Last night Southwark Council Planning Committee resolved to grant planning permission for the Canada Water Masterplan, in line with their officer’s recommendation.

The Masterplan is a 53 acre, mixed-use scheme that will deliver:

• around two million sq. ft. of workspace to accommodate around 20,000 jobs;
• around one million sq.f.t of retail, leisure, entertainment, education and community space;
• around 3,000 new homes, of which 35% will be affordable with 70% of these as Social Rent; and
• 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

Responding to the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Southwark Council’s policy aspirations for the area, the plans will deliver approximately 3,000 new homes, with a minimum of 35% being affordable – of which 70% will be at social rent and 30% intermediate affordable. Southwark Council will have first option to purchase all social rent homes and let them as council homes, at council rent, on council tenancies.

In addition, British Land is providing in excess of £33m over the next 15 years towards a range of transport projects to increase capacity and frequency, make journeys quicker, and provide a greater range of choices to those living or working in Canada Water and the wider Rotherhithe and Surrey Docks area.

Emma Cariaga, Joint Head of Canada Water at British Land, said:

“Delivering this Masterplan in an area with as rich a history and heritage as Canada Water, Rotherhithe and Surrey Docks is an immense responsibility and one we have taken very seriously and carefully. This is only the first step in the approval process and we are committed to continuing to engage and work with the local community to deliver the project, and ensure that the Masterplan benefits those living, working and studying in the area for years to come.”

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.”

The resolution to grant planning consent is the first step in the approval process for the project and comes after five years of extensive consultation and input from the local community, during which we welcomed over 5,000 individuals to over 120 public consultation and local outreach events, with feedback influencing the Masterplan at every stage of its development. We also entered into a conditional Master Development Agreement with Southwark Council last year.

We expect the whole Masterplan to take around 15 years to deliver, with the first phase expected to be completed by 2024. By this stage we plan to deliver 265 new homes including 87 affordable homes (60 for social rent) and a new Southwark Council leisure centre with an eight lane 25m swimming pool.

This first phase will generate significant construction employment, and also be home to around 2,300 office, retail and estate management jobs.  British Land is targeting getting over 250 Southwark residents – with a priority for those living closest to the masterplan – into the construction and end-use employment opportunities arising through a range of training and employment programmes.

Further to this, we have committed to:

• Creating over 12 acres of new public space, including a new town square, 3.5-acre park and the first new High Street in London for decades. Overall, the Masterplan will include a minimum 35% public open space.
• Providing up to 320,000 sqm of office and workspace with bespoke employment and training programmes to ensure that local people have access to the career, employment and training opportunities. Once complete it is expected the Masterplan will be home to c.20,000 jobs.
• Creating up to 100,000 sq m of retail, leisure, entertainment and community space, including the new leisure centre.
• Providing a minimum of £5m towards the expansion of an existing local primary school and space for a 16+ education facility.
• Providing land and/or funding for a new health facility if called upon by the NHS/Clinical Commissioning Group and space if called upon by the Metropolitan police for a new police hub.
• Making ecological enhancements to Canada Water Dock, including a planted active edge.
• Continuing to work with Southwark Council and the local community to deliver on the Social Regeneration Charter and Action Plan priorities for Canada Water – which aim to ensure that the Masterplan delivers wide-ranging benefits in partnership with the community.

More information on the commitments that British Land will make in delivering the Masterplan can be found here.