Many neighbourhoods are experiencing significant regeneration involving the demolition of large swathes of well-known and sometimes iconic buildings. The physical demolition and construction are, though, only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the disruption.
To get to the point when things start happening on the ground takes years of application, development, planning and consultation. This creates enormous uncertainty and makes business planning exceptionally hard.
In such periods of uncertainty business owners tend to look inward and focus on their operation. Getting them to think beyond the immediate future and to plan for an uncertain world requires patience and commitment. It also requires visible advocacy that gets results in the short term and builds confidence for the whole community.
After years of discussion and delay the Elephant and Castle area is going through radical and extensive transformation. A key component of the transformation is the demolition of the existing 50-year-old shopping centre, which is scheduled for September 2020.
The Centre is effectively owned by clients of Delancey Real Estate Asset Management Limited. Delancey’s plans extend to the existing shopping as well as the London College of Communications (LCC) on the opposite side of the Elephant and Castle/Newington Butts. The proposed redevelopment will include:
- a brand new, modern shopping centre
- a new college campus for the LCC
- a substantial quantity of new housing
- a new Elephant and Castle Underground Station (Northern Line).
The shopping centre currently hosts 86 businesses. It is still a fully trading centre and Southwark Council is anxious to ensure that these traders are supported through this period of uncertainty.
They don’t have a formally constituted trading association, so find it difficult to find a coordinated voice on issues that affect them.
Tree Shepherd has been appointed to work directly with all the independent traders and we are currently working wherever possible with over 70 businesses, offering business advice, helping them secure new premises and plan for the future.
More information from Southwark Council can be found here.