southwark
Helping to set the Southwark Standard.
Housing ambition Regeneration in partnership – how the council will deliver 11,000 homes by 2030
Thinking place After secondary schools, primaries are expanding, some featuring awardwinning architecture
Business space Pole position – Southwark takes its place in the central London office market
Artisan creations Bespoke products by the jeweller, framer, rugmaker and tailor – skilled and talented craftspeople
Shopping style Change is on order, with retail revival planned for the upgrading of Southwark’s main centres
southwark Issue 13 Summer 2015
Mount Anvil is committed to developing Southwark’s vision for a bright future.
Issue 13 Summer 2015
@mountanvil mountanvil.com
homes, schools & opportunity
Learning – fostered through investment in Southwark pupil places; designing and making – expressed through creative businesses
The best view in London 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and penthouses. Prices from £1,275,000 – £15m. For further information, please call 020 3773 9158 or email onetowerbridge@berkeleygroup.co.uk Follow us on Twitter @BerkeleyStyle Details are correct at time of going to press and subject to apartment type and availability. Computer Generated Image depicts One Tower Bridge.
www.onetowerbridge.co.uk Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies
BARRATT LONDON
DELIVERING NEW HOMES AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES ACROSS SOUTHWARK.
REDWOOD PARK Rotherhithe, London SE16 6NP
BLACKFRIARS CIRCUS Southwark, London SE1 8EQ
BLACKFRIARS CIRCUS Southwark, London SE1 8EQ
Barratt London is the market-leading residential developer in the Capital. With over 30 years’ experience we’ve helped – literally – shape one of the world’s most exciting, diverse and dynamic cities. Blackfriars Circus will deliver 336 new homes and two new public squares along with proposals for new shops, cafes, and dedicated space for small businesses. Housing Design Award winner Redwood Park will provide 212 new homes including 51 affordable, a new health centre, community centre and children’s play space.
barrattlondon.com
Working with the London Borough of Southwark to create an exciting mixed use development at Canada Water Find out more at: www.canadawatermasterplan.com www.britishland.com
southwark
contents 46 primary schools With Ofsted results in the top quarter nationally, Southwark’s multimillion pound investment in its primary schools expansion programme appears to be paying dividends. Michael Faraday Primary School photographs by Peter Durant.
09 contacts Who to contact about regeneration in Southwark. 12 news Updates on regeneration projects and initiatives across the borough. 35 map and projects Developments ongoing and in the pipeline: what’s happening and where? 51 regeneration in partnership Southwark Council is introducing new initiatives to tackle the housing crisis.
18 retail Southwark Council is looking to build on an eclectic mix of independent and commercial retailers in the borough, helping to increase footfall.
55 business space More businesses are coming to Southwark – but where in the borough are they moving? 61 training and employment How landmark development projects are creating opportunites for residents. 66 sitematch Property experts discuss their working relationships with Southwark Council.
24 handmade From framers to tailors, designers in Southwark take pride and passion in crafting their bespoke products. Photography by David Tothill.
Editorial director Siobhán Crozier Deputy editor Maria Shahid Chief reporter James Wood head of design Rachael Schofield design Smallfury Designs production assistant Christopher Hazeldine business development Director Paul Gussar Office manager Sue Mapara subscriptions manager Simon Maxwell Managing director Toby Fox Printed by Bishops Printers Cover Image Michael Faraday Primary School by Peter Durant Images Peter Durant, David Tothill, Andrew Holt, Philip Vile, Lendlease, HTA Design, Crest Nicholson, Gort Scott Architects, Sellar Design + Development, Network Rail | Grimshaw Architects, PLP Architecture | DBOX, Carl Turner Architects, Pollard Thomas Edwards, Peabody, Avanti Architects, Haverstock, Maccreanor Lavington, Cottrell & Vermeulen, PRP Architects, Cushman and Wakefield, Network Rail, Wayne Campbell/MACE Published by
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©3Fox International Limited 2015 All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of 3Fox International Ltd is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of 3Fox International Ltd.
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13 summer 2015 07
LINDEN HOME S. PROUD TO BE PA RT OF S OU T H WA RK Bermondsey | Blackfriars
As an established provider of high-quality homes and jobs across Southwark and South London, Linden Homes is proud to be part of the community. For details of our London developments in key locations across the capital, visit our website. london.lindenhomes.co.uk
Computer generated image shows The Residence. Photograph shows local area.
southwark
Made in Southwark We are the London commercial heart with soul, with new companies, retailers and creatives moving to Southwark every month to enjoy a truly diverse and distinctive destination. In this edition we meet some of our artisan producers, the craftspeople who design and make bespoke products, in several cases, by hand. Over the last five years we have built more new homes than any other borough, and in this issue we focus on our new regeneration in partnership model for delivering an additional 11,000 council houses. Education is a key driver of success and we are forging ahead with the biggest investment in primary schools since Victorian times. We tell the story of our ambitious programme which is paying dividends in terms of the attainment of our pupils – we are now in the top quartile of academic performance nationally. Regeneration means opportunity and in Southwark we are proud of our reputation for making opportunities happen for our communities and creating a fairer future for all. Councillor Peter John Leader of Southwark Council
contact
Dan Taylor / Chief Executive’s Department Southwark Council / 160 Tooley Street / SE1 2QH regeninfo@southwark.gov.uk / 020 7525 5450 southwarkmagazine.com
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13 summer 2015 09
WE’VE STARTED AN ELEPHANT EFFECT…
THE FIRST RESIDENTS ARE NOW MOVING IN TO TRAFALGAR PLACE, THE FIRST PHASE OF THE REGENERATION WHICH INCLUDES 25% AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE ARE MAKING EXTRAORDINARY PROGRESS IN OUR £1.5BN REGENERATION OF ELEPHANT & CASTLE. WE HAVE NOW STARTED CONSTRUCTION ON ELEPHANT PARK, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HOMES EITHER IN CONSTRUCTION OR COMPLETE TO 900. AS OUR VISION FOR CREATING CENTRAL LONDON’S GREENEST NEW PLACE TO LIVE IS FAST BECOMING A REALITY. It’s not just about what we are building, it’s how we are doing it. Our world leading plans are seeking to use the vast scale of the project to tackle some of the most challenging issues currently facing cities like London, from reducing our impact on the environment to stimulating economic growth.
£30m investment in transport improvements
1projects of worldwide 18 to be part of C40 cities Climate Positive Development Programme
This is what we call the Elephant Effect: the broad and enduring legacy of benefits that our project will deliver for Elephant & Castle and the local community.
50+
EXAMPLES OF THE ELEPHANT EFFECT IN ACTION
Providing unrivalled access to nature including the creation of a
Creating jobs We’ve now provided work on the regeneration for nearly 400 Southwark residents and, of these, over 150 were previously unemployed.
new shops and restaurants
brand new park in the heart of the development
Investing in the local economy The Artworks is a new creative hub, providing temporary space for creative and start-up businesses, many of which we hope will take up permanent space on Elephant Park. To find out more about the Elephant Effect visit: www.lendlease.com/elephantandcastle
MARKETING SUITE NOW OPEN The Elephant Park Sales & Marketing Suite has just opened and includes an interactive model and a two bedroom show home apartment. To make your appointment, please contact the sales team on 020 3675 9955 or welcomehome@lendlease.com We are currently selling West Grove, the second phase of Elephant Park, consisting of suites, one, two and three bedroom apartments.
PRICES START FROM £430,000 elephantpark.co.uk
THE LIFE THE HEART THE ELEPHANT
In partnership with
Nearly
3,000 new homes Creating
6,000 new jobs and training opportunities
the news What’s new and happening in southwark
Schools expansion Southwark Council has agreed a series of expansions to the borough’s primary schools. Planning consent is in place to extend 11 schools to create more places for students. By 1 September 2016, the number of additional school places provided in the five years from 2011 to 2016 will have risen to 2,585 – an 11% increase in primary provision. The Michael Faraday School (pictured right), which opened four years ago, teaches up to 480 pupils from the ages of three to 11. For more on schools, see page 46.
Southwark to grow cycling spine A new cycle route, dubbed the Southwark Spine, has been mapped out by planners at the council. The first phase on the north-south route will run from St George’s Circus to Dulwich Library, with extensions south to Forest Hill and north to London Bridge being considered. Councillor Darren Merrill, cabinet member for environment and public realm, said: “The plan gives us clear direction on the ambition to make Southwark a cycling friendly borough for young and old.” 12 issue 13 summer 2015
Read up-to-date news stories about Southwark’s regeneration online at southwarkmagazine .com
Canada Water schemes gather pace
the news
Top for transport Southwark has been named ‘Transport Borough of the Year’ at the London Transport Awards. The borough was praised for its investment in infrastructure to improve all modes of travel. The council recently announced that funding will double for each of the next four years, to more than £8 million annually.
Hotel and office scheme approved
British Land has acquired Surrey Quays Leisure Park in Canada Water for £135 million. It adds to the real estate company’s portfolio for the area, which includes Surrey Quays Shopping Centre and the SE16 print works – the former Daily Mail printing works. The combined sites, assembled over the last five years for £250 million, cover nearly 18.6 hectares. British Land is also working with the council on the Canada Water masterplan to create a new town centre for the area. Architect Allies & Morrison has been appointed to advise as masterplanners. The scheme may include up to 650,000sq m of office, retail, leisure, culture and residential alongside educational and community uses. Chris Grigg, chief executive of British Land, said: “This acquisition completes our assembly of a £2 billion world-class development.”
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Councils collaborate for jobs boost Southwark is teaming up with Lewisham and Lambeth councils to create a skills centre that will train hundreds of local people to take advantage of construction jobs being created on their doorstep. The £1 million Southwark centre will complement centres in Lewisham and Lambeth, which will focus on construction skills. Lendlease’s Elephant Park development will be the home for the new centre. A planning application was registered in early June and works are expected to commence at the end of the summer. Councillor Peter John, leader of Southwark Council, said: “We are seeing a significant level of construction work available.”
Derwent London has been granted planning permission by Southwark Council for a hotel and office scheme on the South Bank. The redevelopment of Wedge House on Blackfriars Road includes a 15-storey, 6,335sq m hotel and 3,885sq m of offices. The scheme was designed by architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands and is scheduled for completion in 2018.
Luxury homes being snapped up The Residence, Linden Homes’ residential scheme in Blackfriars, is now over 65% sold. It features one, two and threebedroom apartments.
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What’s new and happening in southwark
College campus agreed
Sculptor strikes a chord A sculpture by an internationally renowned artist has been installed in Dulwich Park. Southwark Council commissioned Conrad Shawcross, the youngest living Royal Academician, to create a piece to replace Barbara Hepworth’s Two Forms (Divided Circle) – stolen from the park by suspected scrap metal thieves in 2011. Shawcross has installed three spheroidal cast iron sculptures, which have been developed to blend into the natural environment. “As my first piece of work in a park, I wanted something that was very approachable – very useable,” he said. “I hoped to create something that would be as loved as Barbara Hepworth’s creation.
“But the idea is to let people who visit the park decide for themselves as to what they get out of the sculptures – it’s really up to the individual’s interpretation of them.” Shawcross’ work, The Three Perpetual Chords, is part of his ongoing study of light and harmonics. Conceptually, each sculpture is supposed to represent the numbers within three musical chords – the octave, the fifth and the fourth. Councillor Barrie Hargrove, cabinet member for public health, parks and leisure, said: “Public art of all kinds, but especially those in our parks and green open spaces, have and will always be such a valuable part of the local community.”
Delancey’s client fund, DV4, and asset manager, APG, have signed a strategic partnership with University of the Arts London to provide a new campus for its London College of Communication as part of the regeneration plans for Elephant and Castle. The college is a long-time tenant in the area. Initial proposals will be presented alongside development plans for the Elephant Road site, which is under construction and due for completion in autumn 2016, and the redevelopment plans for the Elephant and Castle shopping centre. Local stakeholders, businesses and community members will be invited to contribute to the proposals. See Projects (page 38) for more on the Elephant and Castle.
Housing contract Developer Lendlease has entered into a contractual agreement with housing association L&Q for managing housing across its Elephant and Castle regeneration scheme. L&Q will take ownership of housing to be built at Elephant Park by Lendlease. It is expected that 550 homes will be built. Lendlease announced half of the homes will be available for affordable and social rent, while the other half will be for shared ownership. Councillor Mark Williams, cabinet member for regeneration, planning and transport, said: “Making sure we have more quality, affordable homes for people in Southwark is a key priority for us.”
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Support for tube extension Transport for London (TfL) has revealed that 96% of Southwark residents approve of plans to extend the Bakerloo line on the London Underground through Southwark. TfL carried out a consultation with 15,000 Southwark residents in the first quarter of 2015, and received overwhelming support for proposals to extend the tube line through either Camberwell and Peckham or down Old Kent Road. Sixty-four per cent said they would support the Camberwell and Peckham route, while 49% of residents approve of the Old Kent Road option.
the news
approval for latest estate plans Southwark Council has granted planning permission to developer Notting Hill Housing for 3,500 homes to be built at the Aylesbury estate. Two separate planning permissions were granted: full permission was given for the development site to the south-west of the estate, next to Burgess Park, and outline planning permission was granted for the rest of the scheme. The first development site will see 830 homes built, including specialist housing for older people and people with learning disabilities. A community facility and two parks will also be developed. The outline planning permission is for phases two, three and four of the scheme. This will see 2,745 homes built, in addition to the creation of office space, retail units, a public square and a health centre with an early years care centre. It will also feature open space, such as pocket parks and playgrounds for children. Notting Hill Housing said residents and Southwark Council have been instrumental in developing the plans. A section 106 agreement will be signed by the end of July, with building work on-site due to begin in the autumn.
building work begins on new southwark homes Developer Crest Nicholson has started building works on residential schemes at three recently acquired sites in SE1. Brandon House (pictured above), Valentine Place and Snowsfields Yard are all due to launch within a year of one another. Brandon House is a mixed-use development split into seven different buildings. It will feature 4,090sq m of
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commercial space, with 2,790sq m allocated to office use and 1,300sq m to retail space. There will be 97 homes, 20 of which Crest Nicholson said will be affordable and 77 private. The units will comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments and two and three-bedroom townhouses. Valentine Place will include 42 properties – including one, two and three-bedroom
apartments, three-bedroom duplexes and three-bedroom townhouses. At Snowsfields Yard, 37 residential units will be built – a mix of one, two and threebedroom apartments with balconies or roof terraces. Of these, Crest Nicholson said 28 homes will be private and nine affordable. It will also include three commercial units built for small businesses.
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Grosvenor and Bermondsey In Bermondsey we are in the early stages of developing plans to deliver homes for people from all backgrounds, a modern new secondary school, community amenities, and employment and retail space, all alongside new and improved public spaces. We are starting this process by getting to know the neighbourhood and its residents, by seeking feedback on our emerging thinking, and learning how Grosvenor Britain & Ireland can play an active role in Bermondsey’s future.
www.grosvenorandbermondsey.com
Working together to plan for the future Grosvenor has joined forces with The Blue Bermondsey Business Improvement District to ask local businesses and residents for their views on the area’s future. By visiting bluebermondsey.commonplace.is businesses and residents can click on any location on the area map, add their comments, and select what they would like to see more or less of in the Blue Bermondsey area.
Scan this QR code with your phone to take part in the survey
Construction Youth Trust offers free training opportunities Construction Youth Trust, a charity set up to help young people build better futures by giving them access to training, education and employment opportunities in the construction industry, is now offering free courses in Bermondsey. Grosvenor is hosting Construction Youth Trust on the former campus site on Drummond Road, and has offered space for the creation of its new Construction Training Centre to help provide more training opportunities for local young people. For more information on how to apply or make referrals, please visit www.constructionyouth.org.uk.
Living cities
Retail
shop around
With several of London’s biggest tourist attractions in Southwark, there is massive potential for the expansion of retail and leisure. Estates Gazette’s markets editor, Noella Pio Kivlehan, assesses plans and prospects for spreading it beyond the South Bank
Southwark’s retail scene is among the most diverse in London. Split between antiquated shopping centres, local high streets, and a world-famous market, the borough has a colourful collection of shops in the heart of the city. Prominent are independents like the Latin American specialist Chatica at Elephant and Castle, Kennedy’s restaurant on the Walworth Road, Southbank Art Company (formerly Sean Kelly Gallery), the art supplies and picture framers on London Road, and El Vergel on Southwark Bridge Road. Despite these gems in its retail crown, 18 issue 13 summer 2015
Southwark loses customers who are not currently drawn to its shopping facilities. Few of the millions a year who visit London’s attractions – including Tate Modern, Borough Market and The Globe Theatre – venture from the waterfront tourist area. Southwark Council plans to upgrade its retail offer, both to cater for the local population – set to grow from 300,000 to 350,000 by 2030 – and to draw those tourists further into the borough. “There’s potential for us to upgrade and benefit residents,” says Stephen Platts, director of regeneration at Southwark Council. “We act
as a magnet – rather than going to Shepherds Bush they can choose Elephant and Castle.” But retail development isn’t a free-for-all. “We give strongest protection to our town centres,” says Platts. “We want retail to be based in Elephant and Castle, Walworth Road, Canada Water, Peckham and London Bridge Bankside – the four main town centres. “The council’s leadership role is in developing the Southwark Plan, but also in working with developers to make sure they do interesting and distinctive retail,” adds Platts. Following is an outline of Southwark’s main retail schemes.
Retail
Canada Water and Surrey Quays Shopping Centre Canada Water has excellent transport infrastructure – the Jubilee tube line extension opened in 1999, and there has been further investment in London Overground which serves Surrey Quays. One objective of regeneration is to derive the maximum benefit from this high level of connectivity. The area sits between two beautiful parks in Russia Dock Woodland and Southwark Park, and open water and channels which reference the docklands history. Canada Water has seen significant development. Barratt Homes has completed around 900 units at Maple Quays; L&Q is on-site at Quebec Quay where it is developing a scheme of 360 homes. The joint venture between Sellar Design + Development and Notting Hill Housing will oversee the redevelopment of the Decathlon site, which has recently started. It will create more than 1,000 new homes, retail, leisure and public realm. The next element of Canada Water’s
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regeneration will be delivered through a partnership, being developed between Southwark Council and British Land. This will bring forward an 18.6-ha site, which includes the existing shopping centre and the former Daily Mail print works site. “Overall the plan is to create a buzzing town centre, with lots going on for our residents throughout the day and into the evening. We want a new leisure centre, arts and cultural uses, as well as retail,” says Jon Abbott, head of the regeneration north team with Southwark Council. James Sellar, chief executive officer of Sellar Design + Development, says: “We have a vision to create a vibrant urban neighbourhood enhanced by a rich and varied mix of independent retailers, events and innovative workspaces, benefiting both residents and the wider community.” British Land, owner of Surrey Quays shopping centre, is also investing heavily in the area having assembled what it calls “one
of the most significant regeneration projects for London, covering 18.6ha in zone 2.” Richard Wise, head of retail development, says: “We have invested £250 million in four transactions over five years, including our recent freehold purchase of Surrey Quays Leisure Park, for £135 million. “Together with the London Borough of Southwark, we now own all of the key freehold and long leasehold interests needed to deliver up to seven million square feet [650,000sq m, gross floor area] of mixeduse space. “The site benefits from excellent transport infrastructure, with direct connections to Canary Wharf and the West End from the Jubilee line and to the tech hubs at Shoreditch and Whitechapel, from the London Overground. It is a unique opportunity to regenerate a central part of London that has been overlooked.” Wise says British Land intends to submit planning in 2016.
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Retail
The Low Line “It’s an idea – it’s a realisation that there’s a huge opportunity here,” says David Stephens. The long-standing Bankside resident and retired architect is setting out his idea to transform the huge amount of space running alongside the Victorian railway arches on the line from London Bridge to Waterloo. The Low Line is based on New York’s High Line – the 2.33km-long linear park built in Manhattan six years ago on a disused New York central railroad. Just as that project transformed part of the US city for the better, Stephens hopes the Low Line concept will one day take empty spaces – used as car parks or scrapyards – and turn them into a pedestrian and cycle corridor with greenery, retail, leisure and small businesses, stretching not only east to west, but north to south, connecting
Hop Exchange Opened in 1867, the Grade II-listed building is owned by the Peer Group. Mainly used today as offices and for corporate events, it was announced earlier this year that it will become home to the third branch of Smiths of Smithfield. The original Smiths was opened 15 years ago by MasterChef TV presenter John Torode, who then left the business. By 2018, a distinctive retail environment will be created, linking Vinopolis, the Hop Exchange, Borough Market, Hay’s Galleria and London Bridge station.
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Bankside and Elephant and Castle. The idea has ignited interest among crucial groups such as Better Bankside, Network Rail and Southwark Council. Dan Taylor, programme manager with the council, says: “One thing to overcome is the railway viaduct as a barrier to regeneration, development, investment and growth. The concept of the Low Line is to make it more permeable in creating these corridors.” It is also hoped the Low Line will be a magnet to draw visitors into the borough. The timescale for building the project is on an ‘incremental’ basis, says Taylor, when funds become available both to the council and Network Rail. “I probably will not see it completed in my lifetime,” says Stephens, “but it will get started – it’s already getting started.”
Retail
Vinopolis When it opened in 1999 in a one-hectare space underneath the railway arches on the edge of Borough Market, close to London Bridge, Vinopolis was one of the few developments in the arches. Today, the huge wine emporium is in the heart of a regenerated area that attracts around 30 million people a year. Earlier this year owners Wineworld sold the site and there are plans to open up the whole area to a retail-led walkway through to Borough Market. A fund advised by new owners, panEuropean retail property investment manager Meyer Bergman, has joined forces with developer Sherwood Street who want to create new ‘boutique-style’ retail by 2018. The partners have also bought the mixed-use building Thames House and other sites next to the Vinopolis Centre for redevelopment, which will see them invest a total of £300 million into purchasing and redeveloping the sites.
London Bridge The capital’s oldest mainline station has seen huge transformation since 2013. By 2018, it will include a larger concourse, new platforms and more importantly, 6,500sq m of retail. But Dan Taylor, programme manager with Southwark Council, believes 75,000sq ft will not be enough: “Currently London Bridge has 55 million passengers a year. But the station will be designed to take up to 90 million a year, in which case the amount of retail needed is upwards of 100,000sq ft.” “When the Southwark Playhouse relocates back to the development, people will visit for retail and culture, even though they’re not travelling,” says Taylor. St Martin’s Property Group owns the land and retail between London and Tower bridges, and is hoping to improve its Hay’s Galleria and More London estates in time for completion of the new station in 2018. southwarkmagazine.com
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13 summer 2015 21
Retail
Elephant and Castle
Walworth Road and Camberwell Road With the Elephant and Castle on its doorstep, Southwark Council is making plans to protect the retail offer on the adjacent Walworth Road. “The historic High Street has a bright future,” says Stephen Platts, director of regeneration at Southwark Council. “It serves its local population well and when the first part of Elephant Park is finished, there will be more residents moving in, bringing additional spending power. As part of Elephant Park, Lendlease is going to infill a key missing area, putting back part of the Walworth Road high street, while creating a shopping street through their scheme which will be independent retail. Platts says that the council is keen to ensure that the distinctive character of East Street market continues to thrive, and is working with the Greater London Authority to deliver a programme of investment in the public realm and shop fronts.
Camberwell Camberwell town centre is undergoing £13 million of regeneration with a new library under construction, plus ongoing public realm work. Now attention is turning to retail. The main shopping area is the Butterfly Walk centre, owned by the Spot Property Company, a division of Mumbo Jumbo World. Neil Kirby, head of the regeneration south team with Southwark Council, says the authority is working with the owners to improve the centre’s offer. “We are looking for a scheme to come forward to bring some decent high street shops to Camberwell. Butterfly Walk is not as good as it was 10 years ago, and several of the shops have gone.” Kirby adds: “Hopefully there will be an application coming in within the next year to improve that. There have been plans for the centre for 20 years, but now it looks like something will happen.”
Peckham “Peckham is changing,” says Neil Kirby, head of regeneration south with Southwark Council. The town, most famously linked with the 80s Only Fools and Horses TV series is fast shedding its down-at-heel image. Key to this change is the regeneration of the 10,220sq m Aylesham shopping centre at Peckham Rye, where Morrisons is the main tenant. “One of the problems is that the space doesn’t provide what high street retailers want and there’s a lot of demand from high street stores to move to Peckham,” says Kirby.
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The centre was last refurbished in 1995, and now Southwark Council is keen for owners, Tiger Developments, to upgrade it. “About a year and a half ago, Tiger, with Morrisons, came to the council proposing a redevelopment. They are looking at putting residential on top, which would have a massive effect on the town centre in a good way. We are working with the owners to put forward a planning application within the next year, and we are also looking at improvements to the bus station,” adds Kirby.
It is one of Europe’s largest regeneration schemes. At a cost of £3 billion the redevelopment of Elephant and Castle will, when finally completed in 2025, provide thousands of new homes, public realm, leisure and retail. The majority of the scheme is split between Delancey and APG – developing the shopping centre – and Lendlease, partnering with Southwark Council in regenerating over 11.3ha across three sites. The 1960s shopping centre will be replaced with a new development – Delancey plans to hold its first public exhibition this summer, when it will announce the planning timetable. Both Delancey and Lendlease, which is creating around 14,000sq m of retail and leisure, are keen that the new retail offer will be at the heart of the development. Steve Burgin, director of retail asset management for Delancey, says: “Retail, restaurants and leisure will be an important part of the regeneration of Elephant and Castle, not just within our development but in the wider area too. There is a fantastic opportunity to reimagine the centre, not just as a focal point of the neighbourhood but to attract visitors from further afield.” Lendlease is creating a market square, and a retail street joined to existing facilities on Walworth Road by a row of larger units, including a supermarket and chemist. Head of asset management – retail, Guy Thomas, says: “We are looking not to target national or multinational operators but to bring something owned by local communities. Inevitably, we will have some national operators – in providing 3,000 homes we’ll need chemists and banks – but we want to create a sense of place.”
ELEPHANT & CASTLE
TOWN CENTRE REGENER ATION
A NEW TOWN CENTRE FOR ELEPHANT & CASTLE As part of the wider redevelopment of Elephant and Castle, our vision is to create a new town centre which builds upon the existing community and cultural diversity of the area. We plan to deliver a thriving shopping and leisure destination with new homes to rent for Londoners, enhanced public spaces and a new campus for UAL’s London College of Communication. We recognise the importance of the local community in helping make this a reality and would like to welcome you to an exhibition to showcase our initial design concepts and ideas.
HAVE YOUR SAY To let us know what you think, please email info@elephantandcastletowncentre.co.uk
craft work Making artisan goods which people will treasure takes time and devotion – and skilled producers in Southwark can offer just that. Reaping the rewards of their central London location, James Wood finds jewellers, tailors, framers and a rug designer who have built reputations and are honing their craft. Photography by David Tothill
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Southbank Art Company When Nazir and Shakila Sulemanji took over the Sean Kelly framing business and art shop in 2000, the couple saw the potential to create something special. With their son Imran and daughter Sara (pictured below), the family have spent the last 15 years transforming what was a traditional operation into a bright and airy shop selling high-grade art supplies. They attract a range of clients with bespoke frames, hand-crafted by three experienced framers in the workshop below. There were challenges to overcome, as Sara explains: “When my parents bought the business we didn’t really know anything about framing, despite us all having arts backgrounds. My mum has been working as a designer all of her life; my dad used to be a photographer and I was a textile designer. It’s taken a number of years to sort it out, but we’ve worked hard to turn things around.” The family’s influence on the shop is
evidenced today in the finer details: Nazir built some of the furniture used to store the shop’s art supplies. In the workshop, there are three framers: Karl Swinyard (pictured left), Michael Pollard and Chris Floyd. Swinyard is also an experienced gilder and has been with the Sulemanjis since the beginning. Clients come to Southbank Art Company from a variety of places: private customers with clear specifications about the type of frame they want, young families furnishing new homes in Southwark, those wishing to capture personal mementos, and artists putting on exhibitions. Each frame is carefully designed and crafted to the client’s requirements, and tailored in terms of size, colour and materials. More unusual things have been framed: a marine biologist sought to display a depiction of a rare marine creature which scientists believe dates back to the time of the dinosaurs; a fashion expert wanted a particular brand of scarf framed and the company has even been
tasked with exploring different prototypes for unusual species of butterfly. Another challenge has been staying on top of changing methods of production. “Things have changed a lot,” says Sara. “New technology has come in, such as different types of glass and machinery. Mounts used to be cut by hand – now computerised machines cut them. We’re always looking at ways to make things better, never wanting to let our moulding selection become too tired or dated. We keep on top of the trends.” About three years ago, the family had a decision to make. The younger generation wanted to focus on making more bespoke frames, despite Shakila’s reservations about reducing the number of commercial frames they produced. “They won the argument in the end,” Shakila says, but was it the right decision? “There’s no doubt about it,” she asserts. “It’s completely changed the business.”
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handmade
Alex Monroe When globally famous supermodels, pop stars, actors and DJs wear jewellery you designed at a workbench in Southwark, you might be forgiven for feeling a little smug. But for Alex Monroe, who has been building his business from humble beginnings in the borough for more than 25 years, there are greater thrills. “Being really honest about it, of course there’s a certain excitement attached to celebrities wearing my jewellery,” he says. “But the real buzz comes when you see people wearing it in normal circumstances. My heart skips a beat if I’m out in a restaurant and there’s someone out on a date and she’s wearing one of my pieces. Or if someone comes in and they’re buying…” Monroe warms to his subject. “This guy left the shop yesterday and he was beaming. We had made an engagement ring for him and he was off down to the parents to have a weekend with them and the girlfriend didn’t know about it yet. That’s absolutely brilliant, that’s real to me.” Alex Monroe employs around 50 people in Southwark, has two workshops in Elephant and Castle, a base just off Bermondsey Street built from scratch three years ago – with architecture by DSDHA shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize – and planning permission 26 issue 13 summer 2015
in place for a manufacturing centre to be built on Tower Bridge Road. His love affair with the craft started in the early 1980s, when studying jewellery design at The Sir John Cass Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design in London and working for a goldsmith for a year as part of the course. “I fell in love with the whole romance of the old school, Hatton Garden jewellery thing,” he says. “They used to send me up there to pick up the diamonds and gemstones. I would be walking around with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of stones on me in a brown envelope. I had the best cover from potential thieves: no one was going to suspect a geeky kid.” Having finished with the course, Monroe started designing pieces in a small workshop, selling bits of jewellery by approaching fashion shops in Hampstead. His reputation grew and before long he was applying to the British Fashion Council and was invited to both the London and Paris fashion weeks. It was after this that he started to build a major following in Japan, gaining a celebrity status in the country, which came as a surprise: “It was quite surreal, people asking for their picture with me,” he says. But what is it about his jewellery that
people like – what makes it unique? “It’s all about the detail,” Monroe explains. “It’s very feminine, British, and very wearable and quirky. I think there’s a good story behind it.” The jewellery brand now has a strong market in the USA, but whereas export has been the bedrock of the business in the past, Monroe’s ambition for the future is to get back to building on his reputation in the UK, where he already enjoys a strong presence in Liberty, John Lewis and Harrods, as well as his own online retail operation. “It’s so key to remember to stick to what you do best and I’m getting back to doing that,” he says. “It’s about doing what we do and doing it well.” And Monroe sees the part of London in which he operates as the ideal place to make this happen: “Southwark is great and it feels like home. I feel like a south London boy: I didn’t want to be in the West End, I didn’t want to be anywhere else. It’s a really cool, independent place. It’s got amazing little coffee shops and all the Maltby Street market producers and other small businesses create a fantastic environment. There’s just so much going on all the time. “It’s also absolutely the best place for me to do business anywhere in the world. There’s nowhere else I want to be.”
above Left: Alex Monroe with his favourite jewellerymaking tool, a piercing saw, which he has owned since he was 15 years old. above: It’s all about the detail – in the design of the jewellery and its presentation. Right: One of Alex Monroe’s employees at their base off Bermondsey Street.
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handmade Dress 2 Kill James Hibbert returned to his office job in the West End of London, not feeling particularly happy about the afternoon’s work ahead. Having just been measured up for a suit, he peered through the tall glass windows of his office at the 20 or so people queuing for the same service, watching the tailor working, and decided it was something he wanted to find out more about. “So I wrote to The Textile Institute and got a whole load of bumf on it and realised I didn’t actually need to make the suits myself,” he says. “This was about 15 years ago and I discovered that if I could find third parties, provide them with the measurements, the configurations and the cloth for the lining, they’d make them for me,” he says. In 2000, Hibbert founded Dress 2 Kill, based in The Cut in Southwark, where he set about learning the trade, and has built a business offering bespoke suits to an evergrowing number of clients. For the first five years, Dress 2 Kill used a manufacturer to produce its suits by machine, but then it found a new approach. Hibbert
explains: “We were very lucky to take on a master tailor who is still here today. He said that he could make the suits by hand – to a better quality and a better finish.” The master tailor was true to his word and three months later, the company had its own factory where its suits are still produced today. Now, they can be tailored to the precise specifications of the client to create something fully bespoke. Hibbert says this allows Dress 2 Kill to offer a similar standard to suits sold in Savile Row for a fraction of the price. By hand cutting the product without reliance on mass-production techniques, Hibbert believes the company’s garments stand out from those of other tailors, taking inspiration from how the industry functioned in the mid 20th century. “If you go back and look at the history of bespoke suits, especially in the 50s and 60s, people in the know, people who had an eye for bespoke, would see a guy walking down the street and because of the character of the suit, they’d be able to go ‘that’s a Huntsman, that’s a Dege and Skinner, that’s an Anderson and
above and right: Dress 2 Kill’s bespoke, hand-cut suits. left: Stylish, charismatic and unique – Dress 2 Kill’s clients can tailor garments to their own personal tastes and preferences.
Sheppard, that’s a Norton and Sons,” he says. “When you look at our suits there is a little bit more to them than machine made garments. When people come in, some will just take one look at a suit and know it’s the one for them. Others might want to think a bit differently about the lining or making other slight adaptations. We want them to have an amazing experience and have all creative juices flowing to get exactly the product they want. There’s nothing that makes us happier than when people leave the shop with smiles on their faces.” In the future, Dress 2 Kill would like to manufacture its suits in Southwark, as Hibbert explains: “We’ve always been based in Southwark. That’s our roots, it’s who we are. The Cut’s got attitude – it’s got charisma and uniqueness that you don’t find elsewhere.
“We would love to bring the manufacturing side of our business here – it would give us a fantastic shop window. If there were grants available we’d set up a manufacturing base in Southwark. Unfortunately they aren’t there at the moment, but if they were, we would do it in an instant.” Hibbert has now opened a shop in Manchester and the business is quickly growing. Changing trends brought on by nostalgia for fashions of the 50s and 60s, popularised by the American television series Mad Men, have led to bespoke suits enjoying something of a renaissance in recent times. David Beckham is another famous fan. For those seeking suits with originality and flair, Dress 2 Kill’s knowledge and passion for the product is keeping the company a cut above the rest.
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handmade Loophouse Rug designer Lorraine Statham (pictured right) describes travelling through the Blue Ridge Mountains to the governor of West Virginia’s Christmas party a few years ago as one of the “pinch yourself ” moments of her 23-year career. The governor had invited Statham based on an admiration of rugs her Loophouse studio had designed for his mansion’s staircase, ballroom, parlour, dining room and sunroom. This positive reaction is a typical response to the contemporary rugs and wall art Statham has been making and designing since 1992. Her client list is certainly diverse. From McDonalds restaurants to a mosque in Qatar, Statham has worked hard to build a reputation and she now has a stream of return business. Far from building up from humble beginnings, the McDonalds contract was an immediate scoop for Statham. “I studied for a four year degree at Kidderminster College and the University of Wolverhampton, where I was
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lucky enough to obtain a number of industry contacts,” she says. “Seeing the artwork on the walls, I thought ‘well I can do that’. I just happened to ring the right person who gave me the opportunity to do two huge wall hangings down in the McDonalds in Plymouth.” Statham continued her work with the restaurant chain over the next few years and has since worked with such prestige companies as Harrods, Selfridges and Purves and Purves. The BBC studios, Google and Amazon offices have been adorned with rugs produced in the Loophouse studio; production companies have used them for TV programmes and films including Poirot, Smack the Pony and Tomb Raider. Working with interior designers and new homeowners to furnish properties in Southwark makes up about 25% of business. Statham has also created work for hotels, galleries and has exhibited at trade fairs across the USA. As part of The London Design Festival,
Statham set up an exhibition in the rafters of Borough Market. Working with five other companies, the ‘food’ topic saw Statham develop an ‘apples and pears’ theme, playfully referencing Cockney rhyming slang that would at one time have been prevalent in markets across London. So where does Statham get her ideas from? “A big influence is that twilight zone of travel, when your senses, sounds or tastes are highlighted. From working on a collaboration with a company called Designtex on an exhibition for the Guggenheim Museum, I realised you can be influenced by something as simple as throwing a pebble in the pond and admiring the ripples, or from the reflections in a window. Maybe a poster that’s ripped on a wall. I’ll take a photo and it’s saved to memory.” With the latest collection selling well and ideas for future designs in mind, Statham’s openness to taking visceral influences as her cue is clearly paying dividends.
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LONDON BRIDGE QUARTER AN ICONIC 2 MILLION SQ FT DEVELOPMENT LOCATED IN ONE OF LONDON’S MOST AUTHENTIC AND THRIVING DISTRICTS.
The News Building London Bridge Quarter
London Bridge Quarter is home to over 35 companies across Western Europe’s first vertical town, The Shard, and News UK’s headquarters building, The News Building, both designed by master architect Renzo Piano. Situated at London Bridge Station, the capital’s fourth busiest transport hub, London Bridge Quarter is firmly rooted in the heart of the energetic London Bridge and Bermondsey community, one of the most exciting and fastest growing cultural and business districts in the capital. Over two thousand years of history has given rise to the area’s enduring link to commerce and its undeniable creative and pioneering spirit. It continues to be the beacon for progressive businesses that place great value in the location as a means to attract and retain the best talent. The next phase of the LBQ regeneration project will commence in 2015, comprising a 180,000 sq ft 26-storey residential building containing 148 1, 2, 3 and 4 bed apartments, a new public space, extensive landscaping and retail space. The new development will replace Fielden House, a 1950’s office building, on London Bridge Street located between The Shard and the News Building, and 21-27 St Thomas Street, a 1990’s office block adjacent to Joiner Street and opposite Guy’s Hospital. The building is designed by Renzo Piano and completes his trilogy of buildings at London Bridge Quarter. Work will get underway at the end of 2015 and provide hundreds of construction jobs. Completion is planned for the end of 2018, coinciding with completion of the London Bridge Station regeneration project and will complete the rejuvenation of the London Bridge Quarter, providing a vibrant place for people to meet, work, live and enjoy.
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Fielden House London Bridge Quarter 2018
The View from The Shard London Bridge Quarter
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The Shard London Bridge Quarter
Developing in partnership to create growth and regeneration
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Developers are making significant investments in Canada Water and Elephant and Castle, new homes are being built at the Aylesbury estate and Peckham’s improvements continue apace
projects Blackfriars Bridge
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Bankside Waterloo East Southwark Waterloo
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Featured project Camberwell
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The redevelopment of two office buildings has been approved southwarkmagazine.com
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Southwark Council have appointed Carl Turner Architects
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Developers are capitalising on a prime London location
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Work on homes at site 7 continues the redevelopment issue
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The latest news and events from across the borough. The latest news and events from across the borough. 36 issue 13 summer 2015
B AT T E R S E A E X C H A N G E , S W 8
22 the shard
The latest news and events from across the borough.
THE LADBROKE GROVE, W10
34 sarah wigglesworth/ siobhan davis studios
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The latest news and events from across the borough.
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The latest news and events from across the borough.
The latest news and F O R M O Revents E Ifrom N Facross O the R M AT I O N , O R T O V I E W borough. O U R F U L L P O R T F O L I O, V I S I T T WC L . C O M
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projects
Peckham Square Southwark Council appointed Carl Turner Architects to work on the designs for Peckham High Street and Peckham Square. The project aims to make Peckham Square feel safer and friendlier. The main site is 91-93 Peckham High Street. After looking at areas around the site, the scope of the project has grown to a ‘micro plan’ consisting of small separate sites. A series of co-design meetings and workshops are due to take place. The image below is one used in discussions with the local community about what the square might look like.
Bankside Quarter Planning permission is in place for Bankside House – the redevelopment of two office buildings, Ludgate House and Sampson House – on Blackfriars Road and Hampton Street. The site was sold to a development consortium comprising Native Land, Temasek, Hotel Properties and Amcorp Properties for £308 million in March 2015. The site will include nine buildings, featuring 489 residential units and 26,756sq m of commercial space with offices, retail, cultural and performance spaces. New pedestrian routes will traverse through the site and public squares. southwarkmagazine.com
The scheme is designed by PLP Architects and is located near Tate Modern, the new Blackfriars station and the recently opened Mondrian London hotel. Planning permission for the scheme was secured by the Carlyle Group, which sold the site to the consortium and includes a payment of £65 million to Southwark Council in lieu of affordable housing. Native Land has been appointed as development manager. The project will be developed in a series of phases, with the first including a 49-storey tower comprising 211 apartments fronting the River Thames. issue
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projects
Elephant and castle elephant park Elephant Park is a £1.5 billion Lendlease regeneration project in Elephant and Castle, consisting of 360 homes on the south-eastern part of the former Heygate estate. The regenerated site will house central London’s largest new park for 70 years. Over the next 15 years, Lendlease and Southwark Council’s regeneration of Elephant and Castle will create nearly 3,000 new homes as well as 14,865sq m of retail space. It will also generate around 5,000 new jobs in the local area. The first phase of 360 homes at South Gardens launched in mid-April, ranging from three-storey houses to a sixteen-storey tower. One, two, three and four-bedroom homes will be provided with a bias towards larger families. The second phase, West Grove, has now been granted planning permission, and will bring 593 new homes set around two new garden squares to the area, as well as 3,716sq m of retail space. The homes will be positioned above new high street stores on Walworth Road, and above independent shops on the new central shopping street. Homes are expected to go on sale early in 2016, with construction due to start in late 2015. Lendlease has now entered into a contractual agreement with housing association L&Q for managing housing across the scheme.
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projects
left: Lendlease’s Elephant Park development will create nearly 3,000 homes and London’s largest new park for 70 years. below: A mixed-use development is proposed by Notting Hill Housing for the Manor Place Depot.
manor place depot Notting Hill Housing purchased the Manor Place Depot, located in Walworth, in November 2013, and submitted a planning application to Southwark Council at the end of May this year to redevelop it into a residentialled mixed-use scheme. The site was a councilowned waste management facility until 2013, and has been vacant since. The proposed development will incorporate 270 new homes and will retain the historical features of the site, which include Grade IIlisted bath house buildings. southwarkmagazine.com
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projects
more Elephant and castle
peabody scheme Peabody Housing Association is expected to get planning permission over the summer for its Borough Triangle development at Elephant and Castle. The site sits between London South Bank University, Borough Road and the Crown Court on Newington Causeway, with the aim of creating a mixed-use scheme including cafes and shops, modern and sustainable homes and workspaces. It is currently home to the IPSOS MORI buildings and a Baptist church on Borough Road, which will remain. The development will also feature a brand new club and offices for the Ministry of Sound.
above left: Peabody Housing Association’s proposed mixed-use Borough Triangle development. right: The old Walworth Town Hall will be redeveloped to create a new civic and community facility.
40 issue 13 summer 2015
projects
walworth town hall In March, Southwark Council announced it had appointed a design team, including Avanti Architects, to create a new civic and community facility to replace the old town hall building that was ravaged by fire in 2013. The building will include a library, the Southwark Museum and Cuming Collection, a flexible events space and registrar services. The old town hall, a Grade II-listed building, held the Cuming family’s private collection, which included artefacts from all over the world. Councillor Mark Williams, cabinet member for regeneration, planning and transport, said: “This facility is being designed for the benefit of the local community and we want to hear their views throughout the design process.” Avanti’s initial design features a public square to boost access to the centre without changing the existing facade. The brief was available to view until the end of May.
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projects
Canada Water Close proximity to Canary Wharf has seen investors and developers capitalising on Canada Water in recent years. Property prices have risen by 10% during the last financial year (2014/2015) and rental costs have risen by around 4% over the same time period. Notting Hill Housing and Sellar Design + Development are demolishing the Decathlon warehouse to make way for a 9,290sq m Decathlon store, a cinema, bars, restaurants, office space, sports facilities and a health centre. The site will also include 1,030 new homes, ranging from studios to four-bed apartments and townhouses – 453 of these will be for private sale, 346 for private rent, 162 for affordable rent and 69 under shared ownership schemes. Canada Water has excellent existing transport infrastructure with Canada Water and Surrey Quays stations providing quick transfer times via the London Overground and the Jubilee line to the City, Canary Wharf and the West End. The area will also benefit from the opening of Crossrail at Canary Wharf in 2018 which is one stop away on the Jubilee line.
right: The Canada Water development will provide 1,030 new homes as well as leisure and office space.
Aylesbury Estate – site 7 L&Q is the developer for site 7 at the Aylesbury estate – Harvard Gardens – where 147 homes are being built. Of these, 72 will be for sale on the open market, 48 will be for social rent and 27 for shared ownership. Each home will have its own garden, balcony or terrace. These are scheduled for completion in 2016. Quadrant Construction is the contractor for the scheme, which was designed by Pollard Thomas Edwards Architects. The homes at ground floor level will have private back gardens, which will lead out into communal courtyards and play spaces at the centre of the blocks. Apartments and terraces of houses will be arranged around these two urban quarters. A ten-storey block and pocket park will mark the corner of Thurlow Street and East Street. 42 issue 13 summer 2015
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Primary schools expansion
learning by design With Southwark’s ambitious plans for growth and development attracting more residents, the increasing population brings the need for more school places. Debbie Ashford finds the council poised to deliver. Michael Faraday Primary School photographs by Peter Durant
46 issue 13 summer 2015
Primary schools expansion
Among the solid concrete blocks of the Aylesbury estate, built in the 1960s and 70s to the east of Walworth Road and home to more than 7,500 people, sits a striking circular building with vertical metal ribs, flanked by a silver metallic pavilion. Michael Faraday School has made a bright and confident statement since it opened four years ago. The primary school was designed by Alsop Sparch, architects of Peckham Library, following a design competition where pupils were included as consultants. The school is seen as an advance flagship in an ambitious regeneration programme of the area, much like the landmark library in Peckham’s transformed town centre. Teaching up to 480 pupils from the ages of three to 11, the school is a proud focus for southwarkmagazine.com
the community, offering education classes and training to adults as well as to their children. Headteacher Karen Fowler says the impact of the building goes well beyond the improvement in academic results – 88% of pupils achieved level 4 or above at key stage 2 in 2014, up from 68% in 2013. “We have always been a happy and successful school but, for our community, what’s really important is that it has something to be proud of, that is aspirational and that people want to be part of. “The building supports learning really well. The classrooms are open and visible like shop fronts; the open central space can be used for different purposes by the children, for relaxing, reading or crafts, offering play opportunities which many do not have at home. “The children have a sense of pride which,
of course, motivates them. They want to do well because they are part of something special. This is bound to have an impact on attainment,” Fowler adds. Michael Faraday’s bold futuristic statement is a sign of things to come. Across the borough, Southwark Council is expanding its primary schools to meet a growing population and investing in its educational facilities. It spent £170 million in improving primary and secondary schools through the Southwark Schools for the Future programme over the past four years, including £38 million to expand the number of primary places. Yet more are needed. Southwark, like other local authorities, has seen a significant increase in demand. In March 2015, the council’s cabinet agreed a series of expansions issue
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Primary schools expansion
“It will help provide the school places peckham needs but also blend with the fabric of the community”
at nine schools. This will add new capacity from September 2016, taking the number of additional places to 2,585, an 11% increase in primary provision between 2011 and 2016. The council has earmarked £100 million for expansion and architects and contractors are running at full steam to complete the projects. It has explored all options: temporary and permanent expansions, developing new and underused sites and working in collaboration with high performing schools. The investment exemplifies the council’s commitment to regeneration, using inspirational educational establishments as part of improvements for local communities. Eleven schools have planning permission for their expansion designs and another three are developing plans for submission. Some schools are expanding in anticipation of their new accommodation. In the north of the borough, Phoenix Primary School will take on two extra classes before it develops new accommodation in its Edwardian annex across 48 issue 13 summer 2015
Above and previous pages: The award-winning Michael Faraday School, designed by Alsop Sparch. Left: The Belham Primary School, by Haverstock, on the site of the disused Bellenden Old School. below: Haverstock leads the team of architects working on six primary schools, of which Albion is one. opposite, top: Charles Dickens and Bellenden (below) primary schools, by Maccreanor Lavington and Cottrell & Vermeulen, are among 11 with planning consent.
Primary schools expansion
Expansion programme Planning consent for 11 primary schools Charles Dickens Bellenden Ivydale Robert Browning Grange Crawford Phoenix Edwardian building refurbishment Albion Keyworth Belham Cherry Garden To be submitted for planning Phoenix new-build extension Redriff Angel Oak
the road. Refurbishment of the old building by September 2016 will allow the school to double in size and provide modern teaching facilities, including a new sports hall. In September this year, The Belham Primary School in Peckham – run by the Dulwich Hamlet Educational Trust – will open its doors for the first time to 90 pupils and will eventually accommodate 420 pupils on the site of the disused Bellenden Old School, in a £6 million restoration project. While the work progresses the school will operate from the Faith Chapel halls just along the road. As well as versatile outdoor play areas, there will be a new roof deck for additional outdoor learning and play at first floor level. “The design of our school aims to combine the airy space and high ceilings of the beautiful Victorian building with a modern double height atrium which we will use as a dining hall, an exhibition space and a visually stimulating area for the children,” says Kate Malecki, assistant project lead for the school. “When the school is not in use, local people will be able to use it as well, for events or classes or maybe a pop-up cafe. Lots of parents have already offered their skills to run activities, like art and music workshops and we very much want them to be involved. We hope to visit local facilities, like the fantastic wildlife garden at the Wildlife Trust Centre.” The headteacher at Dulwich Hamlet Junior School will be executive head at both schools, bringing her experience of leading an outstanding school to the new one. Nearby Bellenden Primary School has been oversubscribed, with its move into a brand southwarkmagazine.com
new school, scheduled for September 2016, eagerly anticipated. The move will double the school’s annual intake to 60 pupils and provide a bigger hall, two roof terraces, outdoor space and a purpose-built music and practice room. Headteacher, Stevan Borthwick says: “This is a tremendous opportunity to take this very successful community school forward into a new era. It will also enable us to continue to serve our community through things like the Saturday Music School.” Deputy headteacher, Mary Kelly adds: “Music is at the heart of Bellenden. The dedicated rooms will be an important feature. At the moment children practice in my office, the head’s office, wherever they can find space.
“We are only moving up the road and hope to keep the family atmosphere but it will be lovely to have more room for PE and outdoor learning.” Cottrell & Vermeulen Architecture, based in Southwark, won the prestigious Building Design Education Architect of the Year Award in 2011. They consulted closely with pupils, parents, staff and neighbours about the design. “In the new school the youngest children will still have lots of outdoor space but more will be under cover so they can play outside, even when it is raining. It’s a tight site, so we have tried to maximise use by putting most of the teaching on the first floor. “Every space is designed to be used for learning, whereas the school has largely outgrown its old building. It will help provide the school places Peckham needs but also blend with the fabric of the community.” “We aim to continue guaranteeing a local primary place for every child who wants one,” says Councillor Victoria Mills, cabinet member for children and schools at Southwark Council. “We are determined to meet the pace and the scale of the increased demand for reception places. At the same time we want to maintain our high standards: 80% of primary schools have been judged good or outstanding by Ofsted, which ranks in the top quarter nationally. “Southwark has a strong record of investing in innovative urban design to further its regeneration ambitions. We are continuing this investment to provide some of the best and most inspirational learning environments for our young people.” ❚ issue
13 summer 2015 49
For over fiy years, Fairview New Homes has been building high quality housing on urban brownfield sites and has become a recognised leader in this highly compeve field. Fairview specialise in developing challenging sites in and around London.
The former Surrey Docks Stadium site in Rotherhithe was a challenging site which no one had been able to bring forward for development for almost 10 years since the former football use ceased. Fairview worked closely with officers and members in consultaon with the community to develop the main site for housing and at the same me create a new community park and enable redevelopment the St. Paul playing field for a new state of the art sports facility. This new facility will provide a home for Fisher FC. Fairview is excited to be delivering much needed new housing in Southwark and by working in partnership delivering informal and formal recreaon for the whole community.
St. Paul’s Playing field. New 3G arficial pitch and home to Fisher FC.
We are acvely seeking new opportunies and both brownfield and greenfield sites will be considered, with or without Planning Permission. We are commied to working with vendors to shape a deal that is right for each site. Please email Nicholas Dulcken at nick.dulcken@fairview.co.uk or Richard Paterson at richard.paterson@fairview.co.uk or call 0208 366 1271.
Regeneration in partnership
home coming In the face of escalating demand in an overheating market, affordable housing is a hot topic. In the absence of serious government funding for council housebuilding, Southwark, with its partners, is working on alternative ways of delivering, as Kirsty MacAulay reports
Housing has quickly become one of the capital’s biggest issues that comes up again and again when London’s future is under discussion. Southwark Council has committed to tackle the problem head on, by proposing to deliver 11,000 new affordable homes in the next three decades. Government constraints on borrowing by local authorities rendered volume council housebuilding a thing of the past. But Southwark Council is determined to get back on track as its leader, Councillor Peter John, southwarkmagazine.com
says: “Our commitment to build 11,000 new council homes across the borough by 2043 is the most ambitious in the country.” The council announced in December 2014 its plans to get the first 1,500 of these homes under way by 2018. “Council housing remains the most genuinely affordable option for many,” adds John. “This new generation of council homes at some of London’s most competitive rents will mean people across the borough will benefit, and have a new place to live that
they can be proud to call home.” Southwark’s new homes will be created through a two-pronged programme of building, in the form of the new homes plan, which is well under way, and the more recent Southwark regeneration in partnership programme, which was created at the start of this year. The partnership scheme is a new idea for collaboration between Southwark and developers, to transform currently underutilised council assets into new homes. issue
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Regeneration in partnership
Phase 1 sites Willow Walk The scheme, designed by PRP Architects, will deliver two blocks offering 54 short-stay units and 21 general needs housing units. The £11.6 million mixed-use project by Balfour Beatty also includes an upgrade of the children’s play area, new open space, car parking, cycle racks and refuse facilities. It is due for completion in summer 2015. Cator Street The Cator Street site, also designed by PRP Architects, will offer 42 extra care flats for social rent. The flats will be fully wheelchair accessible on the ground floor along with communal and visitor facilities and a landscaped courtyard. This project is being delivered by Osborne and is currently scheduled for completion in 2016. Clifton Estate Eight homes for social rent will be created on this former garage site, designed by AMA, with Osborne as contractor. It is scheduled for completion in 2016. East Dulwich Estate The site of the former Southdown House and Gatebeck House on the East Dulwich estate will provide a total of 27 homes with 19 for social rent and seven for intermediate
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housing. It is being delivered by Osborne and is scheduled for completion in 2016. Masterman House Garages This Camberwell Green site will provide 10 one and two-bedroom flats and 15 one, two and three-bedroom flats for social rent. Ground floor homes will be wheelchair accessible and the development will have integrated parking. It is designed by PRP Architects with Osborne as the contractor. 169 Long Lane Work has started at 169 Long Lane where 21 social rented homes are to be completed by 2016. The architect is Levitt Bernstein and Morgan Sindall is the contractor. Nunhead Community Centre The disused community centre at Nunhead will make way for eight new social rented houses with a communal garden. The scheme is designed by PRP Architects, with Neilcott as the contractor. Sumner Road Workshop The Sumner Road Workshop site will provide 70 affordable flats as well as 42 private flats and a facility for the local community. The contractor is Morgan Sindall and the scheme is designed by Levitt Bernstein.
Rather than selling land to developers, the council retains the freehold while developer partners create the housing and hold the leasehold. The advantage to the council is it builds houses for no net cost or, best case, some surplus. The partnership aspect of the programme is integral. Southwark Council has established a design guide for developers and expects to be ‘at the table the whole time’. The homes created will be split between the partners; one third will be council owned for social rent, one third will be divided between the council and developers for intermediate use (still to be decided but possibly shared ownership or rent to buy) and the remaining third will be owned by the developer for private sale. Southwark’s housing regeneration programme manager, Nnenna Urum-Eke, says: “We’re very clear what the product is and it is not only good for the council. Although it’s not up everyone’s street, we’re hoping there will be a few who see it as a good way to deliver housing and are willing to work with us on it. “The real test is the market. To sell our plan and get others excited about the idea that developers can work with a council and deliver a product; that it can be a real partnership.” Sites are currently being considered. Mostly they are underutilised day care or education facilities, often sold when considered to be not performing at full capacity. Southwark proposes to hold on to them, after determining the facilities needed and whether they require modernisation, relocation or expansion, and then through working with the partner, housing will be created alongside the upgraded community facility. Other underutilised sites under consideration are open spaces – empty land that is considered to be an eyesore. UrumEke explains that when considering these sites the thinking is how to make it a “better space”, adding not just housing but including elements that will make a positive impact on the community, such as a pocket park. The new homes plan also aims to fill empty sites, through a process of direct delivery with the council acting as the developer. As a
Regeneration in partnership
The major developments that are transforming Southwark.
Opposite, top: PRP Architects’ vision for 42 homes in Cator Street. Opposite, Below: Levitt Bernstein and Morgan Sindall are delivering the 21-home project at Long Lane. LEFT: In Camberwell Green, 25 homes are rising from a former garage site. below: Nunhead Green – PRP Architects’ design, being delivered by Neilcott.
Phase 2 sites Joseph Lancaster Nursery Annexe Canada Estate Daniels Road car park Commercial Way Weston Street Garages 95a Meeting House Lane Welsford Street Garages Pelier Street Goschen Estate Lugard Road Garages Fenham Road Garages Tenda Road Car Park 35–41 Nunhead Lane Kinglake Street Garages Haddonfield Garages
result of a Housing Commission report and an extensive programme of resident consultation in 2013, it became clear Southwark needed to build more council houses. Housing estates are the council’s largest assets and, as with any urban estate, there are areas within them that have fallen into decline or disuse. The council aims to clear some of these sites to accommodate new housing. Local opinion has been integral to the plans and will continue to be so throughout the process, thanks to an agreed charter of principles to determine how the council will consult with, and feed back to, the resident steering group. Consultation makes use of technology, with an interactive map on the council’s website which allows residents to southwarkmagazine.com
“The real test is the market. To sell our plan and get others excited about the idea ... that it can be a real partnership”
drop pins on areas they think could be used for development. Initial expectations had been for a certain amount of NIMBYism but most pins were dropped close to the participant’s home. Urum-Eke explains that the level of resident buy-in has been quite wide, understandably for someone living near a derelict site, the prospect of it being cleared and built on would be better than the site remaining as it is and possibly attracting antisocial behaviour. The first 1,500 homes in the new programme are expected to complete by 2018, with some ready sooner. A total of nine sites have been identified for the first phase of building, with most of them already under construction and some nearing completion. ❚ issue
13 summer 2015 53
We’re building and managing quality homes in Southwark
London & Brighton, completed March 2015
Wandle is proud to be tackling the shortage of good quality affordable housing. We have a detailed local knowledge and a track record of building outstanding and thoughtfully designed developments. Wandle builds homes and communities where people want to live.
Our developments provide new homes for the people most in need and those who would otherwise not be able to afford to own their own home. We are looking for partners to deliver more new homes in Southwark. Please get in touch to find out more.
Second Floor Minerva House, Montague Close London SE1 9BB
John Walton - Head of Development 020 8682 7430 JohnW@wandle.com
Freephone 0800 731 2030 020 8682 1177 www.wandle.com
Yvonne Thomson - Executive Director of Operations 020 8682 7417 YvonneT@wandle.com
Business space
Appetite for high quality office space in central London has seen the traditional markets, such as around Victoria, fill up. As media and related businesses flock to new opportunities on the South Bank, Maria Shahid reports on where they’ve settled – and where next?
space station
It would be difficult to imagine London’s skyline without the iconic buildings of the South Bank. The evolution of this stretch of the River Thames to become one of London’s prime sites for offices and retail has developed with the transformation of the capital itself. More London, 240 Blackfriars and The Shard are all situated on the South Bank. The redevelopment of London Bridge station, due to complete in 2018, will, according to Network Rail, house a concourse bigger than the pitch at Wembley Stadium, and is about to lead to further regeneration of the area. Part of the South Bank’s attraction is southwarkmagazine.com
without doubt its connectivity, which is by no means limited to London Bridge station. Others nearby are Waterloo ( just on the border, in neighbouring Lambeth), Blackfriars, Southwark and Borough, which all provide ready access to mainline and underground rail services to the rest of the country. Added to this, the South Bank is one of London’s most thriving cultural quarters, with the Southbank Centre housing the Royal Festival Hall and Hayward Gallery, as well as, further along the river, the London Eye, Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe, all attracting tourists and residents in droves. And just a short walk away from the river
is Borough Market, described by Time Out as “London’s best, and best-known, food market”, with surrounding streets lined with an eclectic mix of restaurants, catering to every taste: from traditional and modern British, to Turkish, pan-Asian and Spanish tapas. Topping the list of companies looking to relocate to the area are those in the design, advertising, marketing and PR, media, internet, and technology and telecoms (DAMIT) sector. Union Street Partners is dedicated to commercial property in five key submarkets which they identify as Bankside, Bermondsey, Borough West, London Bridge and Waterloo. issue
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Business space
56 issue 13 summer 2015
Business space
It notes in a recent report that “the South Bank has become the UK’s leading media cluster, with companies in advertising, marketing and PR making up 34% of all take-up in the South Bank, totalling 1.6 million sq ft.” And the interest of the DAMIT sector in the capital is unlikely to slow any time soon, according to BNP Paribas Real Estate, which in its latest research into the sector found that 64% of media tech companies plan to increase the number of employees in London over the next three years, an increase of 18% in headcount overall. It’s clear that 2015 is going to be a vintage year for landlords on the South Bank, with rental growth on the cards. Julian Hind deals with leasing, sales and development at commercial property advisers Union Street Partners, and says: “It is incredible that an office market spanning just 20 million square feet has attracted some of the biggest leasing deals of the last few years, all in and around the media sector. No other office market in the UK boasts the same critical mass of companies from these sectors as the South Bank.” News UK and Ogilvy & Mather lettings were landmark deals in 2013, which according to Union Street Partners “merely accelerated a trend that was already emerging with London’s media sector moving south”. News International acquired 6,410sq m at The Place, and Ogilvy & Mather took 20,095sq m at Sea Containers House. In October 2014 advertising company, Omnicom Group, completed a deal for southwarkmagazine.com
34,375sq m at Bankside 2 and 3, the second largest deal in central London that year. Other notable lettings in the same year involved marketing group Aegis and Lonely Planet. However, as predicted at the end of 2014, take-up at the beginning of 2015 has been significantly slower. Rupert Cowling of Union Street Partners also deals with leasing and development, and notes that this slowdown is, in a sense, artificial, as the demand is clearly still there, but the appetite for space is unlikely to be satisfied in the short term. All space at 240 Blackfriars is now let, with major occupiers including Lonely Planet, United Business Media and law firm, Boodle Hatfield. This only leaves two other buildings, The Shard and South Bank Central within the South Bank Tower as options for occupiers looking for space in the 4,500sq m to 10,000sq m bracket. Cowling predicts that a large portion of South Bank Central is likely to be pre-let before it is complete. The first phase of the building is due for completion in the middle of 2016. In the first quarter of 2015 only 20,942sq m of office space has been let, which, according to Union Street Partners, is a drop of 70% on the fourth quarter of 2014. The top three lettings of the quarter were all by occupiers from the serviced offices and collaborative working sector. And the thirst for space is unlikely to be quenched any time soon, with little development in the construction pipeline.
“No other office market in the UK boasts the same critical mass of companies from the media sector as the South Bank”
previous page, opposite and above right: 240 Blackfriars has been fully let, with major occupiers including Lonely Planet and United Business Media. above left: Omnicom Group has leased 34,375sq m of space in Bankside 2 and 3.
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13 summer 2015 57
above: The redevelopment of London Bridge station will improve existing connectivity and attract further regeneration. left: Peabody Housing Association’s Borough Triangle development includes new workspaces.
Union Street Partners noted at the end of 2014 that this lack of supply of suitable office premises had reached a critical point, which would have a “considerable impact on rents”. Nonetheless, the South Bank remains a strong investment opportunity, and there is excitement around the London Bridge Quarter, which is expected to deliver a further 16,722sq m of retail space. Peabody Housing Association is also likely to get planning permission over summer 2015 for its Borough Triangle development at Elephant and Castle. The site sits between London South Bank University, Borough Road and the Crown Court on Newington Causeway. It will create a mixed-use scheme including cafes and shops, featuring modern and sustainable homes, as well as new workspaces. The site is currently home to IPSOS MORI buildings and a Baptist church on Borough 58 issue 13 summer 2015
Road, which will remain. The development will also feature a brand new club and head office for the Ministry of Sound, which has 200 employees. In March, Sampson House and Ludgate House, adjacent to Blackfriars station’s southern entrance, were bought by a consortium consisting of Native Land, Temasek, Hotel Properties and Amcorp Properties, with the intention of creating Bankside Quarter, for which planning permission is in place. It will include 489 apartments and 26,756sq m of office space, alongside a retail, leisure and cultural offering. Derwent London has planning permission for Wedge House, 40 Blackfriars Road, for a 15-storey, mixed-use scheme, including four floors of office space. The site will also comprise a 192-bedroom Hoxton hotel with Soho House members club, a rooftop bar, cafe,
and restaurant. The development would be open to the public and is planned to complete in 2017. At Blackfriars Circus in Blackfriars Road, Barratt Homes’ mixed-use development entails demolition of Hill House and Erlang House, to make way for 336 homes, shops, cafes and 2,787sq m of office space. The scheme is due to complete in 2018. At 20 Blackfriars Road, demolition was scheduled for June 2015 and the scheme is redesignated as 18 Blackfriars Road. A new planning application is expected in the autumn, proposing more employment space with larger and improved public realm. In a market that favours landlords, investors are eyeing up opportunities and interest is unlikely to dampen any time soon along this much sought-after stretch of Southwark’s riverfront. ❚
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Strong in SE1 Investing in Southwark
Unlocking potential
Training and employment
the beginning Developers and the local authority in Southwark share a vision: that landmark developments in the borough can help transform the economic prospects of residents. Lucy Purdy explores Southwark’s wealth of potential – people power
southwarkmagazine.com
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13 summer 2015 61
Training and employment
Not to be left behind the wave of change in one of London’s most dynamic boroughs, hundreds of Southwark residents have snapped up job opportunities generated by its transformation. Whether in grand scale, commercial development schemes or huge improvements in infrastructure, vacancies have sprung up for the taking. Lendlease, one of Southwark Council’s development partners, produced a map, breaking down how many residents from each of Southwark’s 21 wards have been employed at Elephant Park – a major regeneration site. So far, they number 379, 166 of whom were previously unemployed, and all are on at least the London Living Wage, in line with the council’s commitment to fair pay. As Councillor Mark Williams, cabinet member for regeneration and new homes, says: “Behind each and every one of these numbers is someone who has gained training or employment. “We have been clear from the outset that in addition to the new homes, public park and leisure centre, that the regeneration of the Heygate estate had to include local residents.” This applies to all developers, each of whom knows they must take the commitment seriously, if they are to work in Southwark. Rob Heasman, Lendlease’s project director at Elephant and Castle, says: “We are continuing to invest time and resources to ensure that jobs we create not only go to local people, but that each newly-employed person is given the best opportunity to learn new skills and is offered the right support to
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facilitate long-term sustained employment.” He points to Jasmine Boadu, 22, from Dulwich, who began work with Be Onsite, Lendlease’s jobs charity, as an office junior, quickly progressing to the position of receptionist. And to Colin Smith, from Bermondsey, who contacted Southwark Council’s training and employment agency Southwark Works, which found him work as a dry-lining apprentice on Lendlease’s Trafalgar Place site. Colin aims to become skilled in a number of trades, to increase his chances of employment in the future. Over the next 15 years, Heasman predicts, the regeneration will create more than 6,000 jobs in the area, for people who will join the likes of Jasmine and Colin. Some 5,000 of these are expected to come during construction and 1,000 in the completed development. The council’s commitment to jobs for local people will also take the form of a new modular skills centre in Elephant Park. Created in partnership with Lendlease, it will train Southwark residents ready for “direct brokerage” for jobs there and elsewhere across the borough. It is scheduled to be built at the end of 2015 and opened early next year. The ‘flexible’ centre – a one-stop-shop for construction employment – will be at Elephant and Castle before being relocated to the Aylesbury regeneration project after five years. Provision there will be linked to a network of federated skills centres across south London, including South Thames College and Lambeth College. A project board will govern the centre, with representation by regeneration partners. ❚
Training and employment
Steven* Southwark Works and Quadrant Construction *Name has been changed As Southwark Works was engaged by Quadrant Construction to work on a new construction site in Rotherhithe in 2014, Steven was living just a stone’s throw away, having recently been released from prison. Quadrant Construction, the building arm of the L&Q Group, had a vacancy for a traffic marshal and Southwark Works engagement officer Molly Albone knew Steven was capable of doing a great job. The only problem was that he was still on probation and had been unemployed for more than two years. He also faced the challenge that his only work experience to date was through a family member. “We informed the site manager,” explains Albone, “but he was keen to give him a chance to prove himself. They were happy to accept him as a labourer and, if he did well, offer him the traffic marshal training.” Steven started work on the site last year and impressed his supervisors, being put through to traffic marshal training, which he passed in October. Says Albone: “It is fantastic to see how Quadrant Construction has upskilled this resident who now has nearly 18 month’s site experience. It is unlikely he will ever struggle to find work again and his risks of reoffending are, therefore, virtually zero.”
“It is unlikely he will ever struggle to find work again and his risks of reoffending are, therefore, virtually zero”
southwarkmagazine.com
“It allows me to contribute to the changing landscape of my community” Opposite, top: Colin Smith gained training through Southwark Works and plans to acquire skills in multiple trades to increase his job opportunities. Opposite, Centre and Bottom left: Trafalgar Place, designed by de Rijke Marsh Morgan, has created employment for Southwark residents during construction. Opposite, Bottom right: Jasmine Boadu began work with Be Onsite as an office junior, and quickly gained the skills to progress to receptionist.
Olabisi Yussuf Mace and Tate Modern Olabisi Yussuf had recently completed her Level 3 diploma in electrical installation when she went along to a Southwark Council employment event. Mace Group’s employment and skills team were also there – promoting employment pathways into construction. Olabisi, 36, had discounted an apprenticeship, assuming they were only on offer to youngsters, but after speaking to a member of the Mace team, she realised it could be the way to develop her career. After receiving advice on how to improve her CV, she was introduced to JTL, a training provider in the building industry offering Advanced Modern Apprenticeships in electrical installation, plumbing, heating and ventilation. Olabisi then sailed through an interview with contractors T Clarke, securing an apprenticeship position with them – at the world-renowned art gallery Tate Modern. Funding from the Skills Funding Agency allowed her to begin her apprenticeship NVQ, which she is now in the midst of, and to continue to receive support and mentoring. Olabisi says she was “astonished and grateful” that the Southwark Council initiative led to her working on such “complex and ingenious, high-profile projects”. “Owing to my age, I never thought an apprenticeship would be a viable option, but this avenue was discussed and explored,” she says. “Now the future looks promising. Working for and with T Clarke means I will attain high-level industry training and it will also allow me to contribute to the changing landscape of my community.” Wayne Campbell, employment and skills manager at Mace, said it had been “a real pleasure” to help such a driven, focused and rounded individual as Olabisi. “There are some hard times in this job but moments like this make it all worthwhile. I’m glad to have helped Olabisi reach her dream and I will continue to offer her support, and hopefully many more like her.”
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13 summer 2015 63
Training and employment
“The skills and focus which the Skills Academy has given me have not only made me more employable but helped me focus on building a career” Anthony Martin the London Bridge Skills Academy and Thameslink A previously unemployed man from Southwark became the 500th graduate of the London Bridge Skills Academy as part of Network Rail’s commitment to a “longlasting legacy” in the community. The academy provides people with the skills and training needed to help Network Rail deliver the £6.5 billion Thameslink Programme, transforming north-south travel through London Bridge. Anthony Martin, 31, joined the programme in late 2013 and has gained diverse experience, working for several contractors. “I’ve been working on sites for many years, doing different work, from
labourer to groundworks,” says Anthony. “Now I’m a traffic marshal and assist in demolition operations at London Bridge. “The skills and the focus which the skills academy has given me have not only made me more employable but also helped me to focus on building a career.” Since launching in July 2013, the academy has supported more than 500 people working on the Thameslink Programme from Network Rail, Costain and their suppliers. Courses range from entry level to professional, from the basic construction skills certification scheme to full site manager safety training. Left: The London Bridge Skills Academy has helped local people into employment and maintained a steady supply of skilled workers to deliver the £6.5 billion Thameslink Programme.
64 issue 13 summer 2015
SOUTHWARK TOWN HALL The former Southwark Town Hall at Peckham Road is being transformed by specialist student accommodation developer Alumno. In addition to the 155 purpose built rooms to house students studying in the borough, there will also be the new theatre, a café/gallery space and affordable artists` studios. Theatre Peckham, which is to the rear of the Town Hall on Havill Street, will be replaced by a larger, state of the art modern theatre. The theatre team are now at their temporary home Canada Water Culture Space, where their show “10 in a Bed” will be performed in July, as will their Christmas show. Throughout the summer Theatre Peckham will also be holding lots of activities in Peckham Library. Full details can be found on their website theatrepeckham.co.uk The new theatre building will be an amazing modern space dedicated to offering affordable performing arts classes for three to 18 year olds. There will be a larger auditorium, rehearsal space, two new studios, box office, new visitor facilities, offices and a spacious entrance foyer. The amenity space in front of the theatre will be completely re-modelled to create an inspiring public square, which will also provide a new entrance to the neighbouring residential estate. Theatre Peckham`s chief executive Teresa Early said “We have been watching the disappearance of our old theatre with sadness, but also with mounting excitement as work goes on towards the new building. Can’t wait!” Student residents and the passing public will be able to gather in the proposed café gallery planned for the ground floor level of the main Town Hall building. The café gallery will be run by local arts and community organisation Hotel Elephant. “This will provide us with a longer-term home, so we can develop our aim of connecting with the local community and providing a platform for local artists.” says Hotel Elephant’s Reuben Powell. “This development will help us meet our goals to enrich the cultural life of Southwark.” For current events see their website hotelelephant.co.uk
To create new links to the local community, artists` studios are planned for the ground and lower ground floor levels of the Town Hall for use by students and local artists. They will feature easy access from the street, high ceilings and lots of floor space. SPACE studios will run the studios, information on their current availability can be found at spacestudios.org.uk Alumno`s managing director David Campbell said ”Alumno are delighted to be working with a number of local and exciting creative partners to make the former Town Hall a new cultural hub for both student residents and the wider local community. Over recent years Alumno has played an important role in the creation of new development in this area of Camberwell, which in turn has reinterpreted the area and established it as a stimulating and welcoming environment for students, artists and locals alike. Alumno views the town hall development as a significant and important milestone in the company’s history and to be a part of this new chapter in Southwark is an honour.“
Alumno Developments Ltd, 2nd Floor, 10 Frith Street, London W1D 3JF T. 020 7434 2384
alumnodevelopments.com
Sitematch
It’s a match Representatives from two Sitematch sponsors, BNP Paribas and Bilfinger GVA, talk to Huub Niuwstadt, Sitematch research manager, about working with Southwark Council. Sam Blake (SB) is development consulting director at BNP Paribas, and Neil Dovey (ND) is senior director investment at Bilfinger GVA
What is your experience of working with Southwark Council? SB: I have worked with Southwark over many thoroughly enjoyable years. The teams there are very pragmatic, forward thinking and responsive – and need to be, to deal with the diverse property holdings in the borough. We work collaboratively with them, sharing knowledge, for example, providing support to their surveyors going through their professional qualifications. ND: In 2012 Bilfinger GVA advised on the purchase of the council’s offices on Tooley Street for £170 million, which at the time, the then landlord was openly marketing. We initially reported to Jeremy Pilgrim, head of property, providing financial analysis and strategic advice. Once the offer was submitted, various high level meetings took place with the senior executive team lead by Eleanor Kelly, the chief executive. Throughout the entire process our experience of dealing with Eleanor and Jeremy’s respective teams was very positive. The team was pragmatic, professional and commercial throughout. The council openly competed against domestic and international investors to secure the purchase of the building in a short timescale.
What is the most memorable project you’ve worked on with the council? SB: We recently totalled up the number of sites we have advised the council on – more than 100! There have been many memorable projects including One Tower Bridge, the Elephant and Castle Opportunity Area and the Aylesbury estate. However, one of the most memorable inspections was of Dave’s International Hair Salon on Peckham High Street; I got covered, head to toe, in dust and was subsequently towelled down by the proprietor – much to the amusement of my colleagues! ND: Tooley Street was most definitely a career highlight at a personal level and if there was a ranking for capital lot size over the number of days to complete a purchase – it would rank at the top. We already had a good relationship with the council but this helped cement it as a preferred adviser. And the latest project we are involved with is the regeneration of Surrey Quays. ❚
Sitematch London is an event enabling public sector landowners to engage with private sector developers, investors and occupiers. For more information, visit sitematchlondon.com
66 issue 13 summer 2015
WORKING TOGETHER Building regulations? No problem – we’re here to help Whether you’re building a dwelling extension or a complex skyscraper Southwark Council’s building control team can help you. > We have dedicated and experienced building control surveyors > We provide advice and support for our clients and design teams > We take the complexity out of the technical > We promote and support innovative design solutions Peter Card, head of building control 020 7525 5588 Simon Harvey, group manager 020 7525 5586 building.control@southwark.gov.uk www.southwark.gov.uk/buildingcontrol
Southwark’s regional winners in the 2015 LABC London Building Excellence Awards
Image: Peter Durant
Mickey Lee
Best domestic extension – Frank Dixon Way, Dulwich
Best large housing development – Neo, Bankside
Best large commercial and best technical innovation – The Shard, Borough
www.southwark.gov.uk
southwark
Helping to set the Southwark Standard.
Housing ambition Regeneration in partnership – how the council will deliver 11,000 homes by 2030
Thinking place After secondary schools, primaries are expanding, some featuring awardwinning architecture
Business space Pole position – Southwark takes its place in the central London office market
Artisan creations Bespoke products by the jeweller, framer, rugmaker and tailor – skilled and talented craftspeople
Shopping style Change is on order, with retail revival planned for the upgrading of Southwark’s main centres
southwark Issue 13 Summer 2015
Mount Anvil is committed to developing Southwark’s vision for a bright future.
Issue 13 Summer 2015
@mountanvil mountanvil.com
homes, schools & opportunity
Learning – fostered through investment in Southwark pupil places; designing and making – expressed through creative businesses