townscapes. New streets and spaces of the highest quality are being created where people can walk and cycle in safety and peace.

Councillor Peter John Leader of Southwark Council

contact Laura Wannop / Chief Executive’s Department Southwark Council / 160 Tooley Street / SE1 2QH regeninfo@southwark.gov.uk / 020 7525 5352 southwarkmagazine.com

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www.grosvenor.com

LIVING CITIES We have a vested interest in the future shape of the urban landscape and aim to help create and manage attractive and vibrant cities in which people choose to live and work.

NEO Bankside (main image) our multi-award winning development in Southwark has recently completed after a 6 year programme.

NEO Bankside Sales Office +44 (0)20 7998 1888 info@neobankside.com

Left to right: Brown Hart Gardens, Mayfair; view from NEO Bankside; Mount Street, Mayfair

Read up-to-date news stories about Southwark’s exciting opportunities online at southwarkmagazine .com

the news What’s new and happening in southwark

Council buys own building Southwark Council bought the freehold of its 18,470sq m headquarters in Tooley Street in December 2012. The outright purchase of the building means the council will no longer have to pay £7.7 million a year in rent, saving the authority at least £1.5 million a year after borrowing for the purchase is accounted for.

Owning the building could also allow the council to sublet parts which are surplus to its requirements without paying any penalties, or even sell in the future rather than being tied to a 25-year lease.

Council leader Peter John said the move gave the authority “a unique opportunity” to save money.

“The choice we had was the same as someone renting their home being offered the opportunity to buy it for a mortgage that costs less each month than the rent,” he said.

“Now we have bought the building it will both reduce our annual costs in these difficult financial times and give us ownership of an important asset for future generations of the people of the borough.”

southwarkmagazine.com

New Camberwell learning centre

A new £7 million learning, training and events venue has opened in Camberwell. Architects Duggan Morris are behind designs for the ORTUS, which flung open its doors in June is expected to welcome more than 12,000 delegates in its first year.

The ORTUS has 1,500sq m of flexible event space spread over seven floors, capable of catering for around 400 people at full capacity. The venue’s spaces can be hired for meetings, conferences and training with rooms accommodating between 80 and 200 people. It also includes a community cafe. It was designed to have a timeless quality including a brick and stone facade and full height windows – a reference to the local Georgian architecture. The ORTUS is operated by Maudsley Learning and profits will be invested in mental health learning.

Bar room blitz Architectural practice BPTW has obtained planning permission to replace the vacant two-storey Valentine and Orson public house in Long Lane, Bermondsey, with a sevenstorey building. It will feature a retail unit and 19 apartments with the residential entrance on Weston Street. issue

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What’s new and happening in southwark

Lend Lease appoints new Elephant and Castle boss Lend Lease’s project director for the £1.5 billion regeneration of Elephant and Castle, Rob Deck, is returning to Australia and will be replaced by Pascal Mittermaier, the firm’s current regional head of sustainability.

Under Deck, Lend Lease has obtained planning permission for the ambitious Heygate estate masterplan and launched more than 500 new homes at One The Elephant and Trafalgar Place (pictured right).

The firm said Mittermaier was “already embedded within the team”, having been closely involved in the Elephant and Castle project and that he would remain on the company’s regional leadership team for Europe, the Middle East and Africa after taking up his new role in August.

Matt Dickinson, managing director of development for EMEA at Lend Lease, said: “I am extremely

CamberwellRotherhithe car-free link South Bermondsey Bridge, for walkers and cyclists, was officially opened in April this year as part of an 8.1km cycling and walking route linking Camberwell’s Burgess Park with Rotherhithe’s Durand’s Wharf.

Southwark Council leader Peter John said: “The bridge marks the latest piece of our expanding programme of cycle and walking improvements which we hope will ease traffic congestion and pollution and boost people’s health and fitness.”

The bridge, which crosses Rotherhithe New Road in South Bermondsey, was funded by the council and a £600,000 donation from the Big Lottery Fund and co-delivered by sustainable transport charity Sustrans.

10 issue 10 summer 2013

pleased that Pascal is deepening his involvement with the regeneration of Elephant and Castle.

“His experience of delivering innovative and large scale development will play a vital role in transforming this part of central London into one of the most vibrant places to live in the capital.”

Mittermaier, whose previous projects include the London 2012 Athletes’ Village, said his aim was to “create one of the most exciting and transformative developments that London has seen in decades”.

“It is a transformational project in the sense that it has the potential to directly benefit people’s lives,” he told Southwark magazine.

“This will be achieved by taking sustainability issues into account and through working very closely both with local people and the council.”

Sobering stories A decade-long programme of remodelling, creating new galleries and reconfiguring space at the Imperial War Museum is now under way.

The first phase will open in summer 2014 and include new First World War galleries, new atrium and terrace displays, shops, toilets and a cafe which will open directly on to the Geraldine Mary

Harmsworth Park behind the museum.

The First World War Galleries will feature the latest historical research and innovative technology.

Objects suspended from the ceiling of the new atrium at the heart of the museum, and across new terraces at each floor, will tell stories of conflict from the first world war to the present day.

the news

South Bank start-ups A multimillion-pound commercial hub dedicated to nurturing entrepreneurial talent, knowledgesharing and local business engagement is being built at London South Bank University (LSBU).

The £13.5 million enterprise centre, set to open in September 2013, will transform 17 vacant Grade II-listed buildings at St George’s Circus, including the former Duke of Clarence pub.

The Georgian terrace, much of which has lain disused for decades, will become a dedicated hub and meeting space for businesses and community organisations, with incubation space for 100 retail units, meeting rooms, an open public reception area, gallery, cafe and courtyard for networking.

The scheme, which involves a new-build, environmentally friendly element to the rear, is being built by Neilcott Construction and was designed by Rivington Street Studio.

LSBU’s enterprise team will be based at the building, offering advice and mentoring opportunities for the students and firms located there, forging links between the university and the business community, while the new and expanding businesses will help boost the local economy.

Entrepreneur Richard Farleigh, the university’s chancellor, said: “In these testing economic times, entrepreneurialism and innovation are absolutely vital to kickstart the country’s economy – this scheme will give new and expanding businesses a real chance of succeeding.”

Tim Gebbels, director of enterprise at LSBU, said: “As London’s most enterprising university, we’re big on business start-ups and knowledge transfer partnerships. We hope to create a hub where small and medium-sized businesses can build networks and benefit from each other’s experience and expertise.”

southwarkmagazine.com

Just the ticket Southwark Council’s £14 million ‘super library’ at Canada Water has bagged two accolades so far this year.

The 2,600sq m building, designed by Piers Gough of CZWG architects, has been awarded a Civic Trust Award for universal design and an EDGE Award in recognition of good practice in library innovation.

Civic Trust Awards managing director Malcolm Hankey said the library, which opened in 2011, had “demonstrated architectural excellence while offering

cultural benefit to the local community”.

The judging panel of the EDGE Awards, which are organised by the City of Edinburgh Council, said the library was “the centrepiece of a significant piece of ongoing urban regeneration”.

Southwark culture lead councillor Veronica Ward believes the library is more than an iconic structure.

“As well as being a stunning piece of architecture the library is also a great community asset,” she said.

Studio space University lodges leased for Canada Water plans creatives King’s College London has submitted Southwark has entered into a short-term lease agreement with the Association for Cultural Advancement through Visual Arts (ACAVA) to provide studio space for emerging professional artists at Mabel Goldwin House (MGH) in Bermondsey.

MGH is one of the council’s buildings currently being marketed for redevelopment as part of the authority’s regeneration of Bermondsey Spa. ACAVA is a charitable organisation that provides affordable space for artists in London. The scheme will open at the venue in Grange Walk from August, subject to planning consent.

The council is also working with Lend Lease to bring forward temporary uses on the Heygate estate site. The first of these is Artworks, a temporary development of 48 shipping containers which will provide affordable and flexible space for local designers, artists and makers to produce and sell their wares.

The development will include retail from the outset, a programme of events, food and drink offer and markets.

proposals to redevelop Canada Water’s former Mulberry Business Park with a mixed-use scheme containing student housing, offices, affordable homes, shops and college facilities.

Plans for the site, which is bounded

by Canada Street, Quebec Way and Harmsworth Quays printing works, include the construction of 770 student bedrooms, 4,490sq m of offices, 33 affordable homes, a 322sq m student health centre, and 75sq m of space for shops.

The development would be spread over four blocks, ranging in height from four to nine storeys. In a statement, King’s said the development was vital to meet an “urgent business need” to cater for students, and that it would create 350 full-time jobs. The site is considered an ideal opportunity to deliver more than a third of a projected requirement of 2,000 new student rooms.

“The Canada Water area is well placed for the existing five campuses and the public transport connections would allow students and staff to move quickly and easily between the various locations,” a spokesman said. issue

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What’s new and happening in southwark

Flagship regeneration Investors eye london project bags award

bridge and bankside

The first phase of regeneration of the Aylesbury estate has won a prestigious regeneration award. Ruskin Walk in Walworth has been named Best Regeneration Project in the Evening Standard’s New Homes Awards 2013.

The scheme, opposite Burgess Park, was designed by architects Levitt Bernstein and developed by London & Quadrant (L&Q) working with Southwark Council.

The Aylesbury is one of the nation’s most notorious 1970s schemes, and was chosen

by Tony Blair, the then prime minister, as a base from which to proclaim his vision for the nation’s renewal, shortly after Labour’s general election victory in 1997.

Southwark’s overarching plan is to demolish the entire 28.3-ha estate of 2,700

flats and replace it with 4,000 mixed tenure homes including private, shared ownership and social rented options.

Regeneration lead at the council, councillor Fiona Colley said the award was well-deserved.

“The new homes at Ruskin Walk represent the high quality designs we envision for the future of this area,” she said.

“I am delighted for both L&Q and Levitt Bernstein who have shared our vision for modern living in this vibrant part of London. I look forward to seeing the current work on the next phase – Site 7 – come to fruition.”

For the full story on the transformation of the Aylesbury estate, go to our projects section on page 26.

Workspace takes the biscuit Southwark Council has approved Workspace Group’s plans for a residential and business village which will cover about 100,00sq m of the former Peek Freans biscuit factory site in Bermondsey – a site with great character.

The Clements Road scheme – known as the Biscuit Factory – includes 800 homes, 2,430sq m of retained business space and 5,400sq m of new business space which is expected to support more than 2,000 jobs. A new 80m-long park will also be included.

12 issue 10 summer 2013

Completion of the Shard has helped increase investor interest in London Bridge and Bankside which is now bringing in office returns of 9.6%, second only to the West End’s 10.6%, according to the annual IPD/Farebrother report on the performance of investment in London offices.

Greg Mansell, head of research at IPD, said: “While prime London yields remain compressed, there has been interest among investors for assets outside of the core markets. While focus will be drawn to the Shard when thinking of the South Bank, there are assets that offer a high income premium, while benefiting from London’s stability.”

Julian Hind, head of office and residential letting at Farebrother, said: “The Shard and its letting performance dominate office availability in the South Bank market – the largest change in stock since the More London campus.”

Several deals have been struck to rent the Shard’s 53,100sq m of commercial space since it opened. Earlier in the year Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera signed up to take the iconic building’s 16th floor, while in April, finance firm Duff & Phelps signed up to take 1,800sq m of office space.

US management consultancy AT Kearney is interested in occupying 1,980sq m, while another 2,700sq m space is under offer from a Middle Eastern bank. The Shangri-La Hotel will occupy floors 34 to 52.

Linden Homes IN SOUTHWARK

lindenhomes.co.uk

Great homes on great streets Connect the convenience of Zone 1 London living with greener homes and surroundings Find out more: call 020 3675 9955 or email welcomehome@lendlease.com or register your interest at Trafalgarplace.com

THE LIFE. THE HEART. THE ELEPHANT.

RIVER T HAMES

The Globe

Tate Modern

Borough Market

The Shard

London Bridge

Potters Field

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235 studio, one, two and three bedroom homes Zone 1 Tube and rail station 24 hour concierge service, residents’ gardens and roof terrace Estimated completion summer/autumn 2015 One beds from £330,000 Two beds from £425,000

All images used are for illustrative purposes only. Furniture and landscaping are also shown for illustrative purposes only. Detail design of facades and landscaping subject to planning agreement, it is anticipated that there will be changes in landscape design.

Individual features such as windows, brick and other materials’ colours may vary, as may heating and electrical layouts. These particulars should not be relied upon as accurately describing any of the specific matters described by any order under the Property Misdescriptions Act 1991. This information including images and dimensions is not intended to form part of or constitute a contract or warranty. July 2013.

Be at home in Zone 1 Perfectly connected and sustainable new homes

One The Elephant offers 284 studio, one, two and three-bedroom homes in an elegant 37 storey tower located in the heart of Elephant & Castle.

– 6 mins to The City and 11mins to the West End* – Stunning and far reaching views across London – Residents’ reading garden, grow garden and 24 hour concierge – Estimated completion winter 2015/spring 2016 * Travel times are approximate. Source: www.tfl.gov.uk DEC 2012

Studios from £310,000 One beds from £410,000 Two beds from £520,000 Find out more: call 020 3667 1522 or email welcomehome@lendlease.com Or register your interest at onetheelephant.com

The Life. The Heart. The Elephant.

Disclaimer The information in this document is indicative and is intended to act as a guide only as to the finished product.

All images used are for illustrative purposes only. Furniture and landscaping are also shown for illustrative purposes only.

Detail design of facades and landscaping subject to planning agreement, it is anticipated that there will be changes in landscape design. Individual features such as windows, brick and other materials’ colours may vary, as may heating and electrical layouts. These particulars should not be relied upon as accurately describing any of the specific matters described by any order under the Property Misdescriptions Act 1991. This information including images and dimensions is not intended to form part of or constitute a contract or warranty. July 2013

Images are for indicative purposes only

architecture

square deal

Parliament, Trafalgar, Leicester, Russell, Soho and Campden Hill – London’s grandest squares are pocket gardens dotted around the city. Southwark too has well-preserved Georgian and Victorian gems and some of the capital’s most imaginative spaces of its kind in contemporary architecture. With further ambitious designs in the development pipeline, Pamela Buxton finds great examples spanning four centuries, with images by specialist architectural photographer, Peter Durant 16 issue 9 summer 2012

southwark squares From Trinity Church Square in Borough to Peckham Square further south, squares are a key part of Southwark’s urban character. They may not be among the grandest or most formal of London’s squares, but instead of the gated, ‘for residents only’variety, Southwark’s squares are open to all, and are vital spaces for gathering and recreation as well as offering an escape from the busy urban world.

Southwark has a great range of both historic and newly completed squares, with many more in the pipeline.

“We’ve got more historic squares than people appreciate. But what’s important in Southwark is we’re creating new squares based on Georgian principles, where people can go for peace and quiet in this high-density area,” says Steve Platts, Southwark Council’s director of regeneration and neighbourhoods, who is overseeing the recent increase in the number of public spaces in the borough.

“We recognise public realm and public space as critical to creating a successful neighbourhood, and squares are an important part of that offer.”

According to Platts, the success of a square is determined by its location, its scale in its context, and the quality of both the landscaping and the surrounding buildings.

“Historically, squares are seen as a very successful and important townscape form, going right back to Roman times and the Forum,” he says, adding that while contemporary squares may often lack the symmetry of Georgian set-pieces, they none the less play an important role.

“Squares provide recreation facilities for communities to meet and enjoy as well as places of quiet and reflection to get away from

the hustle and bustle of London life,” he says.

“Some have markets, some entertainment, some are purely residential and are seen as an extension of private gardens, particularly important in a borough with lots of flats like Southwark.”

According to the authoritative Pevsner architectural guide, regular squares from the 18th and 19th centuries were much less common in south London than the north and west of the capital and there are relatively few intact survivors. Those that have escaped both redevelopment and extensive war damage include the splendid Trinity Church Square in Walworth and West Square near St George’s Circus, which is the oldest remaining example.

Other good examples, though perhaps lacking the same uniformity, include Addington Square in Camberwell and Sutherland Square off the Walworth Road, which are both largely intact.

Architectural purity, however, isn’t everything. Many show changes over time while retaining their urban functions as in Nelson Square Gardens off Blackfriars Road, which combines stretches of the Georgian original (1804-18) with eight and nine storey post-war housing.

Nor do squares have to be square or symmetrical. Some recent success stories in the borough are anything but, such as The Scoop, the curvaceous public space in front of City Hall, and Peckham Square, where eye-catching architecture and creative lighting act as a beacon for this well-used public space. Neither do they have to be hugely expansive but can do a lot with a little as at the Abundant Amelia project near Elephant and Castle. This created pocket plazas with food growing opportunities at sites around Amelia Street in the Pullens

eye-catching design: Peckham Square.

RIGHT: Trinity Church Square in Borough.

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Estate. More pocket spaces are being created in Camberwell, including one at Artichoke Place near the Camberwell leisure centre.

The huge amount of regeneration planned in the borough over the next few years will bring more opportunities for creating significant public spaces within the new developments, whether as part of housing or commercial schemes. At Elephant and Castle for example, there will be scope to create new public spaces as part of the shopping centre redevelopment and also near the old Walworth Town Hall, as well as within the redeveloped Heygate estate.

To the north, several major residential and commercial redevelopments along Blackfriars Road will also result in new public spaces including a new square at the foot of St George’s high-rise development, One Blackfriars, which is expected to complete in 2016. These new public spaces will also respond to an expected increase in visitor numbers to the Tate Modern, which is being extended. NEO Bankside’s award-winning green spaces, designed by Gillespies, also serve to integrate the development with the

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southwark squares

neighbouring Tate Modern. Flat Iron Square has already completed off Union Street as part of the Bankside Urban Forest project.

London Bridge will gain two new squares near the train station – a major one outside the new London Bridge Thameslink station on Tooley Street and a smaller one between the Shard and adjacent development The Place.

Further east at Canada Water, a 40-storey redevelopment of the large Decathlon site will create the opportunity and need for a quality public space to complement the large amount of new housing being planned.

“As part of the big regeneration project we’re recognising the importance of public realm and the success of squares as the key to providing places people will want to go to,” says Platts. “There is a commercial element to it too. People like living in squares so it makes commercial sense to include them in new developments.”

Nevertheless it is not just a question of getting the squares established. With many built as part of section 106 planning agreements, the council’s immediate concern often isn’t just the capital cost, but rather the long-term maintenance responsibility.

Robust materials are therefore a priority, and any cutting-edge art installations, however appealing, need careful consideration to avoid southwarkmagazine.com

the fate of many a broken water feature.

“We don’t want to install them and then two years down the road they break and become a danger and an eyesore,” says Platts. “We have to put in maintenance funding. It is expensive – a water feature can cost tens of thousands of pounds a year to maintain.”

But chosen well, distinctive art and water features can be important focal points, as at More London Place where elevated water channels cut through the open space. Though privately-owned, this space is publicly accessible 24 hours a day.

The success of new public spaces can be hard to judge in the short term and is better evaluated many years later, when they have – it is hoped – bedded in and absorbed the different community uses required, whether as a lively gathering spot or a quiet area of contemplation. So will the new crop of squares now being planned have such lasting success as the historic examples in the borough? Platts hopes they will.

“Public realm is a key component for a successful city and one element of public realm is the creation of new squares and plazas, not just protecting the old but creating the new. I’d hope that in 100 years time, our new squares will be classic examples of townscape. We’ll have to wait and see.”

above left The Scoop creates a “curvaceous” public square at City Hall. left: Addington Square in the heart of Camberwell, Southwark. above: Flat Iron Square, part of the Bankside Urban Forest project. below: Canada Water’s square, Deal Porter Plaza, by night.

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southwark squares well preserved: Trinity Church Square dates back to the 1820s. below: Bermondsey Square, once the site of Bermondsey Abbey.

Squares Past

Squares Present Three of the best and more recent of Southwark’s squares Peckham Square Provides a hub for Peckham town centre and is bounded by major facilities such as Peckham Library, designed by acclaimed architects Alsop & Störmer in 1998.

Landscape is by Jenny Coe, who designed strips of black and white granite with wood block paving along the southern edge. Coloured spheres emerge through the paving. The whole square is lit by fibre optics after dark.

Bermondsey Square Once the site of Bermondsey Abbey but more recently a semi-derelict car park, this is now a new public square after a lengthy redevelopment that provided new housing, a boutique hotel and restaurants.

It still houses the long-established, Friday antiques market.

Three of Southwark’s best historic squares West Square Just south from St George’s Road, West Square is adjacent to the Imperial War Museum and consists of terraced houses surrounding a communal public garden.

The square was built between 1791-99 and in the Napoleonic Wars housed a telegraph tower for transmitting messages between Whitehall and the Royal Navy. Charlie Chaplin once lived in the square, which 8 became a public space in 1910.

Trinity Churchcanada Square South London’swater best preserved square was laid out in 1824-32. In the middle of the square is the Holy Trinity Church, which was designed in 1826 by architect Francis adipisicing elit, sed do Bedford. The authoritative Pevsner guide eiusmod tempor incididunt describes the square as “an admirably ut labore et dolore magna complete composition”. aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud Peabody Square In the late 19thexercitation century, theullamco Blackfriars ut aliquip Road area was laboris denselynisi populated withex consequat. workers housedeaincommodo unsanitary conditions Duismortality aute irure dolorThe in and suffering high rates. in voluptate Peabody Trust’sreprehenderit Peabody Square model velit esse dolore dwellings, completed in cillum 1871, was built in fugiat response to thiseuand is a nulla classicpariatur. example of sint occaecat pre-World WarExcepteur I social housing in London.

It comprises 16cupidatat identical,non fourproident, storey sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt rectangular blocks of yellow and white mollitofanim id est laborum. brick and a number five-storey blocks, all Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, arranged around two planted courtyards.

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Deal Porter Plaza This plaza opened last year and forms part of a new civic centre at Canada Water, linking the spectacular new public library designed by CZWG with the tube and bus stations. Deal Porter is a reference to the thousands of workers in the area employed as porters to carry the deal wood arriving in the old Surrey Quays docks from Canada.

Fittingly, the design includes a row of mature Canadian hardwood trees through the granite-paved square as well as a dockside promenade and terrace.

“we’re recognising the importance of public realm and the success of squares as the key to providing places people will want to go to” Squares Future Three of the future generation of Southwark’s squares Peckham Rye Station For decades, the approach to Peckham’s Grade II–listed, 19th century station house has been hampered by unsightly buildings built at the centre of the original station square. There are plans to demolish these buildings and redesign the whole space to function better as public realm. The project, partially funded by the mayor’s Regeneration Fund, is due to be completed by 2015/16.

Tate Modern As part of a big extension at the back of the gallery, the Tate is planning a new public space to improve the approach from the southern, non-river side. According to the gallery, this will be modeled as a city piazza with potential for special commissions and performances. The square, designed by landscape architects Vogt, is due for completion in 2016.

Camberwell Library A new square is proposed at the northeast edge of Camberwell Green in front of a planned new public library, which should generate increased footfall in the area. The new space will provide outdoor reading space as well as better pedestrian links to the adjacent Elmington Estate. It is expected to complete in summer 2014, and coincides with a wider regeneration of Camberwell Green. The architects are John McAslan + Partners, who recently redesigned King’s Cross station.

Also in the pipeline: Decathlon Canada Water square, Surrey Quays; One Blackfriars, Blackfriars Road; Workspace Bermondsey (Biscuit Factory) redevelopment; London Bridge Thameslink square, Tooley Street; 1 Tower Bridge plaza.

KING’S REACH TOWER CIT is developing the King’s Reach Tower site, a Southwark landmark and a symbol of the current and future regeneration of the Southbank. The new development will be home to 173 residential apartments, offices and retail, with construction to complete in 2015.

For more infomation please contact: kingsreach@cit.co.uk www.kingsreachtower.co.uk

From an ambitious council home-building programme – the largest of its kind in London for a decade – to a striking tower filled with desirable sustainable homes, Southwark’s transformation is gathering pace, and doing so in style

projects Location of projects in Southwark Blackfriars Bridge

London Bridge

Bankside Waterloo East Southwark Waterloo

Rotherhithe

Borough

2

Bermondsey

Canada Water

3 Elephant and Castle

6a

4

Kennington

1 South Bermondsey

5

Burgess Park Oval

Peckham Camberwell 6b

1 Coopers Road estate 2 Albion STREET 3 One The Elephant 4 Trafalgar Place 5 Aylesbury estate 6 Affordable housing a Willow Walk b East Dulwich

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Featured project Rail / underground station

Queens Road

New Cross Gate

projects

Super Cooper Phase four of Peabody’s rebuilding of the Coopers Road estate (pictured right and below) was due to start on site this summer.

The last phase of the project to replace five 1960s blocks of flats, with mixed tenure, newbuild housing designed around five semiprivate and secure courtyards, will comprise 47 homes including four-bedroom houses, three-bedroom maisonettes and one, two and three-bedroom flats.

The £7 million construction contract has been awarded to Graham Construction.

Peabody development manager Patrick Duffy said: “We are delighted to be working with Graham Construction to complete what we started in 2000 by delivering the original Coopers Road estate regeneration masterplan. We learnt a lot through talking to residents, whose influence on the design will be reflected in the finished buildings.

“We are proud of the high-quality design and sustainability principles in this development. We look forward to offering local employment and apprentice training during the construction, and are committed to playing our part in the local economy and the Coopers Road community.”

Albion Street In November 2012 Southwark Council’s cabinet endorsed the revitalisation of Albion Street through an investment programme which will upgrade the public realm, develop council-owned sites and improve Albion Primary School.

Albion Street was once a thriving commercial centre on the edge of the docks but since their closure, footfall has dropped.

It is however located in Zone 2, served by the Jubilee line and overground services with easy access to Rotherhithe Tunnel and the strategic highway network. The Thames is close by and the area has a rich history including many character buildings, especially around Rotherhithe village, including the Mayflower Pub and St Mary’s Church.

Albion Street has strong connections to the former trading locations served by the docks and those historical and cultural links continue, particularly connections to Nordic countries. The street includes St Olav’s Norwegian church and the Finnish Church.

southwarkmagazine.com

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10 summer 2013 23

left: A new leisure centre will provide a focus at One The Elephant. below left: The landmark development in Elephant and Castle also features a striking glass, stone and metal tower. right and below right: Each home in the first phase of Lend Lease’s Heygate regeneration of Trafalgar Place features its own balcony.

Elephant and Castle The transformation of this infamously trafficchoked junction into a centre for shopping, entertainment and culture is well under way.

Managed by Southwark Council and developed

by Lend Lease, by 2020 the project is expected to have delivered up to 2,988 new homes, more than 600 new affordable homes, new retail and office space, fresh high-quality public spaces, new jobs and retail businesses.

This is a very well-connected neighbourhood, with easy links to central London and all the benefits and convenience offered by Zone 1 living.

One the Elephant This new focal point for the area, designed by Squire and Partners, comprises a 30-home, four-storey pavilion and a 37-storey tower containing 254 sustainable new homes, as well as a public square linking the two.

The architecturally-striking glass, stone and metal tower will be the first development of its height to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes level 4. Each home has an outside area with cycle storage space, as well as access to a reading garden and green roof for growing produce. The apartments will look out on to stunning, panoramic views of the London city skyscape.

Shops, restaurants, business spaces and a new leisure centre as well as a local park will complement the project.

Mark Dickinson, managing director of development for EMEA at Lend Lease, said: “With this project, the £1.5 billion regeneration of Elephant and Castle is now under way. The approval of our masterplan vision sets in motion our long-term plans and commitment to the area. We’ve set out our blueprint for the future but there is a lot of detailed work to undertake and we’ll continue working with the community at every step.”

The first homes were put up for sale at the beginning of this year.

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projects

trafalgar Place The first phase of Lend Lease’s Heygate regeneration of Trafalgar Place at Elephant and Castle will include the creation of 235 homes, containing a minimum of 25% affordable, ranging from studio flats to three-bedroom houses.

The flats are designed by award winning architect dRMM, with interior design by Woods Bagot, and split over seven buildings, ranging in height from four to seven storeys.

Each home will have a private balcony, terrace or garden, as well as access to on-site green spaces and a woodland walk play area.

A new pedestrianised, tree-lined street will link parks and open spaces running from Burgess Park to Potters Fields.

Mark Dickinson, Lend Lease’s managing director of development for EMEA, said: “Lend Lease is committed to creating a healthy and thriving urban quarter that enriches and integrates with the surrounding, wellestablished neighbourhood. We’ve worked closely with members of the community and listened to their feedback which has helped shape the final development and influenced many improvements to the scheme.”

Construction of the development started in June and the project is due for completion in autumn 2015.

southwarkmagazine.com

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10 summer 2013 25

Aylesbury estate The Aylesbury estate, just south of the Elephant and Castle and opposite Burgess Park, is home to 7,500 people. One of the largest regeneration projects in the UK, the scheme is set to provide 4,200 new homes over the next 20 years.

The regeneration of the estate has been split into four phases, with the first development site (phase 1a) providing a total of 261 new homes now nearing completion. This first site was designed by Levitt Bernstein and developed by London & Quadrant working with Southwark Council.

Winner of the mayor’s London Planning Award, the project is a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom dwellings split across tenures with affordable rent, intermediate (keyworker and shared ownership) and outright sale. Homes benefit from high levels of natural daylight and ventilation, and achieve Code for Sustainable Homes level 4. Two new key public spaces have been created, including a public square in front of a new community building that is also part of the scheme.

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projects

left: The transformation of the Aylesbury estate is set to provide 4,200 new homes over 20 years. below left: The regeneration of the estate will take shape over four phases. Phase one is now complete. below: Affordable Housing Fund homes in East Dulwich.

Affordable Housing Fund Southwark Council intends to build 1,000 new council homes in the borough by 2020: more than have ever been built across the whole of London in the last decade and the biggest programme of council house building in the city for over a generation.

Along with many other London boroughs, Southwark faces a severe housing shortage.

The authority intends to use its Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) to develop the homes and an estimated 216 will be built during the project’s first phase, concentrating on the Willow Walk and East Dulwich areas. Of these, 167 would be for social rent, 49 for Social HomeBuy with a further 62 for private sale.

Council leader Peter John said: “Building 1,000 new council homes will certainly not solve our housing supply challenge – to truly do that requires action outside our control – but goes toward making a fairer future for our homeless and overcrowded families.”

The scheme will create work opportunities for constructors and technical advisors.

The AHF is ringfenced for affordable housing projects but Southwark has made limited use of it so far, with the authority spending £7 million over 10 years. southwarkmagazine.com

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10 summer 2013 27

2

BARRATT LONDON DELIVERING HIGH-QUALITY NEW HOMES IN SOUTHWARK 1

1. Ontario Point, Maple Quays (computer generated image) 2. Vancouver House, Maple Quays (computer generated image) 3. Ontario Point, Maple Quays (computer generated image) 4. Toronto House, Maple Quays 5. Redwood Park (computer generated image) 6. Redwood Park (computer generated image)

3

5

4

6

Barratt London is one of the leading developers in the Capital and one of the only developers able to deliver everything from niche, boutique developments to truly massive urban regenerations.

Delivering iconic schemes such as Maple Quays and Redwood Park in Southwark, Barratt London has a track record of success, delivering new homes, prosperity and stronger communities.

barrattlondon.com Aldgate, Battersea, Brentford, Brixton, Canada Water, Dalston, Fulham, Highbury, Lewisham, Soho, Wandsworth, Westminster

With 245 hectares of parkland – 44% of the borough’s open space – you’re never far from a park in Southwark.

From lush, wildlife-rich woodland to green spaces built on former dockland, to creatively designed adventure play areas, there is a wealth of open space for residents and visitors to enjoy. Lucy Purdy delves deeper into Southwark – one of London’s greenest boroughs

A place to reflect: Nunhead Cemetery is one of London’s great Victorian graveyards.

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Parks

It’s all too beautiful southwarkmagazine.com

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10 summer 2013 31

Sitting in Russia Dock Woodland on a tall, wrought iron chair which resembles something from Alice in Wonderland, it is difficult to believe that the silvery turrets of Canary Wharf lie just beyond the river, headquarters to the likes of HSBC, Citi and KPMG, where 100,000 people make up one of the world’s economic powerhouses.

There is industriousness here too though.

A woodpecker drums away at the trunk of an oak tree, while blue tits fly in and out of the boxes which have been crafted and placed in the woodland by residents and local schoolchildren. Dog walkers saunter through while joggers hurry past and the distinctive pyramid pinnacle of One Canada Square is just visible in the distance.

But only just. This feels like a world away, and it is this juxtaposition between urban buzz and green oasis at which Southwark excels.

Russia Dock Woodland is just one of the borough’s beautiful spots managed by the parks and open spaces team at Southwark Council. They manage 360 hectares of open space, 145 of which are covered by 14 coveted Green Flag Awards – a UK standard for parks and open spaces. Equating to 56% of the total space the team manages, this is among the highest rates in London, with plans afoot to bring Green Flag status to three more Southwark spaces.

A 2012 Ipsos MORI survey, commissioned by environmental charity Groundwork, found that nine out of 10 adults see green spaces as important in choosing where to live or work.

Councillor Barrie Hargrove, cabinet member for transport, environment and recycling, agrees that the importance of these spaces cannot be overstated: “Parks and open spaces are vital to the health and wellbeing of local people – they are free and accessible to all, such an important local resource. They help people get closer to nature, help them be active, encourage children to play, help people escape from busy, noisy lives – the benefits of doing these things are huge.

“The Southwark community agrees too – we have a huge number of active volunteers involved in our parks, from Friends of Parks groups to food growing groups, to occasional volunteers. They all give up their free time to ensure that parks are looked after for the benefit of all.”

Steve Cornish, chair of the Friends of Russia Dock Woodland – a group soon to enter its 10th year – says the park is special because of its historical connection with the old Surrey Commercial Dock, which closed down in the 1970s. The park was made in the 1980s using spoil from the new housing being built by the London Docklands Development Corporation.

“The old dock wall with its ship moorings and chains can still be seen along its entire 32 issue 10 summer 2013

linear length, known as Waterman’s Walk,” says Cornish.

“Russia Dock Woodland is also known as being the closest woodland and wildlife haven to central London. It’s a true urban woodland, with its flowing, bridged waterways and wetlands habitat, fed naturally from the woodland’s wind turbine aquifer pump, pumping up fresh underground water into the ponds and waterways on a daily basis.”

The group also has a close partnership with the adjoining Stave Hill Ecological Park which has its own eco centre and is run and managed

by The Conservation Volunteers – even managing to involve some of London’s most

time-pressed employees in the space.

Cornish says: “Woodland users are now quite accustomed to seeing hundreds of corporate volunteers from global companies like Barclays, PricewaterhouseCoopers and RBS getting involved with activities such as pond clearing, planting young trees, making stag beetle loggeries and natural stone wall building. The ecological upkeep of the woodlands would be virtually impossible without our wonderful partnership. We are very lucky indeed.”

Nunhead Cemetery – one of the lesser known but most attractive of London’s great Victorian cemeteries – features an avenue of

Parks

left: The distinctive bronze and aluminium cladding on First Base’s Printworks in Amelia Street. below: Brandon Street, formerly home to Charlie Chaplin, brightens the streetscape with an injection of colour from ceramic tiles.

left: Russia Dock Woodland – in the heart of the city – but a world away.

Below left: The handsome avenue in Southwark Park. nature’s pace: A peaceful haven for wildlife in Russia Dock Woodland.

towering lime trees as well as a dose of Gothic gloom from the original planting which gives way to enticing paths, echoing the country lanes of a bygone era.

The Friends of Nunhead Cemetery conduct monthly tours to promote the appreciation and conservation of the cemetery as a place of remembrance, historic importance and natural beauty.

Resolutely up-to-date is the 46-hectare Burgess Park, recently benefitting from investment of £8 million and now with facilities including a new over-fives playground, 5km cross-country fitness route, outdoor gym equipment, pathways for cycling southwarkmagazine.com

“russia dock woodland is also known as being the closest woodland and wildlife haven to central london. It’s a true urban woodland”

and roller blading and seven outdoor table tennis tables.

The lake has been redesigned and expanded with two 9m-high fountains and a 90m wooden footbridge designed to connect residents on and near Albany Road to other parts of the park. It is home to hundreds of fish as well as two new wetland habitats used by waterfowl, bats, swifts and house martins.

Due to open this summer is a 400m BMX track featuring jumps as high as 2.5m and floodlighting to enable year-round use.

Funding for the transformation of Southwark’s largest park came from a variety issue

10 summer 2013 33

Parks

Right: The bandstand in Southwark Park.

Below: Volunteers from Canary Wharf companies work to keep Russia Dock Woodland wild and free.

“we may well be the only park in london that has two brilliant art galleries, both run by the bermondsey artists’ group”

of sources: £4 million from community development group Creation Trust, £2 million from the mayor of London’s Help a London Park scheme and a further £2 million from the council.

Chumleigh Gardens, near the centre of the park, is known as a world garden, with a diverse range of plants and landscaping which reflects Southwark’s population.

Southwark Park, another gem, is the oldest metropolitan park in London. It was acquired by the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1864 and opened in 1869. It features what is 34 issue 10 summer 2013

thought to be the only monument to a working man in London’s parks: the Jabez West fountain, which was built to honour a member of a local temperance society.

Southwark Park Bowls Club, founded in 1908, is one of the oldest in the country and a match against Finsbury Park took place there in May, celebrating 100 years of play on its green and commemorating the first match between the two clubs a century ago.

Patrick Kingwell, secretary of The Friends of Southwark Park, says: “We may well be the only park in London that has two brilliant art galleries, both run by the Bermondsey Artists’ Group. We also have the former Rotherhithe Town Hall caryatids which were relocated to the park and look magnificent. We are proud of all of these things.”

A large new park is planned for Southwark, as part of the extensive regeneration of the Heygate estate at the Elephant and Castle.

Actor and comedian Chris O’Dowd, best known for appearances in Channel 4’s The IT Crowd and HBO’s Girls, is just one of several well-known faces you may spot on a

trip to Southwark’s parks. O’Dowd told the Evening Standard that Southwark Park is one of his favourite corners of the capital and regularly walks his dog, a Jack Russell cross called Potato, there.

There is growing media interest in using Southwark’s parks as filming locations – it is now the second busiest borough in London for filmmaking with around 1,500 filming days per year and the Friends of Southwark Park helped contribute to the council events team’s guidelines on filming in the park.

The group is also working with council officers on plans to refurbish the sports centre, bring the nursery site back into public use and, they hope, a new cafe – and Kingwell says the group is proud of its “very good relationship” with the council.

With future investment expected to focus on green spaces in Elephant and Castle and Camberwell Green, reflecting regeneration projects there including the new Camberwell Green library and plaza, Southwark is set to become only a greener and more pleasant land: picture perfect parks for all to enjoy. ❚

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Nun better

London’s villages, with their greens and high streets, strive to balance retaining their distinct character against adapting to commercial demands. Some embrace the high street multiples and chain restaurants, cafes and bars, while others struggle to attract such investment. In Nunhead, regeneration funding is delivering just the kind of change that residents and businesses want, as they are actively involved in the process, finds Colin Marrs The Shard is a global symbol – a sleek embodiment of London’s status as a worldleading economic powerhouse. But fewer than five miles from its shimmering glass facade lies Nunhead – one of London’s network of urban villages and a reminder of the capital’s pastoral roots. Despite its central location, Nunhead retains its own butcher, baker, grocery store and florist – all near a village green overlooked by a traditional English pub. Fishmonger F.C. Soper was established in 1897 and sells fish and shellfish which have both been acclaimed by top chef Angela Hartnett and Observer food writer Jay Rayner.

A regeneration project for the area, begun 36 issue 10 summer 2013

in 2005 by Southwark Council, has recently been given extra legs by an injection of more than a million pounds of public funding.

The Greater London Authority (GLA) has awarded £438,000 to Nunhead from its Outer London Fund (OLF), which was established to help improve areas less likely to benefit from the economic windfall brought by Crossrail or the Olympics. The GLA money is being matched by £673,000 from the council to help realise a multi-faceted renewal strategy for the area. Planned environmental improvements and business support measures are aimed at improving the trading environment, and helping to promote Nunhead as a cultural hub

and visitor destination (see right).

The council’s cabinet member for regeneration and corporate strategy, Fiona Colley, has represented Nunhead as a councillor for 11 years. She says the impending facelift means that things are starting to come together for the area. “It is a really exciting time,” she says, crediting council staff as well as GLA experts who have brought their experience from similar street regeneration projects elsewhere in the capital.

She says: “Having the OLF has reinvigorated the regeneration project. Previously it was progressing incrementally, but the new cash will create a ‘big bang’ that will give momentum and confidence to businesses to set up in the area.”

The improvements are set to put Nunhead firmly back on the map. Funding for arts and cultural festivals and events is a key part of the strategy, aimed at attracting new visitors from across the capital. Colley says: “As much as our plans are about local people, having some events that bring in people from further afield is what we need for a sustainable future.

“I know Nunhead is a fantastic place, but for many people it is an undiscovered gem. The festivals will help raise its profile and hopefully attract new shoppers to the village.” ❚

Nunhead

Nunhead – OLF-funded regeneration Lighting schemes Providing lighting can help boost the nighttime economy and improve perceptions of safety. The railway bridge over Evelina Road will be fitted with new lighting to encourage more visitors.

Low energy light fittings will be trialed elsewhere in Nunhead, and lighting for Christmas and festivals could be designed by local artists.

Nunhead Green

Shop fronts Almost 30 businesses on Nunhead Green and Evelina Road will benefit from investment to spruce up their shop fronts. A holistic approach will see traders choose from a menu of improvements to benefit their businesses, and encourage new shops to open.

Where new shop fronts are not required, traders will be able to choose from a range of signage options, fascia improvements, repair works and lighting.

Pop-up shop An exemplar unit on Nunhead Green has brought back into use one of the vacant shops in order to provide an attractive and welcoming hub for the local community.

The unit was used earlier this year as a consultation venue for the Nunhead regeneration programme, and from this summer until autumn 2014, will house a series of start-up businesses.

Improvements to the Green will help reinforce the area’s village feel and create a space that is welcoming and easily accessible for local people. Residents and traders will be consulted on small-scale upgrades to improve the park environment. Early work by consultants suggests a desire to better connect the Green with the high street.

Festivals A business plan is being prepared to explore how a number of new and existing small-scale events and festivals could come together to create one programme, helping to promote Nunhead as a destination for visitors from further afield. This will include arts and food events, and would incorporate the wellregarded film festival. Concerts and gigs would add a musical flavour.

Business support Initiatives will strengthen communication with and between local businesses to ensure that they play a full role in regeneration plans.

Business expertise in the north of the borough will be tapped to help advise companies elsewhere. A festival programme to promote independent food retailers and restaurants will highlight the range of quality goods and services on offer, and encourage people to shop locally.

Low Carbon Initiatives A new programme will be devised to encourage and advise independent traders on how to reduce waste produced by their businesses. Shopkeepers will also benefit from free energy audits to advise them on other ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

Branded 'lifetime' bags will be introduced to replace plastic carrier bags, and initiatives to encourage walking, as well as electric car charging points, will also be added to the mix.

southwarkmagazine.com

Nunhead website Launched in January, lovenunhead.co.uk is an online community hub for the area. Users can find information on upcoming events, community facilities, regeneration and shops.

There is also a history of Nunhead, plus links to local community groups and discussion forums where issues are debated.

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The View from The Shard

London Bridge Quarter is an iconic 2 million sq ft development located at one of the UK’s busiest transport hubs. At its heart is The Shard, Western Europe’s tallest building and first truly mixed-use vertical town, comprising viewing galleries, exclusive residences, offices, retail, world-class restaurants and the UK’s first Shangri La Hotel. London Bridge Quarter is also home to the magnificent headquarters building, The Place, a new public piazza and a boutique retail mall.

As part of the project, LBQ Ltd has redeveloped the existing London Bridge station concourse, public realm and bus terminus and developed programmes and funding to support community projects and employment in Southwark. When complete, London Bridge Quarter will employ over 12,500 people and attract over a million new visitors to its viewing galleries, restaurants, offices and hotel each year.

A development by

on behalf of LBQ Ltd www.londonbridgequarter.com www.the-shard.com www.theplacelondon.com

Exclusive Residences at The Shard

aqua shard at The Shard

International Headquarters building, The Place

Offices at The Shard

Oblix at The Shard

Hutong at The Shard

buzzing: Borough Market is an epicurean delight, with a sublime range of produce and excellent restaurants.

40 issue 10 summer 2013

Food and drink

The Hunger Games Few places in the country can match Southwark’s diversity when it comes to the range of places to eat and drink. From nationally acclaimed restaurants to great neighbourhood curry houses, street food in the many markets or a pint in a pub where Shakespeare and Dickens reputedly supped, James Wood samples Southwark

Whether you’re a hungry city worker, stepping out on a cold Bermondsey night to revel in the home comfort pleasures of pie and mash, or if your idea of culinary gratification is along more refined lines – perhaps indulging in a poached quail’s egg with asparagus and parmesan starter while sipping Sauvignon Blanc on Bankside, Southwark has it covered.

But diversity doesn’t end with the highend and low delights of cuisine in one of London’s oldest districts. Southwark’s bars and restaurants mirror the multicultural mix to be found throughout the capital and the wealth of choice is extraordinary.

The culinary expedition starts with lunch on Bermondsey Street, with enough variety southwarkmagazine.com

to flummox even the most seasoned hedonist.

Food ranges from refined Italian cuisine at Zucca or comfort food at popular Antico, to authentic Vietnamese sandwiches at the Caphe House cafe and gallery – with a choice of pork, chicken, prawn or tofu on offer.

Should none of these appeal, there are tastes of Spanish, Mexican and Malaysian cuisine to experience.

For a coffee break, the stylish Bermondsey Street Coffee, one of three Street Coffee restaurants in London, offers delicious blended beans from all over the globe, as well as cake and falafel wraps.

A leisurely stroll through Borough Market, sampling some of the finest produce from around the country is easy to get excited by. issue

10 summer 2013 41

There’s the characteristic international buzz of London, with stalls serving up everything from thali to Turkish food and a giant block of cheese melting under a grill offering the traditional French raclette.

Comforts closer to home include excellent produce: homemade Somerset jam, pork pies from Nottingham or fresh apple juice and cider from Herefordshire.

Overlooking the market in the former floral hall, offering views from every window, is the innovative Roast, serving the kind of meals that continental friends of Britain cast a discerning eye over, while enjoying an English breakfast or Sunday roast.

Aiming to celebrate the most British of cooking traditions in the best way possible, Roast sources the finest seasonal ingredients to contribute to the revived culinary reputation of the UK and London’s attraction as a place for dedicated foodies.

Dispelling the accepted order of things has become a feature of Roast. Patrons recently partook in a blind test, asked to decide which bubbles they preferred from one flute containing champagne and another with English sparkling wine. English sparking wine came out on top – by seven to six.

Featuring in the top 10 English restaurants in an ‘Enjoy England’ poll – and being included in the top 10 restaurants for game in The Times – gives Roast an impressive collection of press clippings, with gushing praise from food critics and the public alike.

The Times claims Roast serves the best English breakfast in the country, a sentiment echoed by The Good Food Guide.

42 issue 10 summer 2013

Back down in the market, the tourists continue to flock. There’s genuine excitement and many stall workers are keen to express what they think makes it so unique.

Camille Simon, from the renowned pie chain Pie Minister (pictured right), says: “I believe that Borough Market offers some of the finest food in the country.

“You have to offer something really unique to get a stall here and it means you have a mix of people who genuinely care about what they do. It’s a massive but intricate theatre of food and drink and you really don’t get that in many places.”

Just off Borough Market, on Stoney Street, is Laithwaite’s wine shop, the type of which is rarely found in the UK: a must for any wine aficionado.

Grant Hedley at Laithwaite’s says: “Borough Market is an absolute mecca for food and drink. It’s great because people buy all this fantastic produce from the market and will then come here to match what they buy to a particular wine.

“I think the sense of community between people who work at the market is something you don’t find elsewhere in London. The traders are so relaxed with each other and they’re all lovely people.”

Hedley believes it’s the versatility of the market that makes it stand out. “I’ve seen roast squirrel, ostrich steaks – you name it!” he says.

“Whether you’re after real artisan food or just a bag of chips, you really have to look no further.”

Laithwaite’s was established in 1969, when founder Tony Laithwaite set up the business on the back of his zeal for wine, grown

out of visiting the vineyards of France and Spain and then sharing his passion with his friends and family.

This devotion and personality is matched by the eagerness shown at Laithwaite’s today – the company hosts a series of wine and foodmatching events throughout the year, with produce provided by nearby trader Neal’s Yard.

Something about the authentic, rustic interior of the branch mirrors the staff at Laithwaite’s attitude. The shop is akin to one you may find at a continental vineyard and there is a genuine feeling of authenticity.

Anyone visiting the store can indulge further when discovering one of the country’s

top left: South Indian cuisine and local produce at Ganapati. top: Italian comfort food at Antico in Bermondsey Street. city views: On top of a Peckham multistorey car park, Frank’s Cafe offers unrivalled London views.

Food and drink

finest whisky shops – The Whisky Exchange – is situated at the back.

With whiskies ranging from £20 to £100,000, The Whisky Exchange sees thousands of customers pass through its doors every week. The business has won the UK’s Best Independent Spirits Retailer Award for three years running at the International Spirits Awards.

It’s whisky galore – totalling 2,500, of which about 1,900 are single malts. With 200 bourbons available, the remainder are blended scotch, grain, Irish, Japanese and other drops from countries less known for whisky production, including Wales, South Africa, India, Sweden and Australia.

And it doesn’t stop at whisky. A range of 5,000 other spirits are available. When Southwark visited, Duncan Ross, the store’s knowledgeable assistant manager was preparing for the first Mezcal tasting night, a spirit from Mexico.

“We’re trying to find new and exciting spirits all the time and we thrive on offering a big range,” he says.

“One other new thing we’re trying is a cheese and whisky-matching event. People don’t often associate whisky as a drink to match food to, but that’s where they’re wrong!”

Regular tasting events are also held at popular Bankside bar and restaurant complex Vinopolis, with Laithwaite’s annual event occurring in November.

Between 600 and 800 patrons come through the Vinopolis doors every day and with an original and extensive list of cocktails for thirsty Bankside workers, and a restaurant menu which includes venison steaks and cote de boeuf, it is easy to see why so many are taken by this establishment.

Vinopolis manager, Edward Taflaj says: “We

southwarkmagazine.com

“I believe that Borough market offers some of the best food in the country ... it’s a massive but intricate theatre of food and drink”

certainly see a real mix of people – everyone from businessmen during the week to families and couples at the weekend.

“Our events are proving to be very popular – there are over 100 wines on offer. We offer several packages that we feel present really good value for money.

“Cocktails are made using the freshest ingredients. Our rhubarb mojito is very popular and the Parisienne sour is a quirky one – it mixes absinthe with egg white.”

At the other end of the scale is London’s last remaining galleried London coaching inn, The George on Borough High Street, which is owned by the National Trust. With a bespoke menu and selection of English ales, this 17th century pub is a popular tourist attraction as well as a watering hole for locals.

Morgan French, one of The George’s managers, says: “The stories about Shakespeare and Dickens being regulars are well known and people are quite taken by it.”

Dickens refers to the pub in Little Dorrit, a fact proclaimed on the entrance gate.

“One of the other stories we tell to the locals when the till doesn’t work is that the place is haunted by the ghost of one of the former managers who died here during the industrial revolution,” says French.

“London has quite a connection with ghost stories,” she adds. With its uneven floors and wonky architecture, The George, which was first used as a coaching inn for weary travellers certainly presents an archetypal view of smoky London from centuries past.

But it’s Tooley Street’s Restaurant Story that is being read about today. Tom Sellers has built a restaurant on the idea of creating food loosely inspired by stories and memories.

‘Three bears porridge’, inspired by Goldilocks, is one such creation.

issue

10 summer 2013 43

Food and drink

“our events are proving to be very popular – there are over 100 wines on offer”

Away from the river there is much more to explore in Southwark. Peckham is one of the most ethnically diverse parts of the UK and this cultural variety is reflected in the vast array of restaurants there, which include Indian, Nigerian, Thai and Sudanese.

Local resident and charity worker Tim Denman says: “There’s a lot of choice.

Ganapati is a great south Indian restaurant.

It’s ideal because it’s niche and is proving to be very popular among Peckham hipsters.”

Ganapati also supports the Grown in Peckham initiative, in which local food growers sell produce to restaurants in the area.

On Peckham High Street the Obalende Suya Express has been established for over 20 years. Named after a neighbourhood on Lagos Island, Nigeria, the restaurant serves African and Caribbean flavours with a choice of chicken, beef and goat dishes and more exotic meats like shark and even crocodile.

Peckham’s reputation has changed dramatically over the last few years. Previously 44 issue 10 summer 2013

Top left: Popular tastings at Vinopolis near Borough Market. top: The extensive wine cellar at Zucca on Bermondsey Street. meet-up: The CLF Art Cafe, aka the Bussey Building, attracts a younger crowd to Peckham.

seen as run-down and lacking in things to do, the district is now benefitting from the “Shoreditch treatment”, with warehouse parties now a major attraction for any thrill seeker frequenting the district.

The CLF Art Cafe, aka the Bussey Building, is a popular hang out for partygoers in their early twenties and is attracting a younger crowd to Peckham. In the summer months there is also Frank’s Cafe, atop a multi-storey car park, where crowds can be seen enjoying the rooftop ambience into the late evening.

Kicks in Camberwell include one unsung gem, a Lebanese falafel takeaway

on Camberwell Church Street, which offers value rarely seen in the capital, at £3 for an enormous falafel wrap.

When Southwark visited, the absence of chicken shwarma was compensated by free stuffed vine leaves for punters, as the food was prepared in front of them.

There is a range of culinary thrills and watering holes in Southwark. Whether browsing the markets, sauntering on Bankside or experiencing the unmatched variety of food from all over the world, eating and drinking in Southwark really represents the best of what the capital has to offer. ❚

Supporting the council to positively change the face of Southwark Subject goes here

Grant Thornton’s real estate and asset specialists combine an in-depth understanding of public sector finance and funding with expertise in the delivery and financing of major capital assets and regeneration programmes. We are proud to have been the strategic financial adviser for Southwark Council’s regeneration of the Aylesbury Estate, and to have worked with the council to transform the estate through each of the programme’s phases.

For more information, please contact: Phillip Woolley Partner T 0161 953 6430 E phillip.woolley@uk.gt.com

grant-thornton.co.uk ©2012 Grant Thornton UK LLP. All rights reserved. Grant Thornton UK LLP is a member firm within Grant Thornton International Ltd. southwarkmagazine.com issueat 9 grant-thornton.co.uk summer 2012 045 Grant Thornton International Ltd and the member firms are not a worldwide partnership. Services are delivered independently by member firms. Full disclaimer available

far Right: Camberwell Green in 1964, an era before traffic congestion. right: An ÂŁ11 million transformation for Camberwell, due to complete in late 2014.

Camberwell beauty Change is coming to Camberwell, with the support of residents who have been widely consulted on what they want from local leisure provision, public spaces and redevelopment of the Elmington estate. Estates Gazette’s markets editor Noella Pio Kivlehan reports

46 issue 10 summer 2013

Camberwell

Camberwell SPD The supplementary planning document (SPD) for Camberwell was published in March after public consultation, part of Southwark Council’s pledge to incorporate what residents think in planning decisions.

According to the council, it will “set out the overall plan and detailed guidance for how development in the area should happen”. The SPD will provide further guidance on policies in the Core Strategy, Southwark Plan and London Plan and will be used to influence planning applications in Camberwell.

southwarkmagazine.com

Mentioned in the 11th century Doomsday Book, host to English and foreign kings, and a rumoured battle site between Queen Boadicea and the Romans, Camberwell has been part of English history for 2,000 years. It has changed from a small farming village centered around a green into one of London’s bustling centres.

The area is set for yet more transformation.

Over the next two years, Camberwell will get an £11 million facelift, as part of the “revitalise” regeneration campaign – a collaboration between Southwark and Lambeth councils, and Transport for London.

When completed in late 2014, Camberwell will have better public spaces, a new library, improved main streets and links with the town centre, surrounding residential areas and the Green, which will be redesigned. There will be improved ‘pocket’ spaces: public spaces, roads and laneways throughout the town centre that are currently quiet, neglected or underused.

In the heart of Camberwell, the Elmington estate is being refurbished and in part, redeveloped, while a major revamp to the Camberwell leisure centre finished in December (see box, page 48).

Funding was sought for street improvements in 2009 but was not granted because of other major schemes still in implementation phase.

Two years later, the council published its 10 Fairer Future promises, with a commitment to a new library for Camberwell.

The building was in poor condition, with a leaking basement. Council notes specify that it is “rented accommodation and requires a significant investment to bring it up to standard. In addition the premises are not

accessible for all members of the community.”

In April 2011 came a commitment to deliver the sought-after street improvements.

According to councillor Fiona Colley, cabinet member for regeneration and corporate strategy, these commitments led to further thinking about how the projects were developed, leading to the identification of funding to redesign Camberwell Green. Colley says: “It was through this process that the ‘revitalise’ programme was generated.”

Colley acknowledges that the improvements were long awaited. “Yes, investment has been sought in Camberwell for a long time. And these improvements are answering calls from the community,” she says.

Public consultation has been at the forefront of shaping how Camberwell and the other areas will look. In January, the council launched a six-week timescale to canvass residents. Getting the opinions of local people is, says Colley, “very important, we value what the community think.”

She adds: “Proposals were put forward on a number of aspects providing real choice. The views provided will feed into the next stage of design and development particularly of the streets, pocket spaces and the Green.”

The famous Camberwell Green dates back to 1279 when earliest records show the Camberwell Fair being held there. This historical piece of land last saw significant investment in the early 1990s but consensus was that the play equipment did not meet the community’s expectations. As a result, plans are for new equipment for the play area, new long grass and wild flowers to increase the park’s biodiversity, and improved lighting. issue

10 summer 2013 47

Camberwell

The final design was due to be ready in May 2013, while the new park should open in spring 2014.

The new library (pictured below) will have a larger children’s area, more space for study, books, media and computers and improved public space. The library is due to open during summer 2014.

Colley says: “The current library is very popular despite it being small and not fully accessible. [But] the new library will contribute significantly to the wider regeneration of the town centre.

“The space where the new building will be placed is currently not perceived as being

Camberwell Leisure Centre Baths first opened on the leisure centre site in 1893 and stayed opened until the 1980s when it became a multipurpose sports hall.

Made up of the Jubilee Hall, which housed the original baths, and the 200sq m Warwick Hall, a £6.2 million redevelopment programme began for the centre after Southwark Council was awarded various grants in addition to investment from its own resources.

Works included levelling the Jubilee Hall’s 600sq m floor and preservation of the

original tank pool. In Warwick Hall, there is improved ventilation and air conditioning, while the old ceiling was taken away to expose the Victorian roof; new lighting and an audio system were installed.

The centre reopened in three stages. The swimming pools and changing rooms, cafe and the remodelled front entrance opened in March 2011. This was followed by the gym and dry-side changing rooms in September 2011, and completed Warwick Hall, Jubilee Hall and the youth centre, December 2012.

“the new library will contribute significantly to the wider regeneration of the town centre” safe and is not a pleasant environment.

The pedestrian route to and from the Green and the estates to the north is being maintained and repaved. The lighting will be improved and there is a seating area and soft landscaping, which has a consistent design approach to investments in the Green.”

Colley expects footfall in the new library to increase by over a third. She adds: “This is a community space that maintains the council’s presence in the centre of the borough.”

For the hundreds of years that Camberwell has been occupied, community spirit has been at its heart, whether in welcoming ancient queens or celebrating on the Green. And when the refurbishments are completed, the area will have succeeded in securing a brighter future. ❚ 48 issue 10 summer 2013

Elmington estate Proposed improvements to the Elmington estate, a huge 1960s residential development in the heart of Camberwell, were outlined in 2009, with Southwark Council approving the regeneration programme in March 2011. It is split into three phases.

Phase 1 saw construction of 136 new council homes and six housing association units. Phase 2 is two cleared sites where a development by Notting Hill Housing Trust was granted planning consent in March 2012.

Then last July, the council’s cabinet decided that several of the 1960s blocks – four sites in Phase 3 of the development – should be sold as they were no longer fit for purpose, with replacement the only viable option.

These four areas are between the southeastern boundary of Burgess Park and Camberwell Green. The council hopes 226 homes will be built with a minimum of 20% suitable for larger households in accordance with the new core strategy.

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Culture show Southwark isn’t just somewhere to venture to on the way back from the West End. Whether your interests are theatrical, artistic or merely curious you can easily fill a whole weekend with its cultural delights.

Sarah Herbert takes the tour 50 issue 10 summer 2013

Culture

Above: The Gilbert and George exhibition at the White Cube Bermondsey.

So, how to kick off your Southwark weekend? Bus, tube, train … or indeed boat.

If you want to start out in style, either the Transport for London (TfL) service or one of the many private boat companies alight at either the Bankside pier, opposite Tate Modern, or London Bridge City Pier, getting you straight to the action.

If you arrive by train, take the opportunity for a trip to the top of the Shard, Europe’s tallest building, for spectacular views at any time of day. It’s cheaper if you book in advance, though tickets are available on the day.

If you’d rather keep your feet on the ground, and avoid the crowds, take yourself southwarkmagazine.com

down to Bermondsey Street for some art and design. This former backwater is now almost a weekend destination in its own right, complete with nearby boutique hotel (see box, page 52), and famous old antiques market, should you be there on a Friday morning.

A must see is modern art hotspot White Cube Bermondsey, helping to challenge east London’s crown as hipster art central, with past and present exhibitors including Chuck Close, Tracey Emin, Gilbert and George, and Damien Hirst.

On the same street, along with numerous independent galleries, is the Fashion and Textile Museum. Founded by radical British

designer Zandra Rhodes, the centre showcases a programme of changing exhibitions exploring elements of fashion, textile and jewellery.

Or, for something more practical, stop in at London Glassblowing, where you can blow your own glass, or just admire the amazing creations made on the premises. You may even be tempted to buy an original piece.

If, as is likely, you can’t tear yourself away from the Bermondsey environs, stay into the evening and take in a film at Shortwave, an independent cinema and cafe, showing arthouse, classic and independent film, along with emergent talent. issue

10 summer 2013 51

Whatever you choose to do, Bermondsey Street is awash with eclectic cafes, where you can stop for some rather delicious lunch, well-deserved cake, or all manner of dinner cuisines, depending on your timing. (See our food and drink feature on page 40).

On a Saturday morning wandering through Borough Market is a must, eating a delicious brunch at one of the stalls, and buying delicacies to take home: fresh fruit and veg, artisan bread or cakes, English or French cheeses, Monmouth coffee beans – or even sample the oysters.

Alternatively, drop in to Maltby Street market – a mini-Borough Market, full of culinary delights – on the way to the Design Museum, on the banks of the Thames nearby.

Showcasing the best in modern design, with ever-changing exhibitions, it also has an excellent shop and very good restaurant, for some refreshment after all that culture, with striking views of the river, Tower Bridge, the City and Docklands.

For something completely different, if you’ve had enough art and design, near London Bridge station is a real gem – The Old Operating Theatre. As the name suggests, it’s the UK’s oldest operating theatre, complete with wooden table and steeply raked seats for observers, all squeezed into the roof space of an English Baroque Church, and complete with a herb garret. Not sure what a herb garret is?

Well, you’ll have to visit!

By now, thoughts will be turning to the entertainments of the evening. If you’re staying

overnight sensation pit stop Along with a plentiful supply of budget options, such as Premier Inn, Ibis and Travelodge, with more in the pipeline, weekend visitors also have an enviable selection of boutique hotels, such as the citizenM hotel, Bankside, or Bermondsey Square Hotel near all the hotspots. room with a view A boutique hotel is due to open in late 2014 in the former St Olave’s school building at One Tower Bridge, with a 250-seat restaurant, to operate under the Lalit Hotel brand. mile high Or for an unforgettable stay, how about the Shangri-La on the 34th to 52nd floors of the Shard. The rooms average more than 42 square metres, making them among the largest in London.

52 issue 10 summer 2013

“wandering through borough market is a must, eating a delicious brunch and buying delicacies to take home, artisan bread or cakes” local [see hotel options below], drop any purchases off at the hotel, sit down and chill for a while, then head out again.

If your feet can take it, how about a guided walk of the riverside? John Constable’s walks, for example, take in the Outlaw Borough, Roman London or Charlie Chaplin’s haunts.

Or for more art, Tate Modern stays open until 10pm on Friday and Saturday nights, and the top-floor restaurant has brilliant views of the lit-up city. Though you’ll need to book.

Alternatively, take a stroll – or a taxi or tube – to The Cut, near Waterloo, for a pre-theatre dinner, before taking in the latest production at the Old Vic. Or, for something alternative, at the Menier Chocolate Factory, whose restaurant serves set menus fitting the play currently being performed.

Further towards Elephant and Castle hands-on learning: The Horniman Museum Aquarium, with 15 exhibits from around the world.

Above right: A bad day for Jeff at Tate Modern – Lichtenstein: A Retrospective.

Far right: Alexander Hanson and Hannah Waddingham in A Little Night Music at the Menier Chocolate Factory. right: The art of glass blowing.

is the fringe Southwark Playhouse, in its temporary home on Newington Causeway while its original home at London Bridge is being redeveloped.

Head east, even further off the beaten track, to the Canada Water Culture Space (in Piers Gough’s radical library building) for anything from jazz performances to comedy to theatre in total darkness.

After all that sitting down, what could be nicer than a stroll back to the hotel along the river?

There’s still plenty to explore near the river on a Sunday. For some proper history, how about Southwark Cathedral: London’s earliest cathedral church – there’s been a church on this site since AD606 – sited at the oldest crossing point of the Thames. Or Shakespeare’s Globe: the faithfully reconstructed theatre offers exhibitions and tours, as well as plays performed in the round. If you can visit in January 2014 a second theatre space will open – an authentically recreated Jacobean theatre, hosting candle-lit plays such as The Tempest or Cymbeline, always intended for more intimate settings than the Globe’s main outdoor Elizabethan-style playhouse.

Those of a nautical bent will enjoy the Golden Hinde, a full-size replica of the Tudor warship in which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe in the 16th century, full of information about life at sea for officers and ordinary sailors, as well as tales of Drake’s voyage, and 16th century weapons and warfare. Or explore all nine decks of

Culture

where it’s at White Cube Bermondsey whitecube.com

Fashion and Textile Museum ftmlondon.org

Design Museum designmuseum.org

London Glassblowing londonglassblowing.co.uk

HMS Belfast, a warship of the second world war, which is moored up near Tower Bridge, complete with interactive operations room and ‘gun turret experience’.

For something quirkier, and out of the rain, check out The Clink Prison Museum, with its splendid array of gruesome torture implements and prison ephemera. It was built on the original site of the Clink Prison, which is one of the oldest in England (dating to 1144) and used to control Southwark, then home to many of London’s nefarious establishments – including bull-baiting, bear-baiting, inns and other darker entertainments – due to their banning in the City of London.

Or, if your interests run more towards wine – and you have nothing challenging planned for the afternoon – how about Vinopolis, an intriguing wine experience, set among a labyrinth of tunnels under London Bridge station. It offers wine tasting packages, ranging from ‘essential’ to ‘quintessential’, as well as several cafes and restaurants.

A trip eastwards yields some surprises, such as the Piers Gough-designed Canada Water Library and culture space, with a range of exhibitions, or the Brunel Museum, (part of the Brunel Engine House), which tells the story of the birth of mass urban southwarkmagazine.com

Shortwave

shortwavefilms.com

The Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret thegarret.org.uk

Southwark Playhouse southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

Canada Water Culture Space

canadawaterculturespace.org.uk

The Clink Prison Museum clink.co.uk

Dulwich Picture Gallery dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

Unicorn Theatre unicorntheatre.com

Surrey Docks Farm surreydocksfarm.org.uk

Fire Brigade Museum london-fire.gov.uk

issue

10 summer 2013 53

transport and the extraordinary engineering feat of the construction of the nearby Rotherhithe Tunnel.

Away from the river there are even more options. Taking the train from London Bridge station to Forest Hill, you’ll find the Horniman Museum with its eclectic collections ranging from natural history to anthropology to musical instruments to an aquarium, set in six hectares of gardens.

Another option in the heart of the borough is Dulwich Picture Gallery, a classical building in gardens housing one of the world’s most important collections of European old master paintings of the 1600s and 1700s, along with regular exhibitions of other genres. Naturally, it has a very good cafe that could round off your weekend in Southwark perfectly.” ❚

well-read: Canada Water Library – a place to stand and stare.

Culture show Like Art?

No

Like museums?

No

How about theatre?

No

is dance more your thing?

No

More of a flaneur?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Modern Tate Modern, Bankside Gallery

history The Old Operating Theatre, The Clink Prison Museum, Brunel Museum

Authentic Shakespeare Shakespeare’s Globe

Siobhan Davies Dance Company

hidden gems The Clink Prison Museum, Canada Water Culture Space, Rose Theatre (London’s first theatre, currently two-thirds excavated), Jerwood Space (dance space and gallery), Brunel Museum

Classical Dulwich Picture Gallery

art and design Fashion and Textile Museum, Design Museum more practical London Glassblowing (Bermondsey) Need a drink on the way but with some education?

Vinopolis Laithwaite’s The George Inn The Whisky Exchange

54 issue 10 summer 2013

reworked classics Old Vic Fringe Southwark Playhouse, Menier Chocolate Factory

Architectural gems to look out for?

Tate Modern Shard Peckham Library Canada Water Library Palestra Bankside 123

And to satisfy the transport buff?

Brunel Museum Golden Hinde HMS Belfast London Bridge station Jubilee line extension tube station

WORKING TOGETHER Building regulations? No problem – we’re here to help Whether you're building a dwelling extension or a complex skyscraper Southwark Council's building control team can help you. > We have dedicated and experienced building control surveyors > We provide advice and support for our clients and design teams > We take the complexity out of the technical > We promote and support innovative design solutions Peter Card, head of building control 020 7525 5588 Simon Harvey, group manager 020 7525 5586 building.control@southwark.gov.uk www.southwark.gov.uk/buildingcontrol

Southwark’s regional winners in the 2013 LABC London Building Excellence Awards

Mickey Lee

Images of The Shard copyright of Sellar

Best domestic extension – Frank Dixon Way, Dulwich

Best large housing development – Neo, Bankside

Best large commercial and best technical innovation – The Shard, Borough

www.southwark.gov.uk

In safe hands

Major schemes need teams of professionals with different expertise, but in the domestic market, not every adaptation needs an architect or a services engineer. From the humblest home extension or loft conversion to international icons the Shard or NEO Bankside, local authority building control officers inspect and advise throughout each project, ensuring their safety. Peter Card, head of building control, speaks to Southwark magazine editor Siobhรกn Crozier 56 issue 10 summer 2013

There are few roles in the development field that span projects as diverse in function, form and scale as those on the daily list of a council building control officer.

Whether visiting award-winning, globally renowned developments NEO Bankside (pictured) and the Shard, inspecting progress on a Peckham domestic extension, or ensuring the safety of the Cuming Museum in Walworth Road after a fire, for Peter Card, head of building control at Southwark Council, dealing with any of these projects is all part of the job.

Technical case study

A local authority’s building control service ensures that new buildings are designed and constructed safely, in compliance with building regulations – and this also applies to the adaptation or extension of existing structures.

Officers come and go on different projects, says Card: “We’re not on-site all the time, we do lots of visits as it’s always better for a fresh pair of eyes to see the work – we might miss issues if we were there all the time.”

In May, Southwark’s team took four gongs in the London section of the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) awards, which means automatic entry to the national competition.

The Shard won awards in the technical innovation and large project categories, while the team took the best large housing development award for NEO Bankside, and a family home in Dulwich won the best domestic extension category.

It must be an enviable portfolio for a building control officer to be able to deal with several globally acclaimed projects in the course of a career. For Card and his team of 14, working in one of the capital’s development destinations of choice for investors, prestigious schemes go with the Southwark territory.

“The Shard is the tallest project I’ve ever dealt with and was the most complex because of its height – there were physical challenges with construction of lifts, the viewing gallery with open decks, which have to be shut when the windspeed is too high,” he says.

Regardless of the scale of the project, building control officers bring their professional experience and apply standard codes of practice. “It’s back to first principles – the ‘fire engineered approach’, looking at how a building is put together and whether it is feasible in terms of fire risk,” Card explains.

Southwark Council has invested some £48 million in assessing fire risk in its housing stock and is the largest council landlord in London, with 39,000 homes in its ownership and another 16,700 leasehold properties. The building control service contributes to the fire risk assessment process.

Architect Graham Stirk explains the structure of buildings in the luxury NEO Bankside development: “A key feature is the external bracing, which allows a fantastic amount of flexibility inside the apartments.

All the walls internally are non-structural, which means we have been able to open up the floor-to-ceiling space much higher than in a conventional apartment. That has enabled us to maximise daylight and the views. Everyone can move through generous lobby spaces and enjoy the ride and the river views in the glazed external lifts going up to their apartment.”

On a project as complex as NEO Bankside, Card will meet with the developer or architect at the planning stage, when fire safety is the southwarkmagazine.com

Neo Bankside Developer: GC Bankside, joint venture between Native Land and Grosvenor Architect: Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners Landscape architect: Gillespies Project: four hexagonal pavilions of 217 residential units, plus a six-storey office block Height: ranging from 12 to 24 storeys Net area: 36,200sq m Structure: blocks with exterior bracing and glazed lift towers Public realm: connecting riverside gardens at Tate Modern to Southwark Street

uppermost concern as the plans are being devised. “We look at the number and size of the stairs, such a building will need a firefighting stair and a fire-fighting lift,” he says.

“Dry or wet risers are built in so that London Fire Brigade (LFB) can plug in at different levels, with water from the tank pumped up to different stages with booster pumps in place.”

When the basic procedures are deemed satisfactory, the architect will submit plans to the building control service. “We then come up with a schedule of work to ensure it complies,” says Card. Consultation with LFB ensues and when work begins on site, Card and his officers visit regularly to monitor progress.

Nearer completion, the building control team test the systems: emergency lights, sprinkler systems, dry and wet risers and finally, what happens when the fire alarm is activated? When confident that the pumps and generators start up and the systems are fully functioning, the building control team can be confident that their work is done and issue the completion inspection certificate.

As a fee-earning service, building control operates at no cost to the council taxpayer. The team buys in additional professional expertise so that it has the capacity to deal with current projects. And Southwark has some of London’s most ambitious schemes, such as The Place at London Bridge Quarter, the development of a new cancer centre for Guy’s Hospital or huge regeneration of the Elephant and Castle.

On each of these schemes, as well as loft conversions in Dulwich, basements in Bermondsey or rear extensions in Nunhead, Card and his team will be making inspection visits giving professional guidance to developer or homeowner throughout the project, from conception to completion, to deliver buildings that are structurally sound and properly protected from fire risk. ❚

Planning consent: granted by Southwark Council in 2007 Value: £400 million Structural engineers: Waterman Structures Contractor: Carillion Project manager: EC Harris Services engineer: Hoare Lea Fire consultant: Hoare Lea Planning consultant: DP9 Cost consultant: WT Partnership Co-architects: John Robertson Architects Development manager: Native Land

Awards for NEO Bankside: 2013 Local Authority Building Control (LABC) London, Best Large Development 2012 RESI Award, Development of the Year 2012 International Property Awards, Best Landscape Architecture in United Kingdom 2012 International Property Awards, Best Landscape Architecture in London 2012 Evening Standard Awards, Grand Prix Award 2012 Evening Standard Awards, Best Large Development 2012 New Homes and Gardens Awards, Gold Award – Best Communal Garden / Landscape 2012 New Homes and Gardens Awards, Gold Award – Best Landscaped Urban Development 2011 International Property Awards, Best International Development

issue

10 summer 2013 57

Sitematchlondon.com An online database of public sectorowned development opportunities in Southwark and across London

Southwark fact file Population 288,300

Planning applications From October to December 2012, the council granted 19 out of 20 major applications 68% of decisions were taken within 13 weeks (DCLG)

(2011 Census) Size 2,886-ha

Housing tenure 29.3% own their property either outright or with a mortgage 23.6% rent privately 43.2% rent socially 3.9% other (2011 Census)

(GLA) Number of businesses 13,890

(ONS 2010) Average house prices Detached house £869,244 Semi detached £562,323 Terraced £446,816 Flat £387,536

Pre-application planning advice fees Large-scale complex developments: £2,500 plus VAT

Community Infrastructure Levy Southwark Council plans to submit the draft charging schedule to the Planning Inspectorate in late 2013 Labour market Southwark had 228,000 jobs in 2010, ranking fourth in London, after the City, Westminster and Camden Job density is 1.08 jobs per resident of working age (London average is 0.88) (ONS)

(Land Registry, April 2013) Average rateable value £48,000 Average business rates with the 2013/14 multiplier of 0.471 is £22,608 (Valuation Office Agency)

58 issue 10 summer 2013

for more information Contact: Jeremy Pilgrim Head of property jeremy.pilgrim@southwark.gov.uk 020 7525 1133

Sitematch London

Moncrieff Street/Cerise Road

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Location: central Peckham Size: 0.75-ha Owner: Southwark Council PTAL: 6a Possible uses: leisure, retail, residential

Location: central Peckham Size: 1.2-ha Owner: partly owned by Southwark Council PTAL: 6a Possible uses: leisure, retail, residential, business

Site description

Site description

This central Peckham site currently contains a multi-storey car park and cinema. There is potential for leisure, retail and residential development, including a cinema. The site has potential for tall buildings.

The site is located in central Peckham. Any proposed scheme has to retain the landmark Bussey Building. The site has potential for tall buildings.

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10 summer 2013 59

Copeland Road

Eagle Wharf 5 A221

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Location: central Peckham Size: 0.31-ha Owner: 0.26-ha owned by Southwark Council PTAL: 6a Possible uses: retail, residential, business

Location: central Peckham Size: 0.4-ha Owner: Southwark Council PTAL: 6a Possible uses: retail, residential, leisure, community

Site description

Site description

The site is located in central Peckham, and currently contains a car park, workshops and a car wash. Suitable for retail, residential and business proposals, the site has potential for tall buildings.

A mixed-use scheme based on building heights of up to four storeys, centred on a revitalised new square, the development would create a vibrant and diverse environment.

The council envisages that the site could include residential, retail, community and leisure use, and potentially include a new cinema, which would help create a cultural focus for Peckham Square.

sitematchlondon.com 60 issue 10 summer 2013

Sitematch London

Former Early Years Centre

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Park Street/Redcross Way

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River Thames

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Location: adjacent to Borough Market Size: 0.04-ha Owner: Southwark Council PTAL: 6b Possible uses: residential, office

Location: Nunhead Green Size: unknown Owner: Southwark Council PTAL: 3 Possible uses: residential

Site description

Site description

A Grade II-listed building requiring complete refurbishment and structural repairs.

Prominent site overlooking Nunhead Green. The site is set to be sold with planning consent.

The scheme is anticipated for privately owned properties, with eight houses and six flats. Affordable homes are set to be constructed on an adjoining site and will be retained by the council.

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Delancey is committeD to creating neighbourhooDs, homes anD places where lonDoners live great lives. we are prouD to be realising this ambition in elephant anD castle with the Development of tribeca square. tribeca square

get living lonDon

the lancasters

ODEOn KEnSInGTOn

east village

ram brewery

tribeca square

east village

TRIBECA SQUARE • ThE lAnCASTERS • EAST VIllAGE • GET lIVInG lOnDOn • ODEOn KEnSInGTOn • RAM BREWERY

DELANCEY. NOT A TYPICAL PROPERTY INVESTOR

Delancey· lansdowne house· berkeley square· london w1J 6er tel + 44 (0) 207 448 1448· fax +44 (0) 207 448 1449· www.delancey.com

ELEPHANT & CASTLE LONDON

AERIAL VIEW OF THE SITE LOOKING NORTH

ZONE ONE’S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED RESIDENTIAL & LIFESTYLE DEVELOPMENT 1 & 2 bedroom apartments and 3 bedroom penthouses for private rent Sainsbury’s food and convenience store

4 screen digital cinema Additional Restaurants and Retailers

www.tribecasquare.com

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