Elephant and Castle Past and Present

Regeneration Programme

Transport & Sustainabilty The Green Elephant

Working with Business and the Community

• Working With Local Business And The Community
• Consultation & Engagement
• Heygate Programme
• Housing
• New Housing Site Developments
• Local Business
• Business at Elephant and Castle today
• How We Work With Local Business
• Promoting the shopping centre
• FAQs
• Other Initiatives
• Local Organisations
• Arts

Southwark Council wants to bolster and improve the trading environment for local businesses. At the same time we need to balance the evident demand from local people to have a much bigger and improved range of shopping and leisure facilities.

Businesses trading in Elephant and Castle reflect the area’s diverse cultural population and many have operated for years in a difficult trading environment.

Southwark’s key aim is to assist local businesses who want to remain in Elephant and Castle to do so. We will do this by:

Creating a new, improved town centre
The Elephant and Castle regeneration plan proposes to create a vibrant urban centre with a wide range of small and large shops. This involves re-establishing Walworth Road as a high street along the straight route to the northern roundabout that was lost when the 1960s development took place. Busy mixed-use shops along the high street will lead up to a busy central core and major transport interchange. New spaces within bridge viaducts and arches will be created for market stalls and small retailers.

Maintaining businesses and services in the meantime
We all recognise that the current shopping area is outdated and in a state of decline. The businesses are not responsible for this: it is a testimony to their determination that they have survived in such challenging circumstances.

We are actively working with businesses and landlords to offer the council’s assistance to guard against the danger of blight. Elephant and Castle wardens patrol the central shopping area most hours of the day and night.

The ‘Elephant Impacts’ environmental improvements programme is addressing public concerns about safety and has introduced architectural lighting to enhance the appearance of Elephant and Castle in the evenings.

Southwark also remains committed to, and part funds, a combined marketing effort to help maintain the customer appeal of the area right up until the redevelopment programme begins.

Assisting businesses to transfer to new premises
In a survey undertaken in July 2005, 70% of businesses stated that they are eager to remain trading in Elephant and Castle.

Southwark Council is using its position as a local planning authority to require all new commercial, mixed-use developments to offer a proportion of their units to existing businesses.

In addition there are many new schemes now under way in the area, which is a reflection of market confidence in the regeneration plans. The first of these schemes is scheduled to be finished in 2008, more than a year before the shopping centre is due to be vacant. Several other schemes are likely to be finished in time to allow a similiar transition for existing traders.

Southwark is seeking to impose a ‘stepped rents’ structure upon new developments in order to allow relocated businesses adequate time to adjust to their new trading environments.

Southwark is also establishing proposals for a council fund that can help businesses during the transition.