Height increases planned at Surrey Quays shopping centre redevelopment
A number of buildings at a major development of Surrey Quays shopping centre in Rotherhithe could see height increases under revised plans.
The entire 1980s shopping centre and car park will eventually make way for thousands of new homes, and a previously agreed masterplan could now see changes.
A need for second staircases is given by developer British Land for alterations on ten blocks.
In recent weeks a tower under construction as part of the overall project appeared all-but-complete on a plot close to Canada Water Jubilee and London Overground station, with a walkway over the dock opening to the public.
Another London Overground station to the south of the site is seeing developer funding put towards a new ticket office at Surrey Quays station.
The biggest revision of 13 floors is for a block beside this spot.
Developer British Land revealed details on a somewhat unwieldy website that offers a virtual tour. This isn’t the first such website I’ve seen but please be the last. I mean why give information in one click when you can make people press three to four times?
The Section 106 agreement is to be reconsidered with potential changes to the number of “affordable” homes. British Land state they are currently in discussions with Southwark Council and the Greater London Authority.
As well as the shopping centre’s closure this year also saw Odeon and Hollywood Bowl shut in advance of development.
Tesco will move from their current location to that site which will see housing built above. The existing Tesco site will form part of the shopping centre redevelopment. Around 3,500 homes are planned in total.
Recent information
Recent financial results from British Land released last month include information about the development:
“One of the key benefits of the Masterplan is the in-built flexibility within the planning consent. We can build as little as 0.5m sq ft of workspace, up to 3m sq ft; as little as 0.5m sq ft of retail, up to 0.9m sq ft; and a minimum of 2,000 homes up to c.4,000.
“The next phases of the Masterplan are likely to have a higher residential element including traditional build to sell, build to rent and student accommodation, as the development economics shift in favour of residential uses.
“We are likely to partner or sell some plots to specialist providers like student housing developers to accelerate delivery of the plan and cash flows.”
This is only a good thing IMO, the dimensions of the towers will now be more elegant and have more soar, also the area can totally handle this density.