E&C 2025 Image

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/6098

Looking at the images, it looks like the form of the Shopping Centre is almost exactly the same. Perhaps that was just not something that was photoshopped given the focus on the Estate regeneration?

Has anyone learned anything concrete as to exactly how the shopping centre will be regenerated to be something different than it is today?

Frankly, I think that's almost impossible -- indoor shopping centres are going out of style and all but the most posh centres are now failing in the UK and America.

I, personally, see the only thing that would work well being the Shopping Centre turned into a Spitafields Market-style facility.

The image was put out by Lend Lease who are responsible for the Heygate and half the leisure centre site; the shopping centre is not within their ownership or remit (it's owned by St Modwen).

You can see the concept images for the shopping centre revamp here - the idea is to strip it back to its concrete frame and then build up to 1000 homes on top of it.

Evening Standard today...

Two of London’s least loved landmarks, the Elephant and Castle shopping centre and the Heygate Estate, are set to be reduced to rubble under a huge regeneration scheme.

The first detailed plans of the long-awaited scheme will be revealed in an application expected to be lodged with Southwark council “within weeks”.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/eyesores-to-vanish-in-elephant-and-castle-regeneration-masterplan-7869123.html

I'll believe it when I see it...

I've been quizzing the journo on Twitter, he says that SC press told him that they are demolishing it, and that 'thinking is changing' regards the planned refurb. I've called St M to ask, will let you know if they answer.

That's interesting jamesup. I'd like to be positive, but suspect that now St Modwen have got Southwark Council to renege publically on their promise to extend Walworth Road through the shopping centre site, by claiming they were unwilling to demolish it, they will now just replace it with some huge structure that allows them to cram as many flats on top as possible.

an interesting, likely and depressing hypothesis! let's see.

Ideally the street would be extended, but let's hope that if the shopping centre is 'rebuilt' it is rebuilt as an open-air marketplace -- i.e. more of a pedestrian plaza surrounded by shops than a closed-roof building.

Southwark have replied:

https://twitter.com/lb_southwark/status/215805003942723584

If they told the Standard that it would be 'demolished' they lied. To demolish something you must pull it down. Putting stuff up around it is a refurb, a reclad, a reimagening, a reworking - many others I'm sure - but not a demolition.

So no streets, no 2004 masterplan, as we thought. Back to the real world.

Refurb, not demo.