- What Council approves British Land’s masterplan for Canada Water
- Why Transformational scheme to deliver 3m sq ft of commercial space and 3,000 homes
- What next First phase of 330,000 sq ft commercial and 254 homes to be delivered by 2024
British Land has been given the go ahead to press on with a new town centre at Canada Water that will deliver three million sq ft of commercial and community space as well as 3,000 new homes.
Last night, Southwark Council Planning Committee resolved to grant planning permission for British Land’s masterplan following a recommendation from the planning officers for the mixed-use 53-acre site.
Alongside the masterplan consent, the planning permission covers the delivery of the scheme’s first three buildings. This includes 330,000 sq ft of workspace, 265 new homes as well as public and community space across buildings A1, A2 and K1. British Land aims to deliver the first phase by 2024, while the masterplan will take 15 years to work through.
Overall, the masterplan encompasses: two million sq ft of workspace; one million sq ft of retail, leisure, entertainment, education and community space; and 3,000 new homes, of which 35% will be affordable.
Chris Grigg, chief executive of British Land, said:”We have an incredible opportunity at Canada Water to create a vibrant neighbourhood for people to live, work and enjoy. We’re hugely excited about delivering this exceptional, mixed-use and sustainable landmark development, which has been designed to support people’s wellbeing. We thank the Council for all their hard-work and we look forward to continuing to work with them and the local community.”
The site includes Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, Surrey Quays Leisure Park, the Printworks and the former Dock Offices courtyard. The transformational project will also create 12 acres of new open space, including a 3.5-acre park, a new Town Square, the first new high street in London for 100 years and 16 new streets.
Cllr Peter John, Leader of Southwark Council, said: “We are delighted that this major step towards our vision for Canada Water has been approved. The Masterplan provides the blueprint for an exciting new town centre that will provide thousands of new homes, particularly hundreds of new social rent homes, new jobs and opportunities, new open spaces and a brand new leisure centre for Rotherhithe in the first phase of the work. We look forward to working with British Land over the next few years to bring forward the plans and making sure our local residents are the beneficiaries of the opportunities the regeneration will provide, as laid out in the Canada Water Social Regeneration Charter.”
