Surrey Quays leisure site and the Decathlon to be rebuilt

The committee also agreed on the redevelopment of the Decathlon store which will be expanded and will become Decathlon's UK headquarters for its operations.

The proposed redevelopments are to be carried out through a series of phases so the existing cinema, bowling alley, bingo hall and the Decathlon store can stay open.

The Surrey Quays Leisure Site will include over 500 residential units and 123 units for students, a new cinema complex and leisure building that will include restaurants, commercial floor spaces and public and private open space.

The Decathlon redevelopment will provide 430 flats together with new retail and community space and café, restaurants, bars along the waterfront. It involves extensive public space works including a new boulevard through the site connecting with the new pedestrian thoroughfare along the water that provides access from the Canada Water station to the Surrey Quays shopping centre.

The layout of the new buildings will make a major contribution to the regeneration of the area.

Cllr James Gurling, chair of the planning committee at Southwark Council, said: "These are ambitious schemes that will greatly improve the Surrey Quays area for both existing and new residents. The Committee considered these applications very carefully and were satisfied with what was put before us. However, the applications will be referred to the Mayor of London, and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, because of their scale."