The proposals for the core area of opportunity may be divided into a series of character areas, each of which will possess its own particular function, ambience and scale:
St. Mary’s Churchyard Park
The anticipated qualities of each of these character areas are set out below.
Walworth Road – High Street extension
The Walworth Road together with the community it serves is today severed from the heart of Elephant and Castle. Inactive and missing frontages from Heygate Street northwards put a stop to pedestrian movement, and together with the railway viaduct and the Elephant and Castle shopping centre, create a physical and perceived barrier that prevents the Walworth Road from being the busy vibrant high street it should be.
The extension of the Walworth Road to form a continuous high street through to what is today the northern roundabout, and in the future will become a grand civic square, will provide a focus for new town centre activity. This will create a direct connection between the existing Walworth Road and the historic heart of Elephant and Castle.
Walworth High Street (north)
Building scales and densities will increase as people travel north up the Walworth Road directly to the civic square. Located to the north of the railway viaduct, the high street in this area will be pedestrianised forming a unique and safe people-focused environment. The high street will be similar in scale to Regent Street and will be animated by a full range shops and leisure facilities. The street will accommodate retail pavilions, cafes, seating areas and temporary markets together with areas for exhibiting art and space dedicated for street entertainers. Together with the introduction of trees and subtle landscaping, the gap between the two edges will be bridged. Modern and innovative buildings will form edges to the high street. These buildings will have a high degree of transparency at ground floor level reducing the barriers between internal and external space. Two landmark tall buildings will transform this part of the London skyline south of the river and mark Elephant and Castle on the London map.
Walworth High Street (middle)
Moving south through the open railway viaduct, the vehicle free pedestrian space ends and the high street widens to accommodate the new trams and the various bus routes that run through the area. This part of the high street will link the town centre development and civic square and it will become enlivened with shops, cafes and restaurants. This is one of the locations where existing businesses, currently trading in the Elephant and Castle shopping centre, will have the chance to relocate to.
Walworth High Street (south)
From Heygate Street southwards the Walworth Road will be accessible to all vehicles. The old town hall to the east will be converted to a new museum called the ‘discovery centre’, which will focus on science and education. To the north of the new museum, a new space called Faraday Square will provide an area for public gathering. Around the square there will be a new healthy living centre, new shops, cafes and the Faraday Museum. It’s likely that the Faraday Memorial that currently sits on the northern roundabout will be moved to this area.
The Civic Square
This new civic space will be located at the historic heart of Elephant and Castle at the location currently occupied by the heavily trafficked northern roundabout. The civic square will be the focus for the public transport system where bus, train and underground systems meet. It will be the most prominent point of arrival and departure where visitors will be given their first and last impression of the area.
Due to its scale and location, the civic square will not only be a new square for the Elephant and Castle but also a new square for London. The space will be similar in size to Trafalgar Square and the area will provide a place for festivals, exhibitions and screenings. Trees will be planted, stylish street furniture, public art and water features will be installed and pavilions installed where people can escape the sun or rain.
The existing pedestrian underpasses will be removed and replaced with a series of new surface crossing points that will allow pedestrians to pass from the surrounding areas into the new space at grade.
The existing tube stations will be upgraded and modified to allow passengers to access both the Northern and Bakerloo Lines from the civic square. In addition a new tram stop will be provided on the western side of the new space.
The Railway Viaduct
The main physical barrier running through the central development area is the railway arches. Opening these up provides exciting opportunities for new commercial activity, offices, workshops and live/work accommodation.
The demolition of the existing railway station building will dramatically improve the station environment. Platform access via lifts and escalators will bring passengers directly from ground floor level up into a new glazed station concourse, which will have dramatic views north to St. Paul’s Cathedral. The new roof will link into the roof over the Walworth High Street to the east and will connect with the new market square to the west.
The Market Square
To the east of the arches, a market square will become a lively and bustling destination with an open daytime market space as well as a cinema and theatre in the evening.
The character of the market square will be similar to that of Covent Garden and Borough Market and it will provide a contrast to the atmosphere of the main high street shopping area. Above the restaurants and shops to the sides of the market square there will be residential space. The new homes will help to animate the square with balconies and courtyard spaces.
The Town Park
Moving further east beyond the market square the environment will become quieter. On the site of the current Heygate Estate, a new town park will become the focus of a new residential quarter. A publicly accessible contemporary park will be created and this can be enjoyed for a quiet afternoon lazing in the sun, or an evening gathering with friends.
The space is formed in the long established London tradition of green spaces surrounded by housing. Fingers of landscaped courtyards will stretch out from the edges into U-shaped residential developments, lending the park a more blurred, organic edge. The residential buildings will be stepped, allowing for terraces with landscaped gardens that will be accessible from individual homes. This allows more sunlight into the park and the buildings themselves.
Heygate Boulevard
Heygate Street will be remodelled to provide a dramatic 40-metre wide tree lined boulevard that will incorporate cars, buses, cycles and space for the new London tram. Strong urban architecture with six to eight storey buildings will line the boulevard, featuring wide pavements and separated cycle paths.
Buses and trams will have their own public transport only zone located in the centre of the street. The pavement to the north will be wider than the one to the south, reflecting its south facing aspect. Building heights between 6 and 8 storeys will house shops, cafes, offices, a library as well as dentists’ and doctors’ surgeries on the ground floor, with more residential space above.
St. Mary’s Churchyard Park
A historically significant space which as its name suggests was once the burial ground for St. Mary’s Church. The church has gone but the graves still exist within grass covered space dominated by mature and semi mature trees. The churchyard is the second green space in the development framework area.
The London Park Hotel, which has been demolished for developer First Base's 360-London tower, encloses the space to the south of the park and to the north the leisure centre site is earmarked for a new city academy secondary school. It will serve the existing and new population of Elephant and Castle and illustrates the council’s commitment to improving the standards of education for local children. The current leisure facility will move to a site adjacent to the new Faraday Square on the Walworth Road. The new park was officially opened by the Mayor of Southwark on 6th May 2008.
Contact
The Elephant and Castle project team
Tel: 020 7525 4922
elephantinfo@southwark.gov.uk
www.elephantandcastle.org.uk
Coburg House
63-67 Newington Causeway
London SE1 6BD