Elephant & Castle

The exhibition will open on Thursday July 14 at a dedicated ‘Elephant and Castle consultation hub’ located at 182 Walworth Road. It will be the first of several exhibitions and consultation events leading to a planning application that is scheduled to be submitted in spring 2012.

The Heygate Estate is made up of the main 8.84 hectare (21.85 acre) site, where numerous 1960s precast concrete apartment buildings exist that are now almost completely vacant with just seven residents remaining. Also included within this phase of development is the Rodney Road site, a 1 hectare (2.5 acre) size site that is now completely cleared following the recent completion of demolition of several similar precast buildings.

Lend Lease project director for Elephant and Castle, Rob Deck, said:

“ As Southwark Council’s development partner, we are excited to be taking this next step of the consultation on our regeneration plans.

“We are looking forward to sharing our ideas with local people about the masterplan principles which underpin the design for the regeneration, and to hearing their views so that we can refine our designs.

“Our very simple aim is to build on the area's strengths and overcome its challenges to establish the Elephant and Castle as a thriving and successful urban quarter.”

Councillor Fiona Colley, Southwark Council cabinet member for regeneration, said,

"This will be an exciting insight for residents, who will get to see the full picture, scale and extent of the dramatic ideas for Elephant and Castle - and how they can influence them. The exhibition will allow stakeholders and people who know the area to take in how the area could change and marks the start of a full consultation, when genuine, two-way conversations will form the basis and direction of how the regeneration moves forward. I look forward to hearing people's views and seeing them incorporated into the future of the area."

The development that replaces the Heygate Estate will reinstate a grid of street similar to that which existed before bombing destroyed the area in World War Two.

Streets to the north and south of the Heygate site will be reconnected and also those to the east and west by the railway viaduct, shopping centre and Elephant Road. Streets will be active, connected, safer and more hospitable, with generous footpaths, landscaping and places to sit down along the way.

A mix of homes, both for sale and affordable, shops and businesses - both large and small - will exist on the Heygate footprint.

Some of the other principles are:

• 2,500 new homes with a 25% minimum level of affordable housing (50:50 intermediate and social for rent);

• 150,000 sq ft of retail and community space;

• new, high quality public spaces;

• extensive jobs and training opportunities for local people;

• opportunities for local and independent retail businesses;

• well-designed buildings – flexible and energy efficient and ‘Secure by Design’.

After signing a regeneration agreement with Southwark Council in July 2010, Lend Lease commenced community engagement activities in Elephant and Castle in December last year, facilitating a Community Forum.

Lend Lease will now begin a comprehensive masterplan consultation commencing with the July exhibitions and continuing through until the planning submission in 2012.

Views will be sought from local people, at every stage of the design process. This feedback helps Lend Lease to form an understanding of the different points of view, and aids the process of trying to balance a range of needs in the area as the design evolves.

Consultation dates:

Thursday 14 July: 11am-8pm

Friday 15 July: 11am-6pm

Saturday 16 July: 11am-6pm

Wednesday 20 July: 11am-6pm

Thursday 21 July: 11am-8pm

Friday 22 July: 11am-6pm

Saturday 23 July 11am-6pm

Timeline

July 2011: Start of consultation for Heygate and Rodney Road sites

Spring 2012: Planning submissions for Heygate and Rodney Road sites

2015: Completion of demolition of Heygate Estate