Zone L and Reel Street

Reserved Matters Applications submitted – opportunity to share your comments with Southwark Council

We have submitted two Reserved Matters Applications (RMAs) to Southwark Council.

The first application is for c.237 new homes, around 75% of which will be affordable, within an area known as ‘Zone L’ of the Canada Water Masterplan. Thank you for everyone who took the time to visit our virtual exhibition in July and for sharing their comments and questions about the proposals.

The second application is for a new one-way road that would run through the rear of the current Printworks site, connecting Quebec Way to the north with Printworks Street to the West (this is a new road that we submitted a separate Reserved Matters planning application for in October). This new road would be known as Reel Street.

Both applications have now been validated by Southwark Council, who are holding statutory consultation periods until Thursday 16th December 2021 (Zone L) and Monday 27th December 2021 (Reel Street), during which time you can view all the planning documents and provide a formal comment directly to Southwark Council for their consideration in their determination of the planning application. For further details on how to submit your comments see ‘next steps’ below. 

MAGE: Illustrative view of Zone L (Left to right: Building L3, L2, L1) 

More about Zone L

The proposals for Zone L would provide c.237 new homes (60% of which would be social rented housing, with a further 15% ‘intermediate’ affordable, which includes products such as shared ownership), alongside new shops, a community space and new public open space at ground floor level. A mix of housing types are proposed across the buildings – including a significant number of 2/3 bedroom properties, with maisonettes on the ground and first floor of Buildings L1 and L2 in order to keep a residential character to the area. The buildings are surrounded by courtyards, providing extensive green spaces the whole of the local community to enjoy.

The outline planning permission for the Canada Water Masterplan established the parameters within which Zone L can be developed. This RMA has been created in conformity with the approved parameters, seeking approval for the detailed design, proposed appearance, layout, use, scale and landscaping of the building and surrounding area.

We shared the proposals in a virtual public exhibition between 16 July and 1 August. Thank you to everyone who took the time to view the exhibition and share their comments and questions. A full Statement of Community Involvement has been produced summarising the activities and comments received, which is available on Southwark Council’s planning register (see below for how to view this application on the planning register).

For more details about the Zone L proposals, please visit the downloads section on our website where you can find the Zone L information boards from the virtual exhibition that was held earlier in the Summer. More information on Zone L can also be found in Section 7.6 of our FAQs.

More about Reel Street

The Reel Street application is for a one-way road that would run parallel to Quebec Way through the current Printworks site. The road would provide access to the Zone L buildings (the Zone L buildings would sit between Quebec Way and Reel Street). The Reel Street application would connect Quebec Way to the north, and (what we are proposing as) Printworks Street to the west and would provide a new vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian route within the Canada Water Masterplan area. Please see the map below for the location of Zone L and Reel Street in relation to Quebec Way.

The new road will have eight disabled car parking spaces to ensure the needs of future disabled residents living within Zone L are provided for. Moreover, it has been designed to allow infrequent access for service vehicles to manage the electricity substation, which sits below ground in Zone L.

The plans have been designed to provide a pedestrian-focussed environment to support the Masterplan’s sustainable transport ambitions. This has been achieved by minimising traffic speeds through creating gentle curves in the road to slow vehicles, and to accommodate spaces for tree planting and other green space. The street is made more pedestrian friendly through offering wide pavements, a raised pedestrian crossing to reduce traffic speed, and seating places at least every 50 metres.

Statutory consultation – next steps

Southwark Council is holding a 28-day statutory consultation period on the application for Zone L until Thursday 16th December and on the application for Reel Street until Monday 27th December. The statutory consultation period is an opportunity for you to view the planning documents and make a formal comment directly to Southwark Council. Your comments will then be taken into consideration by the Council in their determination of the planning application. Please note we will be updating the website with information on the statutory consultation period once the application for Reel Street has been validated.

You can find all the application documents and make a formal comment by visiting Southwark Council’s Planning Register using the case reference number 21/AP/3775. The full website address is here

  • Zone L: 21/AP/3775 
  • Reel Street: 21/AP/3793

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).

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