4 minute read
British Land
Working with the Southwark Council to create a vibrant, inclusive, mixed-use development at Canada Water
An UPDATE from the Canada Water Team
As I am sure you have noticed, a lot has been going on recently. You have probably seen hoardings going up in the area and construction vehicles on Quebec Way and outside of Surrey Quays Shopping Centre. We are sorry for any disturbance this may have caused - although we hope you will be pleased with the results.
Last year, Southwark Council gave their unanimous approval for the Canada Water development (known as Canada Water Masterplan) which covers an area about the same size as 29 football pitches.
The plans are being brought forward as a partnership between British Land, Southwark Council and the people who live and work here in SE16. Over 5,000 local people gave us their feedback to help shape these plans. Approval was given to create a new town centre for Southwark, including shops, restaurants, bars, offices and community and leisure facilities. There will also be new homes and public open spaces, including a new park and a town square. As you can imagine, this will take some time - but we want to reassure you that we are here for the long-term. Up until now, most of the work being done by the team has involved planning, designing, and getting various sites ready for construction. We have now entered an exciting new chapter where we can begin to deliver on the promises, we have made to the people who live here. Clearly, it has been a difficult year or more for everyone in so many ways. Covid-19 has placed a huge amount of pressure on us all. Although things are still difficult, and we might not be able to meet people in person, we are still committed to engaging with the community as we work up detailed plans for certain parts of the development. To get up to date information, please visit us at: canadawatermasterplan.com. We believe in working in partnership with local charities and community groups – and supporting projects that benefit local people. We have included some local news and updates below.
Engineering the future of Canada Water
We are thrilled to announce that this summer, TEDI-London will be moving to a new campus off Quebec Way. Co-founded by three universities (Arizona State University, King’s College London and the University of New South Wales in Sydney), TEDI-London’s aim is to transform engineering higher education. One of the ways they do this is by diversifying the range of people studying and entering the profession. They have already begun working with a range of local partners and are offering sponsored places for Southwark residents so that TEDI-London will be accessible to those from the local area. The modular design of the new campus means it is mainly being built off-site to minimise disruption to people living in the area. The first modular buildings arrived on site a few weeks ago, and the campus is due to be completed in the summer.
More details including job opportunities and information on bursaries can be found at: tedi-london.ac.uk
Giving young people space to grow
We have a longstanding relationship with the charity Global Generation - and have recently identified a new, more permanent home for them as part of the TEDI-London Innovation Hub near Printworks on Quebec Way. Moving into this new space will allow Global Generation to continue to provide educational workshops and classes for local young people and families aimed at enhancing their connection to the natural world and their local environment. As part of this, Global Generation will be working with local school children to get them involved in shaping elements of the public spaces that will be coming forward as part of the development. In the last year, Global Generation have involved over 1,100 people in the area including children from Redriff and Albion Primary schools and local families.
To learn more about Global Generation and the work they do, please visit: www.globalgeneration.org.uk Supporting disadvantaged people to start businesses that THRIVE
We have been working with Tree Shepherd, a social enterprise that helps disadvantaged people across London reach their full potential and start their own business. They run THRIVE, a workspace in Surrey Quays Leisure Park that provides low-cost private space for local start-up businesses whose owners live in SE16. It is home to a number of exciting businesses including Strongmans Tipple, Queen Quashi and Repercia Therapeutic Counselling Services. In June, the charity launches a free Start Your Own Enterprise course for unemployed, low paid and local SE16 residents. It will be led by experienced tutors and business advisors, providing advice on all the steps needed to start a business. Sandra Ferguson, CEO of Tree Shepherd said: “We want to show people, especially the unemployed, that they can realise their dreams and run a business. With the advice and guidance that our tutors and advisors provide they can be running a successful enterprise in no time. The courses will offer insight into all aspects of running a business.” The 6-week course covers topics from writing a business plan to marketing a business and starts on 23rd June.
