Pocket Living builds affordable homes for London’s young middle-earning city makers who contribute to the city in so many ways but can’t afford to buy their first home. Pocket homes are unique. They’re only for first time buyers who live and work locally and remain affordable in perpetuity. Purchasers own 100% of their home from day one. Backed by the Mayor of London and with a pipeline of over 1,000 genuinely affordable homes by 2021, Pocket Living is proud to be working with Southwark to provide quality homes for the borough’s first-time buyers.
southwark
The London property ladder is missing its lower rungs. We’re putting them back in Southwark.
A cut above the rest Hairdressing hub takes off in Peckham, joining much-loved theatres, cinemas and breweries
Raising a glass Traditional pubs meet new tap rooms in one of the United Kingdom’s most bustling boroughs
Strong and stable? Breaking through the Brexit uncertainty: Southwark is confident in its economic future
Building communities A key hinge between major regen zones could become a destination in its own right
southwark Issue 21 Spring 2019
Varcoe Road SE16 is the first Pocket Living scheme in Southwark. Designed by Maccreanor Lavington, the development is made up of 100% genuinely affordable Pocket homes. The scheme will also feature commercial space on the ground floor for local small businesses. Residents will have access to a co-working space, a sun room, ample cycle storage and two landscaped communal roof terraces with gardens. For more information visit pocketliving.com
Issue 21 Spring 2019
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Flying the Green Flag Prioritising the provision of open space in an urban setting, bringing benefits to the local community
PARKS, PUBS AND PLACEMAKING
From Rye Lane to Tower Bridge Road, new development areas, investment in Walworth and opportunities for all
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MALT STREET
Resilient Southwark
LONDON SE1
An exciting new green place for everyone www.berkeleygroup.co.uk Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies
Prices and details correct at time of going to press. Computer Generated Image is indicative only.
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Berkeley are passionate about creating amazing new spaces to live, work and enjoy.
AT THE TIME OF WRITING, no-one knows whether Brexit is happening with a deal, of whatever nature, without a deal or, indeed, at all. And, if we do leave the EU, we don’t know what the effects are going to be on the UK, London or individual boroughs. No wonder investors are wary. The whole country won’t be affected equally. As the Centre for London says: “Many risks involved in departure from the EU are common to all parts of the UK. Risks that disproportionately affect the capital are those that challenge London’s openness to trade and talent.” Manufactured goods account for around only around 25% of London’s exports, with growth concentrated in services, which have doubled in value to around £100 billion in the past decade, and now account for 46% of the country’s service exports. That makes the city less vulnerable to fluctuations on the physical trade of goods, and less reliant on the EU, than other parts of the UK. However, it is vulnerable to problems with the service sector (mainly banking and business, but with growth in architecture, engineering and creative sectors) and the need for regulatory compliance with the EU. Research by TheCityUK estimates that regulatory alliance problems could cost the UK 3,000-4,000 jobs and £2 billion of revenue, if financial services retain access on similar terms to today’s, to 35,000 jobs, revenue of £20 billion and tax revenues of up to £5 billion, if we rely on WTO rules. While Southwark isn’t home to many conventional banking and business services firms, it has a burgeoning digital services sector, which would be subject to complex data protection standards regulation, and a growing hub of creative industries, which will also need specific agreements. Despite these concerns, Stephen Platts, regeneration director at Southwark Council, is bullish. “Commercial growth in Southwark will come from the creative and digital sector, not the traditional areas of banking or law. There is huge demand for the right staff, and creative and digital type employees want to be somewhere vibrant and diverse like Our plans for our new site along the Old Southwark. Kent Road will deliver up to 1,300 Companies want to be close to their workforce, and that workforce new homes, many of them affordable homes, alongside 75,000 sq wants ft of to be where it’s happening. And where it’s industrial, commercial and retail space and a 250m new linear happening is in long places brand such as Peckham and north Southwark, areas with vibrant growth park for the whole community to enjoy. Over half of the site will be public open and young community. space with a large central piazza and green“Southwark streets to enhance pedestrian is now a mainstream commercial part of central London, with and cyclist permeability in the area. We are also creating generous new significant floor space, and very low void rates – the Southin Bank hason the site. lowest void rate of employment spaces to provide a 400% increase jobs anywhere in London, at 3%.” On the residential front, across London, We are proud to be working with Southwark Council to create a fantastic all indicators over the past 18 months point new place for all. to a property slowdown, to put it politely. southwarkmagazine.com
WE HAVE GOOD SCHOOLS, FANTASTIC OPEN SPACES, IMPROVING TRANSPORT LINKS AND INVESTMENT PROGRAMMES However, according to Platts, Southwark is set to weather the storm, as it has in the past. “The borough’s fundamentals are sound. We have good schools, fantastic open spaces, improving transport links and investment programmes across the borough. We’re seeing constant improvement to residential amenities, food offer, culture, theatres...” His optimism is borne out by the statistics. Between 2008, the last property recession, and 2017, property prices rose by 90% in Southwark, according to Right Move, compared to 31% in Kensington and Chelsea, 82% in Camden, 61% in Westminster – all prime central London locations – and 75% in neighbouring Lambeth. And last year, when the property slowdown was really starting to bite, Southwark had London’s best-performing housing market, with a 4.7% rise, according to the Land Registry, compared to 1.8% in Kensington and Chelsea, -1.8% in Camden, 0.3% in neighbouring Lambeth, and a giant -10.1% in Westminster. So why has Southwark been so resilient? Says Platts: “Location, location, location. We’re basically central London, but trading at discount to comparable areas. Canada Water is 20-30% cheaper than Canary Wharf, Elephant and Castle is 20-30% cheaper than KX, and Peckham is cheaper than Brixton. It still provides good value for money, in London terms.” “What’s unique in Southwark,” says Platts, “is the amount of regeneration, and the potential still to come. Lots of boroughs have one major scheme, whereas we have so many running in tandem that 50% of the borough is a regeneration zone. It runs right through the borough, from Elephant and Castle to Canada Water, down the Old Kent Road. And it’s not just for future residents, but existing residents too.” Platts is an old hand at property recessions, now living through his third. “Property has always been cyclical. My message to the development community is not to panic.”
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Our plans for our new site along the Old Kent Road will deliver up to 1,300 new homes, many of them affordable homes, alongside 75,000 sq ft of industrial, commercial and retail space and a 250m long brand new linear park for the whole community to enjoy. Over half of the site will be public open space with a large central piazza and green streets to enhance pedestrian and cyclist permeability in the area. We are also creating generous new employment spaces to provide a 400% increase in jobs on site. We are proud to be working with Southwark Council to create a fantastic new place for all.
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Working with the London Borough of Southwark to create a vibrant, inclusive, mixed-use development at Canada Water
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Find out more at: www.canadawatermasterplan.com www.britishland.com
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17/11/2018 13:51 08:29 19/03/2019
PROUD TO BE INVESTING IN SOUTHWARK INTRODUCING LONDON SQUARE BERMONDSEY
London Square focuses on prime locations with good transport links – places where people want to live. London Square Bermondsey is a perfect example, regenerating the Rich Industrial Estate with an exciting scheme that spans 4.7 acres, and combines homes of all tenures, public realm and a commercial hub. The Sales Suite and Show Apartments are now open and showcase the new build and warehouse style 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments exceptionally. For more information on our portfolio or to join our award winning team, please contact us.
CALL 01895 627 333 OR VISIT WWW.LONDONSQUARE.CO.UK Computer generated image depicts London Square Bermondsey and is indicative only. Photography depicts the Sales Suite and The Crosse Show Apartment at London Square Bermondsey. Details are correct at time of going to press – March 2019.
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contents 09 Introduction Looking ahead at issue 21. 10 news Opportunities for younger people, benefits for communities. 22 bricklayers A new destination is emerging between three distinct regeneration zones. 32 placemaking Excitement soars for the latest Elephant and Castle plans.
39 rye lane Peckham’s new hairdressing hub and the businesses contributing to this key area’s growth. 47 projects From Manor Place Depot to schemes on Old Kent Road and in Canada Water – transformations continue apace. 54 southwark’s resilience With Brexit causing anxiety for the country’s economic prospects, Southwark is prepared.
14 parks In an urban environment, recognising the vitality of wellmaintained open spaces is key.
26 pubs Home to some of the most historic pubs in the country, Southwark is also keeping up with the latest trends, creating a brilliant environment for a night out.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF James Renoux-Wood DESIGN Smallfury PRODUCTION MANAGER Christopher Hazeldine BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Paul Gussar PROJECT MANAGER Sue Mapara SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Simon Maxwell MANAGING DIRECTOR Toby Fox PRINTED BY Tradewinds
COVER IMAGE Festival goers eating in Copeland Square IMAGES Grant Smith, Roxene Anderson, Fourpure, Will Scott / willscottphotograhpy.com, Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy, WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo, John Gaffen / Alamy, Scott Hortop / Alamy, Holly Wren Photography, The Mumper of SE5, ilpo musto / Alamy, Southwark Council, GortScott, Nic CrillyHargrave Photography, Antic, © Rehan Jamil, Tom Leighton / tomleighton.co.uk, DrAfter123 / iStock
Sunley House, Bedford Park, Croydon CR0 2AP PUBLISHED BY T 020 7978 6840 W 3foxinternational.com SUBSCRIPTIONS AND FEEDBACK southwarkmagazine.com southwarkmagazine.com
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FSC CARBON NEUTRAL ©3Fox International Limited 2019. 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. issue
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Aviva Investors and Galliard Homes are working with Southwark Borough Council on plans for the redevelopment of the Cantium Retail Park on the Old Kent Road. Opening up the site to the public with a linear park, urban square and other walking routes and green spaces, the proposed development will have an important role in creating an identity for the area, that will include creating new affordable homes and jobs, and supporting thriving business, arts and cultural communities.
For more information: 020 3907 8987 cantiumretailpark@fourcommunications.com
Issued by Aviva Investors Global Services Limited, registered in England No. 1151805. Registered Office: St Helens, 1 Undershaft, London, EC3P 3DQ. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. 6285 RA19/0204/01052019
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WHERE IT’S HAPPENING With global waves of uncertainty lapping against our shores, in this edition we take time to reflect on the resilience of Southwark, and the reasons why people still flock to live and work in our borough. In a world of homogeneity, people are looking for distinctiveness, vibrancy and diversity. In Southwark, we are blessed with a deep history, and a melting pot of cultures which have created special places which we treasure. In this edition we tell you the story of three areas brimming with character: Rye Lane, Walworth Road and Tower Bridge Road. I am very proud of the organic changes to the Rye Lane area, with the recent openings of both Peckham Palms and the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, which together with the townscape heritage initiative are protecting and enhancing a unique neighbourhood. At the Elephant and Castle, our vision to put back the missing section of the Walworth Road is coming to fruition, with new shops and a public square finally connecting this historic high street back into the heart of the town centre.
While retail outlets are closing across the country, Tower Bridge Road at the Bricklayers Arms is bucking the trend, with a high street which continues to thrive. Located at the nexus of three regeneration areas, Bricklayers is benefitting from huge growth in population within walking distance of Old Kent Road, London Bridge and the Elephant and Castle: we hope you will join us in our campaign to Back the Bakerloo to build a new tube station here. If we can sum Southwark’s secret up in one word, I’d use ‘amenity’. We are working hard to reinvest as much of the funding from growth that we receive into creating the best possible amenities for our residents. What better place to showcase this ambition than our rich array of parks, which we feature in this edition with a spotlight on some of the 29 parks which have received Green Flag awards. During volatile times, we will continue to build world-class amenities and vibrant neighbourhoods. Come and celebrate diversity with us in Southwark.
Councillor Peter John OBE Leader of Southwark Council
CONTACT Dan Taylor / Chief Executive’s Department Southwark Council / 160 Tooley Street / SE1 2QH regen.info@southwark.gov.uk / 020 7525 5450 southwarkmagazine.com
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News
the news
WHAT’S NEW AND HAPPENING IN SOUTHWARK
OLD KENT ROAD GOES UP IN THE WORLD Old Kent Road’s transformation from industrial arterial route to destination boulevard has been hastened by Southwark Council’s approval of a scheme for 1,100 homes on the Cantium Retail Park. The scheme, submitted by Aviva Investors and Galliard Homes, will replace retail sheds including a B&Q with three towers of 48, 37 and 26 storeys, including 363 homes earmarked as ‘affordable’ (237 for rent, and 126 for shared ownership). The existing retailers have been offered space in the car-free development. Section 106 contributions would be used to push forward council plans for Frensham Street park, and to improve bus capacity before the Bakerloo line extension.
The high-rise scheme will join the Farrell-designed Ruby Triangle project, of over 1,000 homes, for developer Avanton, approved in October and comprising four residential towers ranging in height from 17 to 48 storeys, or 170m. To help the local community keep track of the pace of development, Southwark Council has launched a new website about the 20-year investment programme along the three-mile long Old Kent Road, with information on plans for its future, the Bakerloo line extension, businesses, and a planning applications map.
Visit oldkentroad.org.uk, the new interactive website
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Read up-to-date news stories about Southwark’s regeneration online at southwarkmagazine.com
SEN SCHOOL BLOSSOMS IN PECKHAM Cherry Garden School, for children with profound learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorders – rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted – has opened its new site in Peckham. Its larger premises is more central in Southwark – it was formerly based in Bermondsey – and allows an increase in capacity to 75 places, plus a 10-place nursery and an eight-place satellite class. The architect Hawkins Brown designed a bright and simple building, with clear layout,
and specialist multi-sensory environment with a hydropool, sensory room, soft play rooms, trampoline room, two playgrounds, a sensory outdoor area and large play deck. Headteacher Teresa Neary said: “The children have always been pretty happy, but they are so much calmer in this building. They are really enjoying the space and visual clarity of the building. There is amazing natural light. The staff love the staff terrace. It’s just a beautiful building in so many ways.”
COUNCIL TAKES COURAGE Southwark Council has bought Courage Yard on Shad Thames, which it will retain to generate income for frontline services. The square of seven office, retail and residential buildings, on the site of the former Courage Brewery, close to the council’s own headquarters on Tooley Street, was purchased for £89 million. The investment will generate around £5 million per year in revenue, which the council will put towards vital services. Victoria Mills, cabinet member for finance, performance and Brexit, said: “Income we receive from our commercial property portfolio is essential to help support our highly valued public services in this time of decreasing government funding.” Over the years, Southwark Council has acquired commercial assets to generate revenue. Mills said: “Projects are chosen based on being in Southwark and the size and resilience of their revenue return. “A number of properties the council owns have been sold to help finance our substantial capital programme or we have developed to deliver new council housing. This has reduced our income from commercial assets. This latest acquisition replenishes income lost.”
THE REAL APPRENTICES Southwark Council has launched a campaign to create 2,500 new apprenticeship schemes by May 2022 to help residents from all backgrounds, with different educational levels and experience, kick-start their careers. The commitment builds on its 2014 pledge to create 2,000 apprenticeships. Councillor Kieron Williams, cabinet member for jobs, skills and innovation, said: “Apprenticeships are a great way to kick-start your career or take the next step up the ladder. “But there is still an impression among some job seekers that apprenticeships are for younger people, straight out of school or college, when in fact they can appeal to all age ranges.” southwarkmagazine.com
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CHARITY PUTS ITS TRUST IN BLACKFRIARS The Prince’s Trust is planning to move its head office from the City to the Blackfriars Circus development near St George’s Circus, where it would occupy the bottom two floors of the low-rise part of the scheme fronting Library Street. The new office will accommodate 180 office-based workers and provide a base for staff members involved in training the young people who are taking part in the trust’s programmes. The trust – which helps nearly 60,000 young people around the country into jobs, education and training – will join Tesco, Starbucks and G2 Travel in 4,000sq m of commercial space, which is topped by 360 apartments.
PALMS — PECKHAM’S FUTURE London’s only specialist BAME hair and beauty arcade has opened, in the heart of Peckham Rye. The Palms comprises 40 individual hair and beauty micro-businesses and sole traders, seven independent hair salons, and six independent beauticians, within a fully equipped parlour. There is also three hospitality units (including a rum bar), an events space hosting weekly workshops, knowledge transfer seminars, supper clubs and events, and a community hall for use by the local Atwell Estate residents. The units have primarily been offered to businesses, mainly AfroCaribbean hairdressers and nail bars, that need to be temporarily re-located during work to create the new public square in front of Peckham Rye Station. This work will continue until 2021 and involves transforming the narrow, dimly lit passageways that lead to the station into the square.
12 issue 21 spring 2019
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NEW CHANT FOR MILLWALL? Millwall has become the first London football club to announce its official support for the Back the Bakerloo campaign, run by Southwark and Lewisham Councils, to encourage capital-wide enthusiasm for extending the line through the two boroughs. The extension will dramatically improve transport links, relieve the load on other transport, and make the wider south London area more accessible than it has ever been before. It will also deliver thousands of new homes, including affordable homes, and jobs, supporting the local economy and helping tackle London’s housing crisis.
HOXTON COMES TO BLACKFRIARS A third London branch of ‘open house’ Hoxton Hotel will open on Blackfriars Road this summer. The 14-storey building will provide 192 beds, 2,787sq m of office space, a restaurant and rooftop bar, and improvements to the public realm along Colombo Street. The hotel and office building will be welcoming to all, with a vibrant cafe bar at the ground floor, and public access to the rooftop bar with superb views of the area.
CHARTERED TERRITORY Southwark’s newest secondary school, the Charter School East Dulwich, opened its doors to pupils in January. Facilities at the multimillion pound school include a multi-use indoor sports hall, dedicated dance studio, extra-large science labs and spaces dedicated to woodwork, metalwork, textiles and graphics, along with a dedicated graphics IT suite, complete with 3D printer. All classrooms are equipped with the latest touch-screen smartboards and storage space is integrated so as to not encroach on valuable teaching space. Classrooms, hallways and communal areas maximise natural light and space. southwarkmagazine.com
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Over the next few years, the school will continue to grow until it reaches its full capacity of 1,680 students in eight forms of entry. Work on phase two is due to get under way in 2020 and will see the addition of dedicated music and drama teaching spaces, as well as outdoor sports facilities and a multi-use assembly hall. The entire campus complex, on the site of the old East Dulwich Hospital, is expected to be complete by 2022. Alex Crossman, headteacher of the Charter School East Dulwich, said: “Having launched our school just over two years ago in temporary accommodation, we are delighted finally to be moving into our permanent home at the very heart of our local community.” issue
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Parks
BREATHE EASY With an increasing population, Southwark’s green spaces play a crucial part in the wellbeing of residents and workers. And the council is determined to provide more and better facilities. Noella Pio Kivlehan reports 14 issue 21 spring 2019
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IN A 2017 BRITISH JOURNAL of Psychology study, authors Jo Barton and Mike Rogerson documented the following in their Importance of Green Space for Mental Health report: “Individuals have less mental distress, less anxiety and depression, greater wellbeing and healthier cortisol profiles when living in urban areas with more green space.” Southwark Council recognises the importance of these findings. In a borough with a myriad of regeneration projects under way and where the population is expected to grow from 314,000 to around 360,000 over the next 10 years, the need is great for facilities that allow for exercise, socialising and quiet contemplation. Councillor Rebecca Lury, cabinet member for culture, leisure, equalities and communities at Southwark Council, says: “It is key that you have access to shared spaces, where people can enjoy recreational
facilities. This is particularly important in parts of the borough with high population density and more homes with no access to private open space, where parks are crucial. We want people to enjoy green spaces.” Currently, there are 29 parks in Southwark with Green Flag status, the national standard for well-kept open spaces. The council has created new parks, as well as enhanced existing green space. A new cafe is to open this summer in the 150-year-old Southwark Park, for example, while Burgess Park has benefitted from a multimillion-pound refurbishment project. Deborah McKenzie, parks policy and programme manager at Southwark Council, explains: “It’s important to have access to open spaces that offer opportunities for formal and informal recreation, sports and encourage all types of physical activity: whether it’s taking a walk or jogging. Sixteen
THIS PAGE: The bandstand in Southwark Park (above), Burgess Park (right) has views of The Shard.
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RUNAWAY SUCCESS The history of the London City Runners (LCR) club starts like all good stories: with humble beginnings. Conceived at founder Tim Navin-Jones’ Southwark flat back in May 2010, LCR now has thousands of runners trekking from across London, and the world, to take part in running and training sessions. Last year, the club finally achieved its ambition to have its own HQ when it opened a space under the railway arches on Druid Street, which was refurbished and furnished by the runners, who also volunteer to run the bar within the arch. It is, says Navin-Jones, a real community. And he credits Southwark’s park for fuelling the growth of his club. “The club has grown exponentially, with membership now in the thousands. In the last few months alone, we started a newsletter that has up to 3,000 active members signed-up. Plus, we get up to 150 people each Tuesday for our runs.” The nearest space for running to LCR’s base is the 1.8-ha Bermondsey Spa Gardens. After closing in 2005 for a £2 million refurbishment, as part of the regeneration of the Bermondsey Spa area, it re-opened in 2006, with new lighting, signage, bins, paths and a 900m running route. Navin-Jones adds: “The running route is absolutely ideal for our interval training. We do a ‘Couch-to-5k’ programme, which has been absolutely fantastic in focusing on people that have been inactive for a period of time.” LCR is now working with the council and Everyone Active, to use the sixlane 400m running track in Southwark
Park, which underwent a £145,000 refurbishment and was re-opened in 2016. “We have such demand for using the parks, that we are hoping to use the track. That’s going to be most likely on Wednesdays – or every other Wednesday,” Navin-Jones says. Another successful running club is parkrun. Started in September 2012, the Burgess Park branch of parkrun became the 392nd to start in the world. It was established in Southwark, after Dulwich, Southwark Park and Peckham Rye parkruns. All are free, weekly 5k events, open to all, and take place each Saturday from 9am. The Burgess parkrun is led by Chris Raveney, who has watched the growth in popularity. “When I started, there were 40 or so runners most weeks. In January 2019, we had over 600 and now average 500 each week, increasing every year. “The gender split is almost 50:50, approximately 47:53 female to male, but it is getting closer to 50:50 all the time. We have a huge range of ages running, with participants spanning age eight to 80 plus.” Being able to use Burgess Park, says Raveney, is perfect for the club because: “It is a fantastic example of an urban park providing for a diverse community. There is always one sport or another going on from grassroots football to the BMX track, to fishing in the lake. “In the summer, barbecues are always full of huge family events for the whole day. The much-needed new toilet block is a great addition, and I’m looking forward to the latest phase of redevelopment being completed soon.”
IT’S GOOD FOR SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT WHILE DOING GENTLE EXERCISE of our parks have gym equipment that allows people to work out for free, which is very popular. The equipment appeals to a range of people, including young adults, who can be difficult to engage in recreational activities.” More hi-tech play equipment in playgrounds has been more prevalent in recent years, but the traditional still holds sway. McKenzie says: “There is surprisingly little demand for interactive gadgetry and accessible technology in playgrounds. The bigger demand from residents has been towards a more natural play-setting. Many of our playgrounds now have play equipment made using natural materials such as swings and slides from timber frames and logs or rocks for jumping and balancing. The material used is changing. You have more natural looking surfaces.” There is also more challenging equipment for older children: “Swings and roundabouts are great for children between the ages of three and nine, but nine and 10-year-olds want something more, so we have zip wires and trampolines. Water play is very popular as well,” says McKenzie. Diversity in the facilities throughout the borough is in evidence: Peckham Rye Park has climbing frames, while St Mary’s Churchyard at Elephant and Castle has a zip wire and trampolines; Leyton Square playground has adventurous play features and Southwark Park facilities include a bowling green and tennis courts. Park facilities are often used for health promotion and GP referral schemes too. For example Burgess Park has a group called Silverfit, for over-50s open-air exercise classes. This is good for social engagement, while doing gentle exercise in an open space. The demand for housing means risking a limit to the opportunities to create more open spaces. As a result, the council has invested a significant amount into improving the existing offer, but one area where a new park has been created is in Elephant and Castle. In fact, it is the biggest park to be created in central London for decades. Kristy Lansdown is project director at Elephant Park. The £2.3 billion, 11.3-ha scheme is
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THIS PAGE: Housing schemes overlook Burgess Park (main), which has play equipment ( far below); Southwark Park (below).
GREEN ZONE The Green Flag Awards scheme recognises and rewards the best parks and green spaces in England and Wales. The scheme is managed by a consortium consisting of Keep Britain Tidy, BTCV and GreenSpace. It is open to any freely accessible park or green space. Southwark has 29 Green Flag spaces – dates indicate how long the awards have been held: Southwark Park – 2006 Dulwich Park – 2007 Bermondsey Spa Gardens – 2008 Sunray Gardens – 2008 Peckham Rye Park – 2007 Russia Dock Woodland – 2009 Paterson Park – 2009 Brimmington Park – 2010 St Mary Frobisher park – 2011 Brunswick Park – 2011 Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park – 2012 Leathermarket Gardens – 2012 Nunhead Cemetery – 2012 Warwick Gardens – 2012 Burgess Park – 2013 Tabard Gardens – 2013 Belair Park – 2013 Nursery Row Park – 2014 Surrey Square Park – 2014 Goose Green – 2015 Nunhead Green – 2015 Salisbury Row Park – 2015 King’s Stairs Gardens –2015 Pasley Park – 2016 Victory Community Park – 2016 southwarkmagazine.com
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CREATING TRUST From the historical 19th Century Red Cross Garden, to the Waterloo Millennium Green by Waterloo Station – London’s busiest terminus – to Marlborough Sports Garden, and the Tate Community Garden, Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST), looks after some of the capital’s diverse green areas. Evolving from primarily looking after green spaces for residents, BOST now runs volunteering, free horticultural training – the Future Gardeners scheme launched in 2016 – and numerous programmes and events. BOST chairman Tim Wood says providing areas for people, both residents and workers, to be able to do sport has well as having somewhere to go, has risen in importance. Marlborough Sports Garden, which has St Joseph’s RC primary school and the Cathedral School of St Saviour & St Mary Overy next to it are assets. Wood says: “In 2012, through consultation exercises, we found people living there – particularly the two schools next to it – wanted a sports area. We raised funds to turn a pretty nasty area into a series of sports pitches. “The vision for the Marlborough Sports Garden is to provide free sports coaching for primary-aged children, with the coaches being paid for by renting out the facilities and pitches to corporates and businesses in the area.” This summer, BOST will be starting a series of mini clubs. Wood says: “On the three sports pitches we could put on between nine and 12 mini sports, such as beach volleyball, ultimate frisbee or beach soccer, for children at different times.” Wood says all BOST’s open spaces are constantly changing. “It’s different things for different people. We are a grassroots organisation, so we are reacting to what people want. It’s difficult to manage sometimes as things change, but we try to keep our ears to the ground to know what’s happening.” Echoing Wood’s words, new BOST CEO, and local Southwark resident, Charlotte Gilsenan, who was appointed in January, says that in her new position she is, “looking forward to working with staff, volunteers and trustees to help the organisation grow sustainably, providing additional green spaces and opportunities for everyone”. 18 issue 21 spring 2019
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Parks
THE PUBLIC REALM IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE ARCHITECTURE
being developed by Lendlease in partnership with Southwark Council. She says: “For us, the public realm is just as important as the architecture and quality of the buildings. We have a very focused team looking at the local landscaping surrounding existing communities, and a really important part of that was keeping the mature trees that were part of the old Heygate Estate. We have just over 100 mature trees, and have planted 900 off-site around the borough.” “New open spaces are integral to any type of large-scale regeneration and development,” adds McKenzie. “At Elephant and Castle, because it has undergone a lot of change, a new park has been built, but there has also been significant investment in improving existing parks around that area.” Lansdown says teams and designers were briefed on incorporating health and wellbeing – just over 50% of Lendlease’s masterplan for the scheme is public space. “We looked at how we can make them more engaging,” she says. “For instance, we have deep street frontages, which have a lot of play spaces where children can hop on logs. We have implemented mental health first-aider briefings to create a better experience for the local community that will encourage interaction.” This can be as simple as making park benches face each other rather than side-byside, says Lansdown. And within Trafalgar Place, part of Elephant Park, there is the ‘Grow Garden’, a natural orchard and vegetable garden. “It started up a gardening club between the residents that moved in. The idea was to create a place where people can chat and talk to each other,” Lansdown says. Elephant Park opened in August 2017 and has a performance area, with music and film events held in and around it. In January, it was announced that Mercato Metropolitano food market will be opening in the autumn. As for the future of Southwark’s parks and open spaces, while there will undoubtedly be changes to the uses, the equipment and the play areas, McKenzie says: “You don’t southwarkmagazine.com
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want to interfere with nature too much. There’s definitely a desire to ensure we have appropriate spaces, but we also want to create areas that are natural, ecological and habitatcreating areas that add to the biodiversity of the borough. “That means striking a balance between facilities for activities, and landscape.” For now, it appears the balance is being struck.
THIS PAGE: Bankside Open Spaces Trust look after a number of Southwark parks (left); Burgess Park (above) is 150 years old.
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ADVERTORIAL
The New Address That Means Business There’s a real buzz around Elephant Park, the new neighbourhood rising up in the heart of Elephant and Castle. To those who know it, the Elephant is one of London’s richest gems. But tell someone who isn’t familiar with this spot south of the river, and they’re always surprised it’s inside Zone 1. Now, the developers of Elephant Park are doing everything they can to put it firmly on the map… and in the minds of London’s budding retailers. Elephant Park is a £2.3 billion regeneration project that is breathing new life into this special part of Central London. With 3,000 new homes, £30m investment in strategic transport improvements and over 100,000 square feet of retail floorspace on offer, it’s going to be an address that means business. Just ask any of the retailers that have already moved in. Caitlyn Badham-Thornhill, co-founder of Cupcakes and Shhht says “The area is so up and coming. It’s growing all the time and that means we’re getting busier”. In fact, since they opened their doors, she says “there has been growth every single day.” Creatives and entrepreneurs looking to put down their roots and expand in Central London, will sit alongside established brands and existing local traders.
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Mauritian Restauranteurs Marcel & Sons have set up shop there. They know the area well and were attracted by its potential. They say “it’s the perfect space to create our own story”. But Mauritian streetfood and cupcakes aside, what else is there to tempt new businesses? Well, they can choose from four curated retail zones, with tree-lined streets and the feel of a traditional London neighbourhood. They’ll be part of an exciting and diverse blend of 50 shops, bars and restaurants. They can enjoy the largest new park in Central London for over 70 years, at over 9,000 square metres. And they can take advantage of all the passing trade that comes from a 24/7 economy, catering for everyone from office workers, nightclub revellers, to hungry students from the two nearby universities. With two underground lines, Thameslink and 28 bus routes intersecting through Elephant & Castle, there’s no shortage of customers looking for dinner on the way home, a quick gift or after-work drinks. Southwark is one of London’s fastest growing boroughs and has an ever-growing claim to be the foodie quarter of London.
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ADVERTORIAL
Along with Borough Market, Bermondsey Street and Flat Iron Square, Elephant Park will no doubt offer more opportunities in the food and beverage retail sector. Which for the foodies among us, can only be a good thing.
So if you’re a budding new start-up retailer, food and beverage, or health and wellbeing business looking to find your feet in Zone 1, Elephant Park could be your next step. Lendlease is currently offering a number of support packages, including affordable retail space, to assist local businesses.
Be part of it:
| elephantpark.co.uk/retail
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Bricklayers
FRINGE BENEFITS A little-known ‘oasis’ squeezed between major development zones is just one example of how Southwark is enriching the lives of its communities, using a ‘whole borough’ approach, writes Jane Thynne
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Bricklayers
SOUTHWARK IS TRANSFORMING. From Old Kent Road in the north, to Peckham in the south, redevelopment and regeneration abound as the council carries out its pledge to provide 11,000 new council homes over the coming decades. But the strategy involves far more than housing, with advances in infrastructure and enhanced public realm designed to benefit the lives of current and future residents across the whole borough. “The aim is very much to expand and enrich our council estates,” says Leo Pollak, Labour councillor for South Bermondsey and cabinet member for social regeneration, great estates and new council homes. “Regeneration should benefit all residents, not just new ones.” And, with many communities falling just outside the major opportunity zones, the authority is keen to improve the overall appeal of the borough to “help break down the potential distinctions between the different tenures in the area, and to assist with greater integration and mixed communities.” The area around the Bricklayers’ Arms, for example, lies outside several major project sectors. Nestling between the multibillion pound regeneration zones of Elephant and Castle and the Old Kent Road, it would have been easy to overlook this urban hub, rarely talked about as much more than a road intersection between the A2 and the London Inner Ring Road. Instead, the borough has joined with local residents in championing the site as the location for a new station as part of the Bakerloo line extension. And while it appears
Transport for London may have ruled out the idea – citing its proximity to existing stations at Borough and Elephant & Castle – campaigners and the council are working together to urge a rethink. And the partnership isn’t stopping there, with residents involved in a venture referred to as the Bricklayers Arms Oasis. The borough team, led by Rumi Bose, project manager for regeneration north, in the council’s place and wellbeing department, has worked hard to obtain funding for the area from the Greater London Authority, which looks to improve areas on the fringes of large scale redevelopments and create good growth by revitalising streets and spaces. The team decided that an opportunity existed for a scheme to provide community facilities as well as to create a revived green space for general wellbeing and social engagement. A competition was run for architects and artists to come up with the design. The winners, Sanchez Benton [architect] and Gabriel Kuri [artist], came up with the idea of reimagining the ‘Peveril Podium’, which is an existing structure outside Peveril House on Rephidim Street. Originally designed as a communal space for the tower’s residents, the white concrete structure has, up until now, never really lived up to its promise and, aside from a small community garden project, remains largely unloved. Its elevated position offers excellent views of local landmarks such as The Shard and the jam factory, and its enclosed nature makes it ideal as a walled garden, something the tenants and resident associations were keen to pursue.
THIS PAGE: Peveril Podium (left) is in line for a community-led regeneration project in Southwark (above). southwarkmagazine.com
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Bricklayers
PICTURED: Gort Scott’s new premises just off Tower Bridge Road (this page). Runners (opposite) pass the practice’s Bankside public realm scheme.
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Bricklayers
Bose explains: “The design team has taken an existing structure and, with a few simple interventions, proposed a design that invites people into the space. “We’ve got a horticulturist on-board who has provided planting ideas for the terrain with new signage and lighting. We also aim to reuse some of the garage space underneath to create a community space and new activity such as a cafe or artists’ studios. “The whole design is really geared to renewing and revitalising an existing resource to create social cohesion, and invite residents to use the space, own the space, while creating a new range of activities with a new influx of people from all over the area.” Throughout the process, Bose and her team have consistently talked to residents – particularly those in the tower – and held events and workshops to ensure their views are represented. As Pollak says: “Regeneration has to be about improving shared living spaces and not allowing schemes to work in isolation. We are aiming to celebrate all our homes and to work with all our residents to meet their needs and build greater social cohesion across the redevelopment areas.” At this key borough hinge between prospering regeneration areas, this is clearly in evidence. southwarkmagazine.com
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ON THE UP Award-winning architects Gort Scott spent two years scouring the capital for a base for its thriving practice before opting for a site on Leroy Street, just off Tower Bridge Road. Situated on the edge of Southwark’s Tower Bridge Conservation Zone, the new workplace, which has been designed by the team to reconnect with the area’s red-brick, warehouse heritage, not only provides generous office and meeting space, but also collective cooking and dining space. Unsurprisingly, the team could not be happier with its new Southwark setting. “We were previously based in Hackney, but it just wasn’t working for us, so we decided to head out. We were looking to buy rather than rent, which is quite unusual,” says director Jay Gort. “We found this building and then added two more floors to the top. We now have plenty of open-plan space with great views. It’s surprisingly quiet too.” Leroy Street is just a short distance from the main thoroughfare which, alongside a traditional mix of retailers and food outlets, now houses an assortment of eclectic eateries, the workshop of acclaimed jewellery designer Alex Monroe and a selection of successful craft breweries. The area’s accessibility – just a 15-minute walk from London Bridge, Borough and
Elephant and Castle stations – also attracted Gort and the team. “It’s ideal for the team and for clients,” says Gort. “I often cycle and I can be in central London in a few minutes. And the area is really growing. It’s perfect actually.” The practice is no stranger to Southwark, having worked on several significant public realm projects in the borough, including the Bankside Urban Forest, rain gardens, and the pavilion in the new Elephant Park development. The thinking behind many of the projects was to embed the area’s identity, while enhancing pathways, street furniture and sustainability. “We are really proud of the work we have done in the borough,” he says. “In the morning, there are swarms of people moving through Bankside who may or may not notice the work that has been done, but then when you go back and see someone using or enjoying the area it’s wonderful. “Redevelopment has to be meaningful. It has to be about what people want. I prefer to call it ‘urban evolution’ rather than ‘urban regeneration’. With our projects throughout the borough and elsewhere, we look to add layers to the things that already make the place work. It’s a collision – but in a good way – to retain an area’s rich and vital character and history.” issue
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GLASS HALF FULL Some of the most historic pubs in the country co-exist with new types of venue in one of the liveliest, most diverse places to go for a drink in the UK. Noella Pio Kivlehan samples some of the best pints Southwark has to offer
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IN THE MORNING, Paul Graham (pictured left) is in the 1600s. Surrounding him is a zoo of dead creatures forever preserved by the taxidermist’s skill. Their glass eyes twinkle in sun streaming through multi-coloured stained glass windows. In the corner, an open fire crackles. On old wooden tables, candles clasped by brass candlesticks wait for the sun to go down and the match to strike their wicks. At sundown, Graham is in 2019. Here, he is surrounded by neon signs, modern art on the walls and dazzling lights, all within an industrial, minimal interior setting. Graham is the ultimate pub time traveller. But, this is no Back to the Future DeLorean car trip trick. It is a simple tale of two pubs. Under the umbrella of his Rotherhithe Pub company, Graham is the owner of The Mayflower (originally The Spread Eagle, built in 1555), on Rotherhithe Street, where the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for the New World to establish America’s first permanent colony. Just a short walk away, is Leadbelly’s (right and below). The bar and restaurant by Canada Water underground station was opened in 2016 in a new build residential development. The two pubs show the diversity of Southwark’s pub scene. “I’m glad The Mayflower and Leadbelly’s are so different, because they complement each other
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by offering different food, drinks, and atmosphere,” says Graham. Southwark has changed greatly in the last 20 years, with thousands of new homes and a burgeoning and increasingly diverse population. And with those changes, pub culture has transformed too. While some venues have closed, been demolished, or turned into flats, there has been a dramatic increase in restaurants, popup eateries, events and music venues such as Printworks and Dock X, while the trend for microbreweries with a taproom on-site has exploded (see panel, page 35). In the south of the borough, one of Dulwich’s biggest pubs is the 1890-built Crown and Greyhound in Dulwich Village. Closed in 2014, its owner, Mitchells & Butlers, put in significant changes, installing a 20-bedroom hotel, before re-opening in July last year. Manager Clare Hudson says there is now a big focus on craft beer, and Sundays – with tasty roasts on the menu – are becoming ever more popular, particularly with families. But it is perhaps Peckham where nightlife has evolved most in the last five years. Frank’s Café, John the Unicorn, the Four Quarters and Brick Brewery have joined such established names as The Montpelier, resulting in a changing demographic –
THE MAYFLOWER IS SPECIAL BECAUSE OF WHAT IT IS AND WHERE IT IS
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pubs
SOUTHWARK’S PUB HISTORY In days gone by, the local pub was a hugely important social amenity, says Dr Patricia Dark, the council’s archivist. “Not so much for the drinking, but somewhere people could go with a nice warm fire, where there were pub games and friends and they could nurse a pint all night long. “In places like Peckham, Bermondsey and Rotherhithe, housing dated from the Georgian and Victorian period that was sub-divided. There were families in entire rooms. People wouldn’t have space to relax, especially when they were thinking of putting a penny in the meter. The pub was an extension to their living room.” Pubs have played particular importance in the history of Rotherhithe, home to Southwark’s docks, which operated from 1696 to the mid-1970s and employed hundreds of men. Dark says: “Rotherhithe was pretty much cut-off when the swing bridges [to the docks] went up [to allow cargo boats to dock]. Not only did residents not have [much] money, but they didn’t have the access to the West End.” Like many places in the UK, the pub was a crucial meeting place for these communities. And though some may think this is part of the past, there are few places where companionship and camaraderie still shine through as in pubs throughout the country. Southwark is no exception.
THIS PAGE: Pubs have played a key part in Southwark’s history, which has some of the oldest still in existence in the United Kingdom.
The Kentish Drovers (original site, c.1920).
The Mayflower (c.1970).
The Ship and Whale (c.1988).
The George Inn (c.1860-80) and today (left). 28 issue 21 spring 2019
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younger and hipper – for new businesses and residents who choose to call Peckham home. Russell Porter, who runs the White Horse, sister pub to The Montpelier and part of Parched Pubs, credits this in part to the opening of the London Overground train service into the area. “Before the Overground, customers were locals,” he says. “Today, those customers are not only local, and not only Londoners, but they come from across the UK. This means more potential for people starting up businesses in little places along Rye Lane.” Microbreweries have come to Peckham too. Sally Stewart, brand director at the sixyear-old Brick Brewery, says being in a place like Peckham is important for business: “It’s such a creative and cultural community and people embrace and support independent businesses with passion. “Our location under the arches at Peckham Rye station is ideal – not only for local residents, but for those travelling from afar to come and experience all Peckham has to offer.” Steadfast among Southwark’s new premises and trends, are the golden oldies: The Mayflower; the George Inn, dating to Medieval times on Borough High Street, a former haunt of one of Britain’s most celebrated authors, Charles Dickens, and today owned by the National Trust – and The Anchor, Bankside, where a tavern has stood for over 800 years. In some places, there are closures. In previous times, buildings around pubs got
knocked down, but the pubs stayed in place. But in the last couple of decades, developers have increasingly seen potential residential conversion opportunities. Change is needed to accommodate a growing borough and housing is paramount, but pubs remain a part of the fabric of life, not just in Southwark, but in the country as a whole. Local campaign groups work to save pubs as part of their communities. The Walworth Society is one such organisation. Walworth covers the area around the Elephant and Castle shopping centre across to Burgess Park. To date, the society has helped protect five pubs by campaigning to get them listed under the Localism Act of 2011, which states a building can be saved if it’s considered an asset of community value. These include The Elephant and Castle pub, now owned by local pub chain Antic, which was saved from being turned into a branch of estate agent Foxtons; the
Huntsman and Hounds in Elsted Street; The Beehive in West Walworth; the Thomas A Beckett on the Old Kent Road and The Tankard on Walworth Road. Records show that an Elephant and Castle pub has existed in some form for 250 years in the heart of Southwark and it is believed the area is actually named after the pub. With the threat of closure and Foxtons conversion, the community and council worked quickly, placing an asset of community value order on the building, and introducing the owners to Antic, which has other venues across south-east London. Anthony Thomas from Antic, says: “We are delighted to have helped save the Elephant and Castle, it deserves to be at the very heart of this vibrant and unique community and we have worked to make it suitably elephantine.” One of the first London pubs to be saved under the Localism Act was the Ivy House in Nunhead. Locals ran a successful campaign to save it from closure after the Localism Act
OUR LOCATION UNDER THE ARCHES AT PECKHAM RYE STATION IS IDEAL
THIS PAGE: Brick Brewery is a new venue located under the arches of Peckham Rye station. southwarkmagazine.com
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THIS PAGE: The Elephant and Castle was saved from being turned into a branch of Foxtons estate agents.
was passed, and were finally able to obtain the freehold in March 2013. Another saved by locals was The Gowlett in Peckham. Almost £2,000 was donated to a crowdfunding page set-up in November 2017, after it ran out of money and temporarily closed. Southwark Council is determined to safeguard its best pubs too. In the Southwark Plan, Article 4 decrees, there cannot be a change of use for a pub without proposals going through the planning system. In reality, though, says Graham, not all pubs are assets: “Some need to close, and be turned into residential. Some don’t work and when they get a few owners in a short space of time, it’s not going to work, and you might as well convert them. “Southwark’s residents are very diverse, and customers need enticement. And if they can be made to be a better place, like a pizzeria, then that’s a better prospect.” David Franklin, team leader, licensing, for Southwark Council, draws on how trends are changing: “There will always be pubs, but some aren’t as well run. The younger generation aren’t going [to traditional pubs]
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drinking as much, as there are more options.” As for the future, Dr Patricia Dark, Southwark Council’s archivist, says versatility is important. “During the day, venues should be food-orientated, where people can play board games, and ideally, get to know their neighbours. In the evening, they become faster-paced. They should be places that can offer something for a lot of different people.” When it comes to pubs in the traditional style, Graham says the focus will be more on new venues to socialise in. And certainly, he says, there will be no future places to go for a pint like The Mayflower. “That time has gone. The Mayflower is special because of what it is and where it is: Rotherhithe is so close to the city, and it is a hidden gem.” Under the static gaze of ancient people forever trapped in gilded frames hanging on the Mayflower’s walls, customers old and young, locals and tourists, come to take in a piece of history, drink locally brewed beer, while checking their mobile phones or working on their laptops. Blending the modern with the traditional is a microcosm of Southwark’s pub and bar scene today.
MICROBREWERIES AND LICENSING Britain loves a pub crawl. In Southwark, an amalgamation of brewery tap rooms and bottle shops under the railway arches stretch to and from London Bridge station. Covering Druid Street, Enid Street, Old Jamaica Road Business Estate, Dockley Road Industrial Estate, Almond Road, Raymouth Road and Bermondsey Trading Estate, the ‘crawl’ is now a rite of passage for beer aficionados seeking the best and most original locally-brewed beverages. Among these are Fourpure (pictured above), at the Bermondsey Trading Estate; Partizan, on Raymouth Road; The Kernel, at Dockley Road Industrial Estate; and Southwark Brewing on Druid Street. David Franklin, team leader for licensing at Southwark Council, says the microbrewery craze is a real growth area for the borough. And not all are microbreweries, he adds – “some just sell interesting alcohol”. The number of licensed premises in Southwark is increasing every year: there are currently 1,443 active. southwarkmagazine.com
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Franklin says: “A variety of businesses are getting the licences, including offlicenses, and among them are quite a lot of restaurants in the more touristy areas of the borough. We are also getting some new ideas coming through.” These include work and event spaces, where applications for alcohol licenses have increased significantly in the last three years. New ways of working are encouraging license applications from different places. “We didn’t really have anything like it before,” says Franklin. “People are opening offices with a relaxed feel – and that might include [installing] a bar or [offering] food. They might operate for 24 hours, and entertain clients within their own work space.” Whether in the tap room of a local brewer, one of the borough’s many traditional pubs or a pop-up restaurant, the thirst for socialising over a beer remains, as it has always been, a key part of life in Southwark today.
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Placemaking
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Placemaking
LONG MEMORIES, NEW IDEAS The area around Elephant and Castle is undergoing significant transformation, with a range of regeneration projects in the pipeline. Garth Cartwright reports WITH A HISTORY dating back to Roman times, Elephant and Castle is entering a new era in 2019, with long-awaited redevelopment projects for the Old Town Hall and to the northern end of Walworth Road both in the pipeline. The area, once known for its shopping centre and urban blight, has shaken off its rough and ready reputation and has emerged as one of London’s brightest new prospects. But the area is already far more famous than would be expected of a place not necessarily on the tourist maps. From Charlie Chaplin, Michael Caine and even Buddy Holly (who played his first ever UK gig at the Trocadero in Elephant and Castle in 1958), to Greg Wallace, Tinie Tempah and Aphex Twin (who was rumoured to have lived inside the Faraday memorial on the roundabout in the 1990s), many famous characters have a connection to this fabled junction. Fortunately, Elephant and Castle is in no danger of becoming a historic monument. Reinvention is continual.
Brutalist housing estates, the shopping centre and urban motorways were all introduced in the early 1960s as a then modernist response to an area still shattered by Luftwaffe bombing campaigns. The failure of this development – in recent decades the Elephant has been infamous for congestion and pollution – has led to a widespread desire to reinvigorate this gateway to south-east London, accounting for the new buildings, squares and Elephant Park, the largest new park in central London for the past 70 years. Behind the shopping centre, Elephant Park occupies a space on the north side of Heygate Street and connects with Sayer Street (a new street). The area where the Artworks Elephant container retail area stood on the park’s far corner until December 2018 is now also being redeveloped. This southern section of Elephant Park stands on what was once part of the Heygate Estate. Plans are in place to put back the missing section of Walworth Road,
THIS PAGE: Buddy Holly’s only UK tour started in Elephant and Castle; winning plans for the Old Town Hall (right).
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Placemaking
where once a seamless high street connected Walworth Road with the Elephant and Castle before the area was demolished and rebuilt in the 1960s. Walworth Square, tucking in neatly between Walworth Road and Sayer Street, is home to a new sculpture by Kenny Hunter that serves as both the Southwark war memorial and peace monument. Hunter’s horizontal sculpture comes with an inscription from the late Scottish poet, solider and peace activist Hamish Henderson’s poem Elegies For the Dead in Cyrenaica. Hunter hopes the work expresses human endurance and the persistence to keep going in difficult and traumatic circumstances. Appropriately, the sculpture stands directly north of the Old Town Hall, which survived its own traumatic circumstances after a fire swept through and heavily damaged the
Grade II listed building in March 2013. The town hall once housed the Cuming Museum, which featured artefacts from all over the world and a permanent exhibition on the history of Southwark. One-hundred-and-twenty firefighters and 20 fire engines tackled the blaze in the two-storey building on Wansey Street. The Old Town Hall suffered significant damage, particularly to the roof structure and old council chamber which were completely destroyed. In addition, extinguishing the fire resulted in water damage to the lower floors. Since then, the council has committed significant public funds to dry out and stabilise the fabric of the building and reinstate the Vestry Hall roof on Walworth Road. Initially, the council hoped to turn the Old Town Hall into a civic and community centre, but as the project progressed, more
detailed costings raised questions about its affordability. The town hall’s fire damaged history and status as a listed building meant a thorough and quality finish were required. After considering its options, the council selected private partner, General Projects, which will make a significant investment to restore the listed building. Alongside a distinct community and arts and culture space, public access to the building will be extended by a cafe and programmed events. Workspace for the creative industries, including a range of studios and an arts hub will introduce a dynamic destination at the heart of Walworth Road. The road is one of London’s best kept secrets and is brimming with hidden gems. Historic shops like Baldwin’s Apothecary – one of London’s oldest herbalists – and Threadneedleman – proprietor George Dyer
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THIS PAGE: Potential co-working space at Walworth Town Hall (main); Elephant Park (above) and the new Kenny Hunter sculpture (right).
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THE COUNCIL HAS MADE A STRONG COMMITMENT TO DEVELOPING WALWORTH AS A VIBRANT, DIVERSE NEIGHBOURHOOD
is bespoke tailor to the stars – should find increased foot traffic as Elephant Park and the reopened Old Town Hall will bring in new residents and employees to the area. Discussing further plans for Walworth, Councillor Johnson Situ, cabinet member for growth, development and planning, says: “Our latest announcement for a new library and heritage centre in a prominent location on Walworth Road illustrates how the council will ensure growth and redevelopment works for all. The new library will help Walworth remain a destination, complementing the recently opened Walworth Square and sitting alongside the Walworth Town Hall, for which exciting new plans are being taken forward.” “The council has made a strong commitment to developing Walworth as a vibrant, diverse neighbourhood, with a successful local economy that builds on its heritage and distinctive character and we continue to invest locally.” Meanwhile, businesses once based in Artworks are moving in at Elephant Park. While the former was always temporary, the latter offers a permanent location – and it was recently announced that those relocating to the park will now co-exist alongside the UK’s first artisanal food factory. MM Factory is owned by Mercato Metropolitano – the Italian company whose large street food operation at Newington Causeway has been very successful. When it opens this summer, it aims to provide freshly produced food using traditional practices and ingredients in a 1,625sq m production, retail and restaurants space. The centerpiece of MM Factory will be a ‘theatre of flours’, featuring a working stone mill, which will grind wheat and grains into flours as customers enjoy baked products from the open plan laboratory. Local artisans will produce bread, focaccia, croissants, viennoiserie and pasta. Italian gelato will also be produced and sold on-site, along with a German microbrewery. Customers at MM Factory will also be able to sample cuisines from around the world at a selection of MM’s micro-restaurants within the Elephant Park space. An allinclusive seating area will have room for around 700 guests. All of MM Factory’s 25 operators will be audited on a weekly basis to ensure compliances with MM’s stringent guidelines on sourcing healthy, natural, traceable and sustainably sourced ingredients. Mercato Metropolitano also aims to offer apprenticeships for community members who want to become food artisans and tradespeople alongside providing community cooking classes. issue
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Placemaking PICTURED: The Cinema Museum (left and main); East Street Market (below left) and Threadneedleman ( far below).
LIFE IN WALWORTH New housing developments soon to open at Elephant Park mix both public and private apartments. A short walk across Walworth Road finds a similar scheme already welcoming its first residents in Manor Place Depot, a former Victorian bath house now offering 270 homes, including 60 flats marked for first time buyers. The homes will welcome hundreds of young professionals and others, who will benefit from excellent links to public transport – Kennington station is a third of a mile from Manor Place Depot, while Elephant & Castle is even closer to Elephant Park (and is in London transport zone one). Walworth Road and New Kent Road both offer many bus routes for parts of south-east London not served by the tube (Camberwell,
Peckham, New Cross, Greenwich). Both Elephant Park and Manor Place Depot are welcoming new businesses into renovated premises – the latter sees previously disused railway arches opening up to offer all manner of services. For those who like to cook at home, the historic East Street Market is packed with bargain fruit, vegetable and other foodstuffs (as well as all manner of clothing and bric a brac), a slice of south-east London that perhaps continues the tradition of Del Boy and Rodney. Not quite so old, but reflecting Walworth’s long history is Fare Shares at 56 Crampton Street (an organic food co-op). Next door is The Museum of Anarchy and a community bicycle workshop. These are five minutes walk from Manor Place Depot. Walworth Road is packed with eateries, pubs and bars, so anyone wanting to eat out will find plenty of choice, from Thai to Lebanese to Jamaican to Italian to Chinese to Colombian (the Elephant and Castle area is actually home to Europe’s largest Colombian community). There are hip bars and traditional pubs aplenty too. A short walk east leads to Kennington Park. Crossing Kennington Road takes you to Jamyang Buddhist Centre (home to a popular vegetarian cafe) and the Cinema Museum (voted by Time Out readers as London’s No 1 Cultural Attraction). Further south on Walworth Road rests Burgess Park (see pages 14 – 19). Across summer it is packed with barbecues, summer fairs and one-off music and theatre performances. Walworth has gone through many transformations over the centuries – now, almost 20 years into the 21st Century, it is buzzing with excitement and enterprise.
36 issue 21 spring 2019
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COMMITTED TO DELIVERING SOCIAL HOUSING AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES TO THE AREA.
Making lives better.
020 7052 5111 Ruby Triangle in Southwark Computer generated image
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info@avanton.co.uk avanton.co.uk
21/03/2019 17:02
Invest
“A high quality, very focused issue that truly reflected our regeneration and growth ambitions.”
Waltham Forest Encouraging investment in Waltham Forest
ISSUE 4
Ways to connect
With support
S
elf-employed people in Waltham Forest are new ways to work finding in a crucial step forward and business-mindedfor entrepreneurs residents.
Waltham Forest Council on Invest Waltham Forest #4
Collaborative organisations such as the co-operat ive working space Indycube and the Blackhorse Workshop public facility are intent encouraging freelance on success across the borough.
Festivals, film, focused design
Summer 2017
UN DE R STA RT ER S OR DE RS
GA R D E N C I TY
B R I C K BY B R I CK
The site’s first primary scho ol at Castle Hill, will open in Septe mber and operated by the Leigh Acad will be emies Trust
Nearby shop behemoth, Blueping is 20 years oldwater, this year. It has 330 stores, three anch stores, 40 cafe or s restaurants andand 13-screen cine a ma
L I VE New communities are forged 18 as first-time buyers flock to Ebbsfleet
Private/public: pulling forces
“A delight to work with such professionals across the whole team.”
Work is now under City, starting the way on the ambitious Ebbsf leet Garden timer tickin numbers speak g towards completion. The for themselves
Establishing the UK’s first garden city for more than 100 years
B UIL D
Evening economy, established enterprise
The Labour MP for Walthamstow, Stella Creasy, hopes projects run by organisations like these gateway for promotin will act as a membership among g trade union north-east London the 16.5% of her work for themselve constituency who s. Indycube, in partnersh ip with the community trade union, is helping support Waltham to stow’s growing employed communi selfty.
EBBSFL EET GARDEN CITY FACTS & FIGURE S
Issue 2
With the first tranche of homes already built, thousands more are planned
Above: Indycube seeks to unionise self-employed people – such as graphic designers – to provide workers’ rights support.
from
models of working a local MP and the council, from risks attache are helping with problem co-operative s in Waltham Forest, workshops and d to self-employment to the cost of food production. renting Lucy Clarke reports
L E A RN
Industry experts collaborate to bring the project forward, as the first school opens
600 homes started in 2016/17 with over
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Fighting to break down the hierarch ies of an industry while working with some of its most respected represe ntatives is a challeng ing prospect. For Louise FedotovClements, artis tic director of QUAD, Derby’s centre for contem porary art and and co-founder/dire film ctor of Derby’s international photography and related media festival, FORMA is what makes T, it the event unique. Collaboration with photographers, other artists and organisations in Europe, Africa and South America – as well as China and India – have created global recogni tion for the UK festival. But Fedotov Clements says it is paramount to maintain the original ethos, established for the inaugural 2004; engagin event in g with and encoura ging participation from thousands of hobbyists and locals alongside world-renowne d figures in the indu stry.
B R I A N G R I F F P A T R O I N , N O F F O R M My photograph, A T morning for the ‘Rush Hour London Bridge’, was magazine Manage taken one story about people commuting ment Today, to illustrate a inspired by the German expressinto the City of London. It was a group of people ionist silent film marching to the ‘Metropolis’ – same place like automatons. briangriffin.co.u k
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R N A L S FR OM BE HI ND TH E LE NS Inside the
an arts officer at the time. The inspiration was the city’s history not and heritage within photography, but the idea that the medium can “represent so different ideas many of places, people and ways of seeing, living and thinking ”. “It is a very contem porary festival, but it also involves archives based on the heritage of photography around the world, from whether it’s Africa, China, India or across Latin America ,” Fedotov-Clem ents adds.
FORMAT is now a major draw for practitioners across the world. It also seeks to develop people’s understanding and skills – not just of photogr but of other contem aphy porary and related as performance media such art, AR (Augme nted Reality) and AI (Artificial Intellige nce). This is in addition to the biggest internat ional portfolio “We want people review program to feel like they for aspiring photogr me have a voice and be seen as part aphers worldw of the festival, ide. Participants can meet leading alongside some industry people, the greatest practitio of such as director of museums, lead ners in the world,” s editors of media Clements adds. Fedotov“We show great and other established photogr art, but we want people to see there aphers, benefiti ng from a rare is potential for chance to engage them to be part in one-to-one that as well. That of sessions. works on many levels and it’s unusual. I think quite a lot of internat Derby is seen ional festivals as the ideal city nature have their of this for FORMA backs to everyda Clements says: T. Fedotovy people. We want “It allows us to people to feel give people a holistic like they can collabor view of the city. ate and be part We’ll be collabor the event, to have of ating with a partner fun and enjoy in Derbyshire it.” in the coming months too, so will be able to people get out to the FORMAT is organis countryside.” ed by QUAD, and sup by the Arts Council ported , Derby City Council FORMAT 2019 takes place between University of Derby. I and the 15 March and 14 April. The theme t usually attracts 100,000 people around is FOREVER//NO and is held at W and it will feature exhibiti 15 or so venues ons, portfolio the city. Fedotov across reviews, worksh -Clements founded events and masterc ops, the festival with Mike Brown, who lasses. On the next pages, Orrery was working at looks at work the city council from previous contributors. as formatfestival.com •31•
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Winter 2018
“I think we can safely say this is the best regeneration magazine in the world.”
on be part of; es communiti
THE FLEXI-TIMESOPENIN ACT G
Issue 20 Winter 2018
CTIVE OSPEN CE RETR ISSA RENA
34 issue
For determined entrepreneurs looking for space to meet modern requirements, Southwark holds the answers within a range of spaces, which provide new and collaborative ways to work. Nadia Gilani reports Lon g in the open in its planning, Mou ntvi opportunity new Peckham hom ew Academy of of development; ructure Theatre e, bringing to the area Arts is now back on the impact , investment in infrast . Shailja an injectio 20 Looking2018 60 Mor future growth n 20 director 2018 ambitions for and joint ris speaks to the of culture and facility’s CEO, Sara executive h Preece winter
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Cllr Peter John, Southwark Council on Southwark #20.
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22/11/20
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Rye Lane
THE CUTTING EDGE
THIS PAGE: The Afro-Caribbean hairdressing hub, Peckham Palms, opened in January.
Significant opportunities and facilities for a range of independent businesses and venues on and near Rye Lane show that if implemented properly, regeneration can bring a bounty of benefits and support for an established creative community. Suruchi Sharma reports THE START OF 2019 has been a triumph for Monique Tomlinson, who has been working on her “labour of love” – the Afro-Caribbean hair and beauty hub of Peckham Palms. The venue opened in January, transforming what was once a row of disused garages into a new retail space with a cafe, bar and events venue. Many businesses based at The Palms moved from their original spots in Blenheim southwarkmagazine.com
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Grove to make way for the Peckham Rye station square development. Southwark Council aims to complete the station works by autumn 2021 to “transform the narrow, dimly lit passageways that lead to the station into a generous, vibrant public square”. Alongside this, a £1 million gas network upgrade project to install plastic pipes in Rye Lane is to be completed by January next year (2020).
Despite the works, it is business as usual for traders in an area that has produced well-established names such as the Bussey Building and Peckhamplex cinema. Peckham Palms looks set to achieve a similar position as a stalwart of the area, while offering support for workers who are highly skilled in their professions. With the creation of the public square in mind, Southwark Council tasked issue
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design company Something & Son to manage the relocation of businesses to new homes in Bournemouth Close. In her role as director of Peckham Palms, Tomlinson worked hard with the independent businesses to understand what was needed in a close-knit community to ensure a smooth transition. The aim of the venture is to support black, female entrepreneurs and traders from BAME backgrounds, which Tomlinson says are often “lacking opportunities”. She adds there is “inspiration, encouragement and confidencebuilding” benefits for traders to gain by working closely together at The Palms and says: “They’re supported in a way where they
see themselves as individuals, but they know they’ve got their co-workers and management there to encourage them.” Tomlinson is working with “a critical eye” on each business, to help entrepreneurs consider any new services they can offer, how to create an online booking system and how best to advertise services on social media. She says: “We need to respect their skillset and what they do. It’s unfortunate that some of them don’t have the money to have beautiful salons where they can really show off their art, but being at The Palms we will push them to be able to do that. We want to create the events and environment where they can showcase their work, and excel in what they do to pick up new tips and create fresh ideas.” Tomlinson says Southwark Council took a “pioneering” approach in creating The Palms and believes the space is a template for other boroughs to consider doing something similar. She adds: “I don’t think any of us envisioned how big this was going to be and it still surprises me every day. The success of this project will lead to more conscious decisions being made. I would personally like to roll this out to other boroughs, not necessarily hair and beauty, but just supporting BAME businesses to make them sustainable.” Councillor Johnson Situ, Southwark Council’s cabinet member for growth, development and planning, expresses a similar enthusiasm for Peckham Palms, describing it as “a big statement for the area” and adds: “The public square is a major part of the gateway to Peckham as the arrival point in the area. Peckham Palms is a key part of that and rather than closing down businesses important to the culture of the area, they
I DON’T THINK ANY OF US ENVISIONED HOW BIG THIS WAS GOING TO BE 40 issue 21 spring 2019
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PICTURED: Events in Rye Lane have a cultural and community focus, with arts installations by groups such as Circulate London (left).
have instead gone to a specialist building with on-site business support to help develop entrepreneurial skills. This is a different approach to regeneration and we recognise these are really important small businesses.” With long-term regeneration work happening, the council is attempting to ensure footfall remains steady on Rye Lane. Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, which last year made its long-planned move from Wood Green to Peckham, was recently awarded £30,000 from the council’s High Street Fund to work with local businesses to southwarkmagazine.com
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organise a series of promotional events in Rye Lane called “Peckham’s Open”. The council’s head of regeneration south, Neil Kirby, is enthusiastic about celebrating what is already thriving in the area, and hopes a business network can be created in the near future to help increase trade. He adds: “There is a real level of enthusiasm from people to do something to promote the area, and Peckham is very good at self-promotion in many ways.” A successful five-year project coming to an end next year is the Peckham Townscape Heritage Initiative, fuelled by more than £2
million from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the council. Kirby says the project has funded refurbishments to shop fronts, and there is now an educational walking tour highlighting important buildings such as where major department stores, including a branch of Selfridges, were based. There have also been a series of events at Peckham Rye Station, including at the Open House weekend, to focus on the historically important and recently refurbished original staircase and Old Waiting Room. issue
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Kirby says: “There is a real history to the place and the buildings are part of that. We’re trying to celebrate that rather than say they’re old and should probably be knocked down to be replaced with something else.” A milestone birthday is being marked this October at the Peckhamplex cinema, as the venue celebrates its 25th birthday. Director Simone Brown says they are in the “early stages” of deciding how to refurbish in time for the occasion. She says what the community wants is “really important” and adds: “If people didn’t come to the cinema we wouldn’t be here. We regularly have showings of something like The Avengers sitting comfortably alongside a Polish language film.” The venue has for the past few years received accolades for best value cinema, and has not budged from its £4.99 anytime ticket. Brown says: “Apart from price, I think there’s also the independent factor, as some people
WE RECOGNISE THESE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT SMALL BUSINESSES THIS PAGE: Runners in Burgess Park (top) and new gym equipment with views of The Shard
prefer the idea of supporting a small business and not a chain. Last year was a good year for cinema overall, but prior to that a lot of our competitors were seeing a downfall in admissions but we’ve steadily grown.” Brown says it is crucial to appreciate what already exists in Peckham as well as the changes coming in. She says: “Anything that can be done to make it welcoming so when people get off the train and see a nice, open square with places to eat and sit down will make a difference.” Found just across the road from the cinema is the much-loved Bussey Building, which plays an important part in the cultural heart of Peckham. This former cricket bat factory is a destination for creatives and startups with studio and warehouse space available to inspire artists of all kinds, whether from the painting, photography, ceramics or architecture fields. There is a bar,
cinema, eateries and a regular range of events including markets, workshops and familyfriendly occasions. Co-owner Lorelie Wilson says exhibitors from across the country, including photography and fine art students from universities in Swansea and Newcastle, have come to make use of this popular Peckham venue. She adds: “We’re mindful about creating a vibrant, inclusive, multi-use space, so we curate a wide range of activities and exhibitions from different places throughout the UK, bringing diverse groups of people here. We spearheaded Peckham Festival to promote all the area’s creators and community groups, and we proudly run it as free to the public and not-for-profit.” Clearly community is just as important to Sally Stewart who runs family business Brick Brewery with her husband Ian. They have
been based in Peckham since 2013, when Ian started brewing beer in a shed, and are now found in a unique spot under the railway arches at Peckham Rye station, providing free tutored tasting sessions. In 2017, they moved brewing to a site in nearby Deptford, but Peckham is still where their Taproom is found. Stewart says the firm takes “a lot of inspiration” from the area for their special and one-off beers. She adds: “Peckham is a creative and cultural community, which embraces and fully supports independent businesses and we have always been made to feel welcome. While we are not in the front of station regeneration area, it will certainly open it up so that it is less imposing, but I think those who wish to experience entrepreneurial and exciting ventures will come anyway.”
42 issue 21 spring 2019
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South
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ALUMNO – FOCUSING ON LOCAL COMMUNITY Alumno is pleased to be supporting the 21th edition of the Southwark magazine. Alumno has a long history of working with key stakeholders in the local community and their latest scheme at Alscot Road in Bermondsey is no exception. We met local residents on two consultation events and received valuable input. A planning application has been submitted to the council for this forward thinking development. This would be Alumno’s 4th scheme in the borough of Southwark. The site lies in a predominately residential area, opposite Bermondsey Spa Gardens, an area of important amenity and activity space within this community. Alumno’s scheme to house approximately 150 students will contribute to the vibrancy and diversity in the neighbourhood.
We have collaborated with Brompton Hire on a number of our projects. For the Alscot Road building we will be working with the Brompton bike hire scheme again. We will be starting with 8 lockers holding bikes which can be hired by students and local residents alike. This offer will help form strong links between the students and the local community for years to come.
Taking community to another level Alumno is an organisation which is dedicated to the wellbeing of new residents and the existing community and businesses of the local area, and so has commissioned local resident Danny Ball to research new methods of wayfinding indoors but also in the vicinity using Audio Based Navigation Systems. Danny is a researcher at the Institute of Cognative Neuroscience at University College London, he is also the founder of Blind Mind and Space. His work with Alumno and Southwark Council in the area of Applied Neuroscience for the Built Environment will help blind and sighted individuals alike enjoy and facilitate the Alumno building and its neighbourhood.
The Alscot Road residencies will provide community space, a large common room and cinema space. These common areas have been designed to offer contemporary, well equipped spaces for flexible activity and multiple uses. A full time onsite management team will be on hand to ensure students have a good relationship with neighbours, and act as a point of contact for local people. To address the lack of meeting facilities in the immediate neighbourhood, we propose that the above facilities can be shared within a managed access arrangement via the local residents groups. The promotion of shared facilities will help connect and integrate the building with the local neighbourhood and the resident student community.
Alumno has engaged to collaborate with local schools to improve and rejuvenate their facilities for the benefits of local children. We will also be looking to get the children involved in creative workshops with an artist who will be commissioned to create artworks specific to the scheme. The art brief and proposal is the recycling of a tree using digital technology, transforming it into bespoke artworks. Considering the long term future of the environment Alumno has always been a keen supporter of sustainable travel. All Alumno schemes through the UK are car free and we have a long standing and successful partnership with the Brompton Bike Hire scheme.
Alumno and the scheme architect Duncan Greenaway believe this scheme will be a sustainable and future proof use of this urban land. There is good access to amenities and public transport and it will breathe new life, investment and functionality into the site. As well as providing high quality student accommodation with various living options, Alumno will always ensure to be part of the community. This building will offer managed access which means we offer a positive addition to a dynamic and growing neighbourhood where long-term regeneration is already underway.
For more information: alumnogroup.com bermondseyspastudents.com brompton.com greenawayarchitecture.co.uk
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SOUTHWARK HAS 29 GREEN FLAG PARKS
£2.3 BILLION COST OF LENDLEASE’S ELEPHANT AND CASTLE PROJECT
1958: BUDDY HOLLY PLAYS FIRST EVER UK CONCERT AT THE TROCADERO IN ELEPHANT AND CASTLE
Facts and figures
4.7% RISE IN SOUTHWARK’S HOUSING MARKET IN 2018, THE HIGHEST IN LONDON
NO.1 CINEMA MUSEUM VOTED LONDON’S BEST CULTURAL ATTRACTION BY TIME OUT READERS 100: NUMBER OF MATURE TREES SAVED FROM THE HEYGATE ESTATE NOW IN ELEPHANT PARK
1,443 VENUES WITH ALCOHOL LICENSES CURRENTLY ACTIVE IN SOUTHWARK
*Right Move
1,152 HOMES PLANNED FOR THE RUBY TRIANGLE, OLD KENT ROAD
25 YEARS IN 2019 SINCE THE MUCH-LOVED
46,000: PROJECTED POPULATION GROWTH OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS
EX A M PL H K C PE A CI NEM
OPENED southwarkmagazine.com
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BUILDING CONTROL SOLUTIONS 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 Stephen Rizzo Head of building control 020 7525 5588 Simon Harvey Group manager 020 7525 5586 building.control @southwark.gov.uk
Albion School images by Hufton and Crow
Albion School was highly commended in the national LABC Local Authority Building Excellence Awards 2018
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Projects
projects The progression from planning to tangible results is in evidence throughout Southwark’s key regeneration areas, with housing, commercial and retail schemes coming out of the ground. Shailja Morris reports
Blackfriars Bridge
5
Bankside
London Bridge
Waterloo East
Waterloo
Southwark
Rotherhithe
Borough
4
2a Elephant and Castle
3a
Canada Water
Bermondsey
2
3b
Kennington
3
South Bermondsey
1
Burgess Park Oval
Queens Road
New Cross Gate
Peckham
Camberwell
7
Peckham Rye
1. RUBY TRIANGLE Featured project
2. NEW PIER WHARF Rail / underground / overground station
3. MANOR PLACE DEPOT 4. CANADA WATER MASTERPLAN 5. 185 PARK STREET
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Projects
RUBY TRIANGLE, OLD KENT ROAD It may be the cheapest site on the Monopoly board but Old Kent Road is about to experience a positive shift in status, thanks to development projects such as Ruby Triangle. The residential-led development of three high-rise buildings aims to bring quality homes to the local first-time buyer market. It is one of the first developments in the Old Kent Road Opportunity Area, which will create many new homes, employment opportunities and new community facilities. Ruby Triangle comprises 1,152 residential properties, of which 40% are classed as affordable. These will be a range of one, two and three-bedroom apartments. Also part of the development is a new sports hall, as well as business space, additional commercial and retail uses, a tech incubator hub, cycle hub and a public park. Last October, Southwark Council’s Planning Committee resolved to grant planning permission for the scheme and the Section 106 is now in an agreed form, ready for sign-off, when planning permission can be granted. The scheme is a joint venture between A2 Dominion Housing Association and Avanton, a London property development company. Avanton managing partner, Omer Weinberger, explains: “People and
community are at the heart of Avanton. We build places for people, by people and are proud to have increased our affordable housing to over 40% at Old Kent Road. “The occupier will be front of mind and health and wellbeing will be put first for homeowners and occupiers. We are excited to deliver a development that will feature a community sports facility, vastly improving the area’s leisure options. A public park with outdoor gym equipment and a children’s play area will ensure [the development] will still be desirable in 20 years.” In January this year, the design team started the final preparations in readiness to start work on-site later this year. Due to the scale of the project, the design team includes architects and engineers across several disciplines working out the most efficient way to build out the development. Avanton says construction work will be as efficient as possible, minimising disruption to the surrounding areas. The project will take around five years to build, although residents should be able to move into the first phase towards the end of 2021. During 2019, the developer, design team and local authority planners will ensure proposals are compliant with planning approval and relevant design codes.
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NEW PIER WHARF, ODESSA STREET The latest development by Southwark-based Hollybrook Homes has revitalised a once derelict riverside site in Rotherhithe. New Pier Wharf on Odessa Street will provide 74 new apartments, 19 of which are council-owned social housing units. The new homes are arranged in two buildings, with a communal garden and a new riverside cafe and restaurant. In addition, the development has provided a missing section of the Thames Path in front of Odessa Wharf, an area that was previously blocked for two decades by a disused nightclub. The scheme also provides financial support to improve the visitor centre at nearby Surrey Docks Farm and training apprenticeships for local people. The luxury apartments, which are 13 one-bed, 42 two-beds, 17 three-beds and two four-bedroom properties, all come with private gardens, balconies and terraces with stunning views across the Thames towards the Isle of Dogs. The first occupants are expected to move in from the end of May once public realm works have been completed.
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Landscaping and lighting to a new section of the river walk is nearing completion. Residents will be able to take advantage of Thames Clipper riverboats from nearby Greenland Pier to Canary Wharf in only four minutes. The pier is a short six-minute walk from the development. Hollybrook Homes has been based in Southwark for 25 years. Its developments are often in partnership with Southwark council, housing charities or universities. Recent projects include Bath House Lofts on the former town hall site in Bermondsey and the extension of Camberwell College of Arts. David Godden, senior development manager at Hollybrook Homes, says: “New Pier Wharf has been an exciting project on what is one of the last disused stretches of the river. “It is another example of our regenerationfocused projects, which involve putting together pieces of land, working jointly with Southwark Council, and finding the right solutions for the community.
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MANOR PLACE DEPOT Once a Victorian bath house and later the location of the Kray twins’ first ever boxing bout, Manor Place Depot has undergone many transformations. In recent years, the site was a public waste depot with several redundant buildings. It has since been completely redeveloped by Notting Hill Genesis housing association and is now a mixed-use residential and commercial space, with the first buyers ready to move in by June this year.
Notting Hill Genesis has revitalised two of the heritage buildings on this 1.7- ha site into 270 apartments and commercial units. The one, two and three-bedroom apartments feature spacious balconies and terraces, some offering skyline views of The Shard and the London Eye. The apartments are a mix of private sale and shared ownership units, of which 65% have already been snapped up. Towards the rear of the development is a striking viaduct with several independent
retail and entertainment spaces incorporated into the arches. The site was offered to the market by Southwark Council in 2012 and acquired by Notting Hill Genesis, which saw it as a “unique opportunity” to deliver homes plus commercial and community accommodation in zone one in an area undergoing substantial regeneration. Notting Hill Genesis started preparing the site for construction in April 2016, working with archaeologists from the
50 issue 21 spring 2019
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Projects
Museum of London. Intriguing finds from excavation works include late Victorian ceramics and glass from the site’s use as a bottle dump before becoming Manor Place Baths in 1865. The baths were once the biggest in London and featured three swimming pools, showers and a public laundry. The surplus space at the baths later became an important boxing venue, and the BBC’s venue of choice when it began broadcasting boxing matches. southwarkmagazine.com
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The site lies in the south of the Elephant and Castle regeneration area and has strong public transport connections with easy access to zone one and two underground stations, 28 bus routes, and Overground trains into the City. Pedestrians and cyclists are also well served with the redesigned pedestrian-friendly gyratory system at Elephant and Castle and the north-south cycle superhighway that will provide a direct route for cyclists from Elephant and Castle to King’s Cross. issue
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BRITISH LAND CANADA WATER MASTERPLAN After four years of planning, the Canada Water Masterplan could finally take shape this autumn, subject to approval from Southwark Council. First in line for development on the 21.4-ha site will be 265 new homes, a leisure centre, shops, restaurants and around 33,000sq m of workspace. Approximately 35% of the new homes in these first plots are planned as affordable, with a split of 70% social rent and 30% intermediate housing - subject to grant. Proposed public realm enhancements in the first phase include an enhanced Dock Office courtyard and community square, a new pedestrian link to Lower Road, a relandscaped High Street along the western dock edge and a relocated petrol station. British Land, one of the largest property developers in the country, says the first buildings could be in use by 2022. The Canada Water masterplan incorporates
Surrey Quays Shopping and Leisure Park, the Printworks, the Dock Offices and the former police station. The regeneration scheme has been the subject of extensive public consultation, involving more than 5,000 people and 12,000 comments. British Land has underlined its commitment to delivering sustainable and positive change to the local community with its newly launched Canada Water Social Regeneration Charter, developed alongside Southwark Council. The charter sets out how the masterplan will seek to address the social, economic and health priorities across the area. This includes a focus on supporting local residents to access employment opportunities created both in construction and at end use. The completed masterplan is expected to include around 20,000 jobs, across retail, leisure, hospitality and office-based sectors. It will also generate substantial construction
employment with opportunities for training and apprenticeships. In addition, British Land has started piloting projects aimed at getting people ready for employment and into work. British Land describes itself as a longterm custodian and investor in Canada Water and the surrounding area. Once fully completed, the masterplan will create a new town centre at Canada Water, providing around 3,000 new homes. As well as the new leisure centre, which will be run by the council, local residents will be able to enjoy retail, entertainment and community space, including a new town square, park and employment space. There will also be around two million square feet of workspace, all set in a network of streets and spaces connected to the wider area. The scheme will also see Britain’s first new high street for nearly 100 years.
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Projects
185 PARK STREET Demolition works at 185 Park Street, Bankside are now complete, making way for construction on the £400 million residential-led scheme from Sons & Co. and Slovakian property developer and investor JTRE. The former National Grid office has planning consent for 163 apartments and 8,090sq m of office space to help bring extra employment into the area. It also includes 777sq m of retail space and 1,711sq m of space for cultural facilities across three buildings designed by Squire & Partners. The site is located at the east end of Tate Modern, at the junction of Great Guildford Street, Sumner Street and Park Street. The three buildings will be composed of two residential towers that are 15 and 19 storeys high, and one commercial building of 10 storeys, incorporating retail space on the ground floor. A landscaped pedestrian boulevard will connect Park Street and Emerson Street. In addition to the redevelopment at 185 Park Street, under the terms of the Section 106 agreement, a site has been secured at 94116 Southwark Park Road for affordable housing, providing 57 fully self-contained apartments with living space, kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms. The development also features a communal lounge and residents’ garden. Sons & Co. is a London-based property developer specialising in historic and sensitive locations. Managed by two brothers, Alexander and Christian Stocker and business partner Simon Roberts, the company was involved in delivering high-profile residential schemes in Holborn, Victoria and Mayfair in 2018. Alex Stocker, chief executive officer for Sons & Co. says: “This is a fantastic site, with internationally famous institutions such as the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe on its doorstep. The South Bank is the perfect location for a high-end mixed-use development of this type and we’re delighted to be working with JTRE to redevelop one of the last remaining prime sites in this unique part of London.” A three-year development programme at 185 Park Street is anticipated, with a target completion date of 2022. Its central Bankside location is highly accessible, served by major rail and underground connections at London Bridge, Waterloo, Southwark and Blackfriars. The new southern entrance at Blackfriars’ station provides direct access to Bankside, while the Jubilee line and river services provide a fast way of getting to and from the West End. southwarkmagazine.com
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issue
21 spring 2019 53
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Resilient Southwark
DON’T PANIC As confidence wavers in the face of Brexit, investment is slowing and property prices stagnating. Yet, Southwark is confident that it can triumph in the face of adversity, as it did after the 2008 recession. Sarah Herbert outlines those reasons to be cheerful
54 issue 21 spring 2019
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MALT STREET
Resilient Southwark
LONDON SE1
An exciting new green place for everyone www.berkeleygroup.co.uk Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies
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Berkeley are passionate about creating amazing new spaces to live, work and enjoy.
AT THE TIME OF WRITING, no-one knows whether Brexit is happening with a deal, of whatever nature, without a deal or, indeed, at all. And, if we do leave the EU, we don’t know what the effects are going to be on the UK, London or individual boroughs. No wonder investors are wary. The whole country won’t be affected equally. As the Centre for London says: “Many risks involved in departure from the EU are common to all parts of the UK. Risks that disproportionately affect the capital are those that challenge London’s openness to trade and talent.” Manufactured goods account for around only around 25% of London’s exports, with growth concentrated in services, which have doubled in value to around £100 billion in the past decade, and now account for 46% of the country’s service exports. That makes the city less vulnerable to fluctuations on the physical trade of goods, and less reliant on the EU, than other parts of the UK. However, it is vulnerable to problems with the service sector (mainly banking and business, but with growth in architecture, engineering and creative sectors) and the need for regulatory compliance with the EU. Research by TheCityUK estimates that regulatory alliance problems could cost the UK 3,000-4,000 jobs and £2 billion of revenue, if financial services retain access on similar terms to today’s, to 35,000 jobs, revenue of £20 billion and tax revenues of up to £5 billion, if we rely on WTO rules. While Southwark isn’t home to many conventional banking and business services firms, it has a burgeoning digital services sector, which would be subject to complex data protection standards regulation, and a growing hub of creative industries, which will also need specific agreements. Despite these concerns, Stephen Platts, regeneration director at Southwark Council, is bullish. “Commercial growth in Southwark will come from the creative and digital sector, not the traditional areas of banking or law. There is huge demand for the right staff, and creative and digital type employees want to be somewhere vibrant and diverse like Companies want to be close to Our plans for our new site along the Old Southwark. Kent Road will deliver up to 1,300 their workforce, and that workforce wants to be where it’s happening. And where new homes, many of them affordable homes, alongside 75,000 sq ft it’s of happening is in places such as Peckham and industrial, commercial and retail space and a Southwark, 250m long new growth linear north areasbrand with vibrant and young community. park for the whole community to enjoy. Over half of the site will be public open “Southwark is now a mainstream space with a large central piazza and green streets pedestrian commercial parttoofenhance central London, with significant floor space, and very low void rates and cyclist permeability in the area. We are also creating generous new – the South Bank has the lowest void rate of anywhere ininLondon, at 3%.” employment spaces to provide a 400% increase jobs on site. On the residential front, across London, allCouncil indicatorsto over the past months point We are proud to be working with Southwark create a 18 fantastic to a property slowdown, to put it politely.
WE HAVE GOOD SCHOOLS, FANTASTIC OPEN SPACES, IMPROVING TRANSPORT LINKS AND INVESTMENT PROGRAMMES However, according to Platts, Southwark is set to weather the storm, as it has in the past. “The borough’s fundamentals are sound. We have good schools, fantastic open spaces, improving transport links and investment programmes across the borough. We’re seeing constant improvement to residential amenities, food offer, culture, theatres...” His optimism is borne out by the statistics. Between 2008, the last property recession, and 2017, property prices rose by 90% in Southwark, according to Right Move, compared to 31% in Kensington and Chelsea, 82% in Camden, 61% in Westminster – all prime central London locations – and 75% in neighbouring Lambeth. And last year, when the property slowdown was really starting to bite, Southwark had London’s best-performing housing market, with a 4.7% rise, according to the Land Registry, compared to 1.8% in Kensington and Chelsea, -1.8% in Camden, 0.3% in neighbouring Lambeth, and a giant -10.1% in Westminster. So why has Southwark been so resilient? Says Platts: “Location, location, location. We’re basically central London, but trading at discount to comparable areas. Canada Water is 20-30% cheaper than Canary Wharf, Elephant and Castle is 20-30% cheaper than KX, and Peckham is cheaper than Brixton. It still provides good value for money, in London terms.” “What’s unique in Southwark,” says Platts, “is the amount of regeneration, and the potential still to come. Lots of boroughs have one major scheme, whereas we have so many running in tandem that 50% of the borough is a regeneration zone. It runs right through the borough, from Elephant and Castle to Canada Water, down the Old Kent Road. And it’s not just for future residents, but existing residents too.” Platts is an old hand at property recessions, now living through his third. “Property has always been cyclical. My message to the development community is not to panic.”
new place for all.
southwarkmagazine.com
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Pocket Living builds affordable homes for London’s young middle-earning city makers who contribute to the city in so many ways but can’t afford to buy their first home. Pocket homes are unique. They’re only for first time buyers who live and work locally and remain affordable in perpetuity. Purchasers own 100% of their home from day one. Backed by the Mayor of London and with a pipeline of over 1,000 genuinely affordable homes by 2021, Pocket Living is proud to be working with Southwark to provide quality homes for the borough’s first-time buyers.
southwark
The London property ladder is missing its lower rungs. We’re putting them back in Southwark.
A cut above the rest Hairdressing hub takes off in Peckham, joining much-loved theatres, cinemas and breweries
Raising a glass Traditional pubs meet new tap rooms in one of the United Kingdom’s most bustling boroughs
Strong and stable? Breaking through the Brexit uncertainty: Southwark is confident in its economic future
Building communities A key hinge between major regen zones could become a destination in its own right
southwark Issue 21 Spring 2019
Varcoe Road SE16 is the first Pocket Living scheme in Southwark. Designed by Maccreanor Lavington, the development is made up of 100% genuinely affordable Pocket homes. The scheme will also feature commercial space on the ground floor for local small businesses. Residents will have access to a co-working space, a sun room, ample cycle storage and two landscaped communal roof terraces with gardens. For more information visit pocketliving.com
Issue 21 Spring 2019
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Flying the Green Flag Prioritising the provision of open space in an urban setting, bringing benefits to the local community
PARKS, PUBS AND PLACEMAKING
From Rye Lane to Tower Bridge Road, new development areas, investment in Walworth and opportunities for all
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