Great Portland Estates has revealed plans for its New City Court site, near London Bridge, SE1. The plans involve a 35-storey office building, a stone’s throw from the Shard.
Some 322,000 sq ft of office and 16,000 sq ft of retail is planned, along with an elevated public garden. Around 3,800 permanent jobs are anticipated to be delivered.
Public realm and walking routes through the site will also be improved with a brand new entrance/exit to London Bridge underground station facing on to a public square.
Great Portland Estates says the plan will mean 35% of users heading south can now emerge from the new station entrance through the historic yards, further relieving pressure on Borough High Street.
The scheme will also see the redevelopment of historic Georgian town houses, fronting St Thomas Street. The proposal is to retain and renovate the façades, well as the internal layout of the buildings, making them fit for purpose as modern retail and office space.
Consultation documents reveal Great Portland Estates will curate a retail environment with “independent” food and drink offerings, extending the nearby Borough market offering.
Set over two to three levels and contained both within the proposed new building and historic town houses, “there is an opportunity to create an active and diverse offer that responds to the range of weekday and weekend visitors to the area”.
Great Portland Estates acquired the site for £43.15m in 2006. A refurbishment of the building and new façade work completed in 2012.
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