Council’s design team announced for major new council home scheme on Old Kent Road

26 February 2021

Southwark Council has appointed the team of architects who will design plans to transform the Currys PC World site on Old Kent Road into hundreds of news homes, as part of one of London’s largest regeneration schemes.

The mixed-use development will include the delivery of around 500 new homes with half being much-needed new council homes. This will form part of the council’s unrivalled programme to build 11,000 new council homes across the borough by 2042, with 2,500 of these started on site or delivered by 2022.

As well as new homes, the council’s scheme will include around 5000 sq.m of new commercial space and land which could be used for a new further education facility. It will also generate new jobs for Old Kent Road, both in its construction and in future.

Development of the land currently occupied by Currys PC World and adjacent B&M store, which was acquired by Southwark Council in 2019, will be net carbon neutral to support the council’s ambitious climate emergency commitments.

Led by three architectural practices, the scheme’s design team was chosen using the council’s new Architect Design Services Framework (ADSF) which was expanded and enhanced last year to attract both established and emerging architect firms with a diverse leadership and workforce.

The newly-appointed team – Morris + Company, Weston Williamson + Partners, and West Port – represent an exciting group of new and experienced designers who all have prior experience of working in Southwark and will collaborate on this major masterplanning project.

Their successful bid was supported by landscape architect BBUK, sustainability consultancy Greengage who assisted with the social value commitments, and by Soundings with their community engagement work.

Public consultation on the Currys PC World scheme will begin next year and the first new homes could be delivered in 2024.

Shaun Ihejetoh, Director from West Port, said: “We are really excited to be part of an amazing design team and look forward to creating a new residential-led mixed-use scheme on the Old Kent Road. The next 10-15 years will see a lot of change in this part of Southwark. We look forward to helping shape a scheme that is responsive to local needs, embodies sustainable development principles and works with the wider regeneration masterplan of the area. The Old Kent Road embodies many things that make London unique: the buzz, the diversity and the potential of the area drew us to this project. Through sharing and building upon our existing knowledge and experiences with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups in the area we hope to help deliver a scheme that is made by and representative of the communities it will serve.”

David Storring, Director from Morris + Company, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Southwark Council to establish Old Kent Road as a thriving destination, delivering a unique mix of commercial, workspace, residential and public realm spaces. Our scheme designed collaboratively alongside Weston Williamson + Partners and West Port will provide high quality homes to suit multi-generational living within a diverse neighbourhood. These homes will put the local community at the forefront of the design, showcasing different housing types with varied characters to contribute towards the future of a dynamic town centre on Old Kent Road.”

Beatrix Young, Partner from Weston Williamson + Partners, said: “We are delighted to be part of this exciting project, building on our long-standing collaboration with Southwark Council and the local residents. As a local Southwark-based practice, we always look for opportunities to support sustainable growth and development within the borough, building on our established links with local schools, business and residents. The council’s tender process allowed us to showcase the inclusive approach we take to developing design teams working with established and new practices and promoting under-represented groups in the profession. We believe that our combined offer, that will focus on high quality, low carbon new homes and unique placemaking, will create an exceptional city-shaping development for the Old Kent Road.”

Cllr Johnson Situ, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, Planning and Transport at Southwark Council, said: “Our vision for the Old Kent Road is to harness its unique character as London’s oldest thoroughfare to create a go-to destination, where our diverse communities can thrive, with the addition of new homes, business space, and quality open spaces.

“As part of our wider Old Kent Road plans, this new scheme is a fantastic opportunity to build council homes and continue our work to ensure that the people who design our homes better represent the rich diversity of the people who live in them. I’m delighted that such a strong group of architects from different backgrounds have been appointed, bringing a new range of perspectives to this work and helping us create a legacy of new council housing that puts the local community at the forefront of designs.”

Find out more about the regeneration of Old Kent Road at www.oldkentroad.org.uk

Page last updated: 26 February 2021