Our vision is to deliver meaningful and long-lasting benefits for the local community. The new building will include 153 homes for local people as well as providing a 3,350m2 exciting new hub for small businesses and organisations specialising in culture and the arts delivering jobs and local apprenticeships. There is the possibility of a large public fitness and wellness centre. The combination of uses will help bring people back to the building and transform it into a thriving community.
The mix of new homes has been carefully created to help the London Borough of Southwark meet local housing needs and respond to local feedback. Following the first round of public consultations there will be increased amenity space available for residents and an increased number of family-sized 3 bedroom homes. These homes will be located on the higher floors of the building, and have been designed to maximise privacy for residents, while at the same time providing them with as much daylight and sunlight as possible. The majority will have access to inset balconies. A good level will be affordable and larger 2 or 3 bedroom maisonettes and apartments suitable for families. A sizeable number have been designed specifically to ensure that they are wheelchair accessible. These types of accommodation are much sought after in the local community.
Residents will also be able to enjoy the publicly accessible café located in the lower floors of the building and communal roof terraces. These will offer the chance to relax and socialise outside, with attractive landscaping, seating and other recreational facilities.
The site's location allows residents to benefit from the excellent network of public transport close by. 3 stations and 4 bus stops are located within walking distance and there will be ample bicycle storage space. This provision enables us to reduce the number of car parking spaces, whilst still meeting the parking requirements for blue badge holders. We will then use this additional area to provide better and higher quality recreational space for the local community, improving the environment for all.
Following the first round of public consultation there will be space for a café in the lower floors which will be accessible to all.
The ground floor will offer more than 660m2 of co-working and managed office space, which will appeal to workers in small commercial concerns. There will also be opportunities for new apprenticeships, as well as the possibility of affordable workshops for start-up businesses.
The lower ground floor will provide a generous space which would work well as a centre for fitness and wellness. There will be ample room for gym equipment for individual training as well as studio space for group sessions. Treatment and physio rooms could also be provided enabling the community to benefit from a fully equipped fitness zone.
The basement will be a hive of creativity with just under 1000m2 being dedicated to the amateur and professional arts. There will be small studios suitable for digital production, music mixing and recording. A larger studio will provide space for the arts and community theatre. We are currently consulting with local community organisations to ensure that this space satisfies Camberwell's needs.