23 minute read
Construction - Regeneration
20 Years of Regeneration in Royal Arsenal Riverside Twenty years into the regeneration of the £1.2 billion Royal Arsenal Riverside development, Berkeley has transformed the disused former munitions site into a thriving leisure, retail and cultural destination that thousands of people call home.
“The rebirth of the Royal Arsenal is one of London’s greatest regeneration stories” Tony Pidgley CBE used to say. The renowned Chairman for Berkeley Homes, who sadly passed away in June this year, was a proud advocate for the regeneration of Woolwich and the partnership work with the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the Great London Authority. “Those who remember the old Woolwich of the 1990s will understand how far it has come. Many factors contributed to this success but at the heart of it all is a partnership based on trust and a shared vision”.
Royal Arsenal’s military heritage dates back to 1512. Over the centuries the site expanded and grew, being recognised as the centre of excellence in the design and manufacture of armaments and peaking at 80,000 employees during the First World War. The slow decline began after the Second World War, and eventually in 1994 the site ceased operation as a military establishment.
The decline of the Royal Arsenal led to the decline of the wider area. The objective of the new development was not just to rejuvenate the disused site, but to spread the benefits to the wider area. This was complicated by contamination, a significant number of listed buildings, low land values and a challenging surrounding context.
A fundamental objective of the masterplan was to connect the site to the town centre, and the town centre to the river. With centuries of military use the site had been purposefully separated with no access. For regeneration to be a success this had to be reversed.
Improved connectivity
In 2005, following concerted efforts by Royal Borough of Greenwich and Berkeley, construction started on the DLR extension to Woolwich. Berkeley accommodated the DLR within the masterplan by changing the phasing sequence and construction programme for delivery of the tunnels. The arrival of the DLR was a critical part of the early placemaking for the wider Woolwich area, providing a direct link to Canary Wharf, Stratford International and London City Airport.
Royal Arsenal is also connected to other transport links including National Rail and an on-site Uber boat by Thames Clipper. Berkeley was instrumental in bringing the forthcoming on-site Crossrail station to Woolwich, which is expected to open in the first half of 2022.
Working closely with the council, Berkeley encouraged Marks & Spencer to open at Royal Arsenal Riverside, which was seen as a major achievement at an early stage in the development. The growth of the development also attracted new entrepreneurs. Berkeley has assisted a number of start-up businesses, including helping two local people grow their catering business from their kitchen, to a market stall and then into the beautiful Con Gusto restaurant. They also helped another local creative start-up grow to take over a 140 sq.m office.
New green space
Nature and healthy lifestyle are at the heart of Royal Arsenal Riverside. The development is situated right on the River Thames with fantastic river views, while there are more than 12 acres of green open spaces and 500 new trees being delivered. Tree-lined paths, waterways, sensory planting and wildflower meadows between fantastic new parks provide a calm and peaceful space away from the fast pace of city life.
A new park with beautifully landscapes has opened, with 1 acre already delivered containing green space and a waterway with a babbling brook and stepping stones for children to play in. The park is named Maribor Park, paying homage to the beautiful town of Maribor in Slovenia, which Woolwich has been twinned for more than 50 years.
Local growth and community
Berkeley is passionate about the growth of Woolwich. The business actively participates in the South East London Chamber of Commerce business forums and also organises local networking events that create links between small businesses in Woolwich and Royal Arsenal.
Berkeley has located its Divisional Head Office at Royal Arsenal, which makes the business not only a developer but an investor, commercial tenant and major local employer in Woolwich. The business is stitched into the local community and knows what really matters to local people.
More than 60 events are held every year at Royal Arsenal Riverside. There is always something happening giving this vibrant destination colour and a reason to visit, mix and mingle. Events have included the Tall Ships Race, Woolwich Carnival, Greenwich Docklands International Festival, Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair and the established Royal Arsenal Farmers’ Market, run in a partnership between Berkeley and GCDA.
The site will also soon be home to a new creative district, Woolwich Works, which will be equal in size to London’s South Bank and just as ambitious with new theatres and artists’ studios showcasing a variety of arts and entertainment.
There is a thriving and established community here, supporting local events, organising social action campaigns and developing community groups such as a dog walking club, team-based fitness training called ‘Royal Resistance’, a local tag rugby club and even a recycling club. All this helps to foster a real neighbourhood feel.
Twenty years later, Royal Arsenal has become a beautiful riverside neighbourhood and has helped to drive the growth of Woolwich. Royal Arsenal Riverside has been built and transformed across the years through a joined up approach between Berkeley, the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the Greater Authority London and the local community.
It is a welcoming home to so many and a growing area with a bright future.
For further information call Berkeley Homes on 020 8108 7155
Revealing a new vision for Greenwich Peninsula
U+I unveils latest images of Morden Wharf - a new riverside neighbourhood for all Londoners
There are not many regeneration schemes across London that provide a new public park, let alone one that sits next to the Thames.
But Morden Wharf is not like most regeneration schemes.
This new neighbourhood on Greenwich Peninsula is being created by regeneration specialist U+I, in collaboration with acclaimed Dutch architecture firm Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA). Our vision is to create a thriving new community that offers unparalleled quality of life for all who live, work and visit – through an approach centred on a combination of design quality, sustainability, wellbeing, heritage and connectivity.
Together, we are proud to reveal new images showing our vision for the future of Morden Wharf – set to be the largest scheme in the UK by OMA – including visuals of Morden Park, the four acre park at the very heart of the scheme, which will be open for all Londoners and offer outstanding views of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site and Canary Wharf across the River Thames.
The landscape design is inspired by the site’s history as a marshland – embracing ecological diversity and producing a natural resource that can be enjoyed by everyone. Buildings will nestle into the lush setting, which will foster biodiversity and cohesiveness with nature at the heart of the urban community.
In fact, around 50% of Morden Wharf will be devoted to the new public realm and green space, with communal allotments and community gardens, as well as a wide range of age-specific play places and landscaped public spaces, each with their own character. A new public square on the riverside will provide an expansive civic space that will play host to a year-round calendar of events, activities and markets for the local community and visitors from across the capital.
By placing community at the heart of Morden Wharf, we are laying the foundations to create a sustainable neighbourhood fit for the future. Building a sense of community from the outset is fundamental in doing so – we firmly believe that whether you live, work, or enjoy a visit to the site, it is essential that everyone feels a sense of belonging.
To take full advantage of Morden Wharf’s enviable riverside position, the park stretches along 275m of the Thames and leads directly off the Thames Path, which will be almost exclusively accessible to pedestrians and cyclists. As well as those living, working and visiting Morden Wharf, this will allow Londoners from across the city to enjoy the views and connections of this often forgotten part of the Peninsula.
The path itself will be upgraded and widened to 6m to better and
more safely accommodate those on foot or two wheels – a move that forms part of our overall effort to promote environmentally friendly modes of transportation across the site and wider area. In support of this, we will embed infrastructure for green mobility throughout the site, including the provision of a new mobility hub, 2,700 cycling parking spaces and new bridge link that completes the Peninsula network.
Sat within the lush and extensive public realm will be 12 residential buildings providing 1,500 homes – up to a third of which will be affordable family homes – in a mix of private sale, shared ownership and London Affordable Rent tenures.
Echoing the site’s rich industrial heritage, Morden Wharf will also support 1,100 new permanent jobs on site through a range of workspaces, including commercial, retail, leisure and community spaces. An existing warehouse, on the site of an old pub, The Sea Witch, will also be retained to accommodate a new brewery / taproom together with a mix of refurbished workspace for creative businesses.
The plans also include a new permanent boat house on an existing jetty, designed by architects Carmody Groarke. The boathouse could provide a permanent mooring for Gloriana, the Monarch’s Royal Rowbarge, which was expertly crafted to mark Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
By mixing residential, commercial and community space, we will create a thriving and productive neighbourhood with wellbeing and sustainability – environmental and economic – at its heart. Morden Wharf is a model for the future of urban living – a place with everything you could need is on the doorstep, in a stunning riverside location.
The Greenwich innovator with a global outlook
If innovation is to be the quickest route to an economic recovery in the UK, look no further than Mo-Sys. The Greenwich-based company has spent several years at the forefront of innovation, designing and building unique camera technology products for film and broadcast, including camera tracking, broadcast robotics and virtual production hardware.
One of the company’s key innovations is StarTracker, an in-studio optical camera tracking device for augmented reality and virtual reality applications. It binds together the real elements of a virtual studio (the presenters and guests) with the part of the studio generated by the graphics engine. All camera and lens movements are captured precisely in real-time and applied to the virtual scene. This is done via a small LED sensor, which is mounted on the studio camera and shines light on retro-reflective stickers or ‘stars’ placed on the studio ceiling or lighting grid. Effectively, this allows the StarTracker to monitor the position of the studio camera in relation to the virtual scene in real-time.
Mo-Sys has extended this concept to create the world’s first pre-configured complete virtual studio system, complete with tracked cameras, which enables production experts to turn a small physical studio into a much larger virtual studio. It removes the costs of building a physical set and offers the opportunity to include remote guests in the virtual studio – ideal in the current climate in which COVID-19 restrictions have hampered efforts to congregate on a physical set. As well as being a highly useful tool for production specialists, the system can also benefit a host of other audiences, such as events companies seeking to create added-value content to support live events, or corporates that want to create branded video content for sales, marketing, training and promotional purposes.
These products have attracted customers from all around the world. Mo-Sys serves customers in more than 50 countries, including high-profile names such as Sony, Disney, Sky and Netflix, and exports 95% of its products overseas. While many other companies are scaling back and making redundancies, Mo-Sys is actively growing the business: revenues are increasing by around 50% per year, while staff numbers have grown from 12 in 2014 (when the company first moved to Greenwich) to 50 today. Ten staff have been recruited in the last two months alone as the company gears up for the next phase of its expansion.
While Mo-Sys’ international work is well-known, the company has also formed productive partnerships at a local level.
Michael Geissler, CEO of Mo-Sys, explains: “The University of Greenwich (UWL) approached us to ask if we could help them. Due to COVID-19, some of their media and film students couldn’t finish their filming projects but with our help they have now done so.
“With current social distancing rules in place, the students were unable to get everyone together on set but our technology meant that most of the people could join the studio remotely. The students also used an LED wall, which effectively creates the appearance of natural light in the studio. Now that they’ve finished their coursework, they’re in a better position to get a job; one of them has already gone on to gain employment in a FTSE 500 company.”
Mo-Sys was a very early adopter of LED wall technology for real-time visual effects (VFX) production, highlighting the company’s position at the forefront of innovation. Mo-Sys products were involved in the filming of Gravity, the Oscar-winning sci-fi thriller starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, where an LED volume was first used in a high-profile feature film. The use of LED volumes for shooting real-time VFX shots has become hugely popular. Recently Star Wars: The Mandalorian series was also filmed using this technology.
Michael says: “A lot of people are bemoaning the fact that COVID-19 has stopped film production but our technology shows that it is still possible. You just have to think outside the box and do things in a different way.
“Like so many companies, we’ve had to adapt during the pandemic. We’ve re-thought all of our existing products to see how they could be modified for use in the current climate. We had to address how to increase productivity and efficiency even with people working from home. We’ve also made significant changes in our marketing strategy to help keep us visible to existing and prospective customers; this has been important as our main promotional activity - large-scale international tradeshows - have all been cancelled due to COVID-19.
“We felt it was vital to keep R&D going because we didn’t want to be overtaken by our competitors. We changed the way we communicated both internally and externally, and we streamlined our processes and decision making, which combined delivered in an increase in productivity even with so many staff working from home. Even though trading conditions are still challenging, we’re pursuing ambitious growth plans. We want to double staff numbers to 100 within two years. That’s great news locally because we’ll be attracting more of the finest talent to Greenwich. We’re currently in the process of recruiting for another six positions including IT support specialists, studio and assembly technicians, software developers, and admin/sales support personnel.
Whilst the expansion plans are impressive, Michael feels that the UK government could provide more financial support for fast-growth, innovative exporters with patented intellectual property and a global reach.
“We were not able to tap into the government support scheme” he says. “They tried to find every way possible not to give us the money, even though we have no debt, are cash-positive and have a proven track record of developing products that solve real-world problems. Our bank even told us that we didn’t qualify for government support because we re-invest our profits into growth and innovation. Conversely, it was a nice gesture to be awarded a discretionary grant from the Royal Borough of Greenwich which we found very useful.
“However, despite the government support situation, and the continuing impact of the pandemic, we’re optimistic about the future. We have a lot of patents either already granted or pending, and innovation is our main strength. We’ve set ourselves ambitious growth plans and I’m confident that we’ll achieve them.”
Best of Royal Greenwich Award Winners 2020 Andrew Geldard, Willmott Dixon, Jurga Sakalauskaite, Michael Geissler and Steph McGovern
Ready to Welcome You Back
Like many hotels in London, InterContinental London - The O2 has laid dormant for several months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But come October 1st, the award-winning hotel reopened its doors again to the public.
Holger Marass, Hotel Manager at InterContinental London – The O2, talks about how they have managed the temporary suspension of operations, supporting the NHS, reopening the hotel, and what the luxury property has planned moving forward.
The hotel has been out of action since March, what has the hotel done during the temporary suspension of operations?
“We were proud to be a home for NHS doctors, nurses and volunteers who were fighting on the front lines of the pandemic at the NHS Nightingale hospital based at the ExCel London, and those attending training at the designated facility at The O2 arena. We opened our doors exclusively for this group from April and offered 100 rooms per night on a complimentary basis which included catering each evening when they returned from their shift.
This was a great way for us to say thank you, and salute the bravery and commitment of these courageous men and women.
The hotel laid dormant once the NHS departed in June, with a skeleton team of staff on site keeping the building prepped for reopening, and ready if the NHS required us once again.
During this time, we also took the opportunity to install solar panels on top of the roof of the ballroom as part of our green initiative. The panels are sitting alongside our chef’s vegetable garden and will help power the hotel, particularly through the summer months.”
How has the hotel prepared to keep guests safe with Covid-19 restrictions?
“The safety and well-being of our guests and colleagues is our number one priority, and as has become expected for hotels, restaurants, and bars, we have implemented new hygiene procedures above and beyond our standard protocols, as well as social distancing measures, in line with Government and public health advice.
With that, we have committed to the IHG® Clean Promise, which, along with a more rigorous cleaning regime, has seen us implement hand sanitizer stations, and a one-way system throughout the hotel, with guests also required to wear a face-covering in public areas.
After implementing these measures, we still remember that we are a hotel. We are committed to hospitality and providing memorable experiences for our guests. To do this we are continually looking for opportunities to keep service standards high, even though the guest journey may look and feel different to what our guests were previously accustomed to.”
What facilities will be open at the hotel when you open on October 1st?
“During phase one of the reopening, we will open Market Brasserie restaurant, Clipper Bar and Meridian Lounge with a limited capacity, focusing on breakfast, dinner and afternoon tea.
We will also be reopening our gym, swimming pool, and The Spa, with a limited treatment menu. Unfortunately, the sauna, steam room and jacuzzi pool remain closed for the time being.
Phase two of the opening will see the return of fine dining in Peninsula Restaurant, Eighteen Sky Bar, and our executive club lounge. We are hoping to see the gradual return of larger events and conferences in the coming months also.
We have also put together several value-added packages for our guests to enjoy. Our ‘On Your Time’ package includes flexible check-in and check-out, allowing guests to choose when they arrive and depart. Check-out times can easily feel like the end of a holiday or trip, so by offering this flexibility, we are allowing guests to really get the most out of their stay.”
The hotel is renowned for hosting extravagant events, how has this changed with Covid-19?
“The hotel has had the privilege of hosting many large, magnificent events in the past, including conferences, summits, banquets, and Christmas parties. This of course is not possible at present with new regulations around large events and gatherings.
We are currently working with a range of partners who are helping us create hybrid and virtual meeting experiences. This appears to be how the meeting and events sector is looking to continue until large in-person events can resume.
We are fortunate to have the Arora Ballroom, which boasts over 3,000 square metres of pillar-free space. The ballroom can be split into multiple configurations, allowing us to easily create ‘bubbles’ for different groups, breakout spaces and catering areas, with one-way routes starting from the separate ballroom entrance away from the hotel lobby.”
What is the plan for InterContinental London – The O2 moving forward?
“My hope is that individuals regain confidence in us, and the hospitality industry. Hotels are one of the safer places in a crisis because of the strict cleaning regime, particularly in public spaces. We have wide corridors, six guest lifts and a car parking facility, with our outlets set-up at a reduced capacity to allow plenty of space. This makes it a lot easier for our staff and guests to respect social distancing measures and remain safe throughout their stay.
Whilst we can’t host large groups and events at present, we are seeing that local and domestic market guests are still keen for a night away from home, to go on a staycation, and explore their own backyard. A night at InterContinental London – The O2 is a great opportunity for guests to experience something a little special that they may have been missing during lockdown.
We are still looking forward to the fast-approaching Christmas period, and are currently accepting lunch and dinner bookings for groups in our restaurant and bars, with our Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve programme receiving some finishing touches.
Whilst we are far from business as usual, there is still appetite for travel, and although we can’t go as far, and the guest experience may look and feel a little different, we are still committed to delivering True Hospitality and creating memorable experiences.”
InterContinental London – The O2 reopened on October 1st, 2020, along with outlets including Meridian Lounge, Clipper Bar, Market Brasserie and The Spa. You can read more about the hotel’s commitment to the IHG®Clean Promise at ihg.com/clean To learn more about the On Your Time package and the hotel reopening, please visit: iclondon-theo2.com
Businesses need flexible financial support to recover from pandemic
Many firms have taken on debt during the pandemic and require flexible repayment solutions to rebuild their revenues and avoid an unsustainable debt crisis.
That’s the standout highlight of a new British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) poll conducted in partnership with banking group TSB.
More than four out of ten (42%) of those surveyed said they had accessed finance during the pandemic through government lending schemes such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) or the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS). These businesses were almost evenly spread across all sectors, with manufacturing firms slightly more likely to have taken out finance.
Those drawing on the schemes were overwhelmingly doing so to support critical day-to-day business operations during the pandemic. More than seven out of ten (71%) said they used finance to support cashflow, 43% for overheads, 40% for paying staff and 32% for paying other debts.
Almost two thirds (64%) of respondents said the repaying of finance built up during the pandemic might have a negative impact on their business. More than one in four firms (27%) said repaying finance might mean they scale down operations and 26% said they would change their investment plans. Most concerningly, 11% said they may have to cease trading – suggesting that future financial support may be needed.
More than four in ten (44%) firms surveyed said they had not attempted to access finance during the immediate crisis, but still face challenging business conditions. While 38% had seen increases in revenue from UK customers, a further 38% saw a decrease. One half of firms (50%) said their cash reserves had slightly or significantly decreased since July 2020.
Faced with this, local lockdowns and the planned withdrawal of various government support schemes this autumn, more businesses are likely to access business banking services in the coming months to support their day-to-day operations and drive the wider economic recovery. Those looking to do so overwhelmingly require a flexible business banking service, offering a mix of face-to-face and in-person capabilities.
Adam Marshall, BCC director general, said: “Government loan schemes have been a lifeline for many businesses during the pandemic so many firms have taken on debt to survive.
“With many businesses still facing reduced demand, depleted cash reserves and continued uncertainty, bold solutions will be needed to prevent thousands of firms across the UK from falling into a spiral of unsustainable debt. If not addressed, large debt burdens could stifle the recovery, threatening jobs and constraining business activity and investment.
“Others who have weathered the immediate storm may yet need access to finance for working capital to help their businesses recover and grow. Ministers should consider whether some loan schemes should be extended beyond the autumn to help.
“Over the coming months, government, regulators and banks must work together with business communities to find solutions that help firms repay coronavirus loans sustainably, and access the support and services they need at this challenging time.”
TSB CEO Debbie Crosbie added: “Banks have a vital role to play in helping small businesses survive and thrive. It is very clear they need banks that can provide a full suite of services, including lending, face-to-face advice and outstanding technology to help them build back better. TSB is focussed on providing this mix for small businesses across the country.”
