Redeveloping a London landmark

As London’s population continues to expand at a rate of one million people every decade, the need for high density developments located next to transport hubs and interchanges is absolutely pivotal to supporting the continued expansion of the city.

Along London’s South Bank, where workers, tourists and locals alike descend daily in huge masses, lies the Shell Centre. The Centre is adjacent to London Waterloo mainline rail and London Underground stations and alongside a strategic interchange for London Buses. Constructed in 1961, it is recognisable for the iconic Shell Tower which can be seen every year as the backdrop for London’s countdown to midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Unsuprisingly, the site’s central location and immediate proximity to a major transport interchange means it is one of the most valuable real estate locations in London. Developers, Braeburn Estates recognised its potential and saw an opportunity to develop a relatively dense scheme comprising 877 homes and over 70,000 m2 of office floor space which will provide approximately 4,000 jobs once complete, with an additional 1,500 jobs during construction.

Over the past two years Steer Davies Gleave has played an integral part in supporting Braeburn Estates and the wider design team in developing the masterplan proposals that formed part of the planning application.

The redevelopment proposals consist of eight new buildings centred around and complementing the existing Shell Tower, while the wider masterplan proposes to open up new pedestrian routes between Waterloo Station, South Bank Centre and the London Eye. This will provide significant improvements to pedestrian access throughout the area which benefits not only the new users of the site but existing passengers travelling through Waterloo station.

The range of public transport services and frequencies at Waterloo station provides a unique opportunity to deliver a high-density development with the foundations for encouraging the new users of the Shell Centre to make sustainable travel choices.

Through continued coordination and extensive consultation with Transport for London, the London Borough of Lambeth, local business stakeholders and local residents, we have been able to develop proposals that effectively balance the needs of a wide variety of existing users while providing first-class accessibility for future tenants, employees and visitors of the completed development.

SDG will continue to support Braeburn Estates and the wider design team from Detailed Design through to scheme completion in 2019. This will include the discharging of all relevant planning conditions, detailed highway design and basement design.