A large plot of land that’s been empty ever since the Jubilee line extension was built 20 years ago is finally going to be built on again.
The site was cleared to provide access down to the tunnels for the tube line extension, and part of the site is now given over to a ventilation shaft and electricity substation for the Jubilee line. Next to it is the famed Cross Bones cemetery for paupers and alleged prostitutes.
However, since the completion of the Jubilee line, the site has either been used for operational rail purposes or has been occupied by commercial tenants.
Sitting between Southwark Street, Redcross Way and Union Street, the site will create a new commercial centre for Southwark, providing more than 200,000 square feet of commercial space for restaurants, cafés, retail opportunities and flexible small business workspace. The developers expect the site to support 1,850 jobs once complete.
The plans will also include 36 new homes within the development, with 6 designated as “affordable”, and 12 homes available at social rent.
However, there had been expectations that there would be around 80 homes, and less commercial space when the initial plans were announced back in 2017, and far less than 120 homes suggested for the site in 2016.
The design of the buildings though is sympathetic to the heritage of the area, being mostly brick-clad and broken up into smaller chunks so as to restore a long lost layout of narrow streets which had vanished by the early 20th century.
The proposals also include a renewable 30-year lease on the site of the former cemetery, which was amended by the council to remove a break clause which could have seen the lease terminated after just one year. There had been pressure for a much longer lease, but they are seeking to have the site designated as legal open space, which restricts future development.
Work on the Landmark Court is expected to start on site in 2021 and to complete in 2023.
I really do hope the ex-cemetery is preseved – we need as many of these “pocket parks” as we can get.
It’s not going to be touched by this.
Click in the link “renewable 30 year lease” in the 3rd last paragraph of the article!