U+I and Transport for London have been given planning consent by Southwark Council to turn a 1.7-acre derelict site in Bankside, SE1, into more than 200,000 sq ft of commercial space and 36 new homes.
U+I was appointed by TfL in May 2017 to deliver the £200m mixed-used project near London Bridge Station and Borough Market. It will be known as Landmark Court.
Designed by Allies and Morrison, the scheme’s office space provision will include 10% affordable workspace some retail space.
Of the 36 new homes, 50% will be affordable, including 12 new homes available at social rent.
It will also provide a package of support for the Crossbones Graveyard and Memorial Garden, which will secure the future of the burial ground that is estimated to hold the remains of some 15,000 people. It was closed as a paupers’ graveyard in 1853. This includes a promise to not develop on the burial site and to deliver enhancements and a management plan, including longer opening hours and funding.
TfL acquired the site more than 25 years ago for the construction of the Jubilee line extension. Since then, it has been used for rail purposes and has at times been occupied by commercial tenants.
Network Rail owns 10% of the land and has agreed heads of terms with TfL to grant a long lease to facilitate the development by the joint venture.
Work is expected to start on site in 2021 and to complete in 2023.
Richard Upton, chief development officer at U+I, said: “This site has been a blot on an otherwise vibrant and successful high street, but now we can bring forward a development that will stitch the streetscape back together, providing contemporary workspace, homes, shops and restaurants, all set within a carefully considered masterplan that reinstates the medieval lanes and yards of Southwark.
“From the outset we were also determined to secure the future of Crossbones, which really is one of London’s extraordinary hidden places. Our plans ensure it will not only be preserved, but enhanced, so that more Londoners can discover its history and honour its continued purpose as a place to remember and respect those on the margins of society.”
Chris Townend, head of property development at TfL, added: “We are excited to have been given the go-ahead to start delivering our plans in Southwark, which will create a vibrant hub for the community, with buzzing market stalls, cafés, restaurants and workspaces. The plans will deliver new much-needed affordable homes while preserving Crossbones Graveyard and Memorial Garden.”
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