Printworks (Zone H) : New application submitted

IMAGE: Indicative image of the new Printworks building and park

We  have submitted a new Reserved Matters Application (RMA) to Southwark Council for the Printworks building (Zone H) within the Canada Water development.

The application has now been validated by Southwark Council, who are holding a 30-day statutory consultation period between Thursday 7 March and Saturday 6 April. During this time, you can review all the planning documents and provide a formal comment directly to Southwark Council for its consideration in its determination of the planning application.

You can find all the application documents and make a formal comment by visiting Southwark Council's Planning Register here and using the case reference number 24/AP/0350. 

About the updated proposals for the Printworks building

In summer 2021, British Land revealed plans for re-purposing the Printworks building into an office-led development. The two halves of the building, referred to as H1 and H2, had space for workspace/offices with retail provision on the ground floor, along with improvements to the public space surrounding the building. A Reserved Matters Application (RMA) was submitted in September 2021, and permission was granted by Southwark Council in July 2022 (ref. 21/AP/3338).

Image: Concept section of the existing permissions in H1 and new proposals in H2

The new application is for designated workspace in H1 towards the front of the Printworks building facing the road referred to as ‘Printworks Place’, and a new cultural venue in H2 towards the rear of the Printworks building. A new pedestrian walkway, referred to as ‘Printworks Walk’, will be provided between H1 and H2 at ground level.

IMAGES: Examples of events that have taken place in the Printworks building

The new cultural venue will deliver a flexible and diverse offering which will centre on four key spaces for events, arts, culture and music. These include:

• Press Halls - Our proposals are to keep the character of the existing Printworks building and retain the highly acclaimed and world-famous Press Halls. The Press Halls will be a unique and flexible space which can host events including live music, concerts, immersive art, corporate hires, and more.
   
• Rooftop Box - By retaining and reusing the existing Rooftop Box (which housed much of the plant and equipment used to serve the original printing operation), we have been able to design a brand-new space for leisure and cultural events. This will be a unique space where exhibitions, product launches, awards, conferences, and dinner events can take place.
   
• Meeting Space - There will be 11 meeting suites of varying sizes, a conference room, and a bar/café area, with a shared viewing platform for meetings, entertainment and hospitality.
   
• The Inkwells – The Inkwells may host events including immersive exhibitions and art shows, as well as a support room for music events.

The proposals aim to reflect the industrial heritage of the existing building by retaining the landmark Printworks building while bringing it up to a modern design and energy efficient standard to create a truly world-renowned and highly sustainable building.

We want the Printworks building to continue to be a venue serving people from Southwark, London and beyond, and one that welcomes artists from across the world.

How we developed the plans with your help

The feedback we received in 2021 - both from our consultation and from the national response - regarding our office-led proposals for the site told us that there was strong support for retaining the site as a cultural venue. We acknowledge the significance of this feedback and recognise the role the Printworks building and its events programme has in supporting London's vibrant cultural scene.

Last summer we shared our updated proposals for this, and we would like to thank everyone who took the time to view the proposals via the virtual exhibition and at our in-person events at Rotherhithe Primary School and The Dockland Settlements, and for sharing their suggestions, comments, and questions to help shape our planning submission.

For more details about the Printworks proposals, visit the downloads section on our website, where you can find the information boards from the virtual exhibition that was held in July 2023. More information on the proposals for the Printworks building can also be found in Section 7.8 of our FAQs.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss any points in relation to the news above, please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected] or calling 0800 470 4593 (freephone).