Ambitious proposals to create 1m sq ft of retail and office space
Amber Rose
Railtrack is working on plans for a multimillion pound redevelopment of London Bridge station.
Railtrack has finished a feasibility study and this week held a meeting to discuss the report and find ways to move the plans forward.
The track owner, which also owns thousands of acres of land close to rail sites, intends to submit a planning application for the £500m redevelopment in January. The wide-ranging development proposals include ambitious plans to create 92,900m2 (1m sq ft) of retail and office space, along with a new public square.
Developers will be invited to bid when progress has been made on the planning front.
The report looked at how the station should be reconfigured to cope with the £850m Thameslink 2000 project, which will double the capacity of the existing cross-London rail link. According to Railtrack, it is predicted that there will be a 30% increase in passengers over the next 10 years. Currently, 80,000 people a day use the station.
The proposals include changing the west entrance to the station and opening two new entrances – one opposite the Hayes Galleria shopping mall. Closing the west entrance would free up space for office development. The public concourse would be moved down to street level, with space for retail created by opening up the arches under the station. The train platforms will remain on the first floor of the station.
Railtrack has already shown Southwark the feasibility report and it is known that the council is keen to see a comprehensive redevelopment of the area.
Meanwhile, Southwark council has this week been urging international retailers at MAPIC in Cannes to open stores in the area. Cllr Nick Dolezal, chair of Southwark’s regeneration and environment committee, commented: “The regeneration of the borough’s transport interchanges is still at the planning stage. By becoming involved now, retailers requirements can be integrated into our plans.”
Railtrack was unavailable for comment.
