The information on display today has been prepared to give you an insight into our current proposals and explain why we are submitting revised plans for the building. Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse Please do take the time to read the material on display and speak with a member of the team if you have any questions. They will be happy to help. We value your feedback, so once you have reviewed the information, please do take the time to fill in one of the feedback forms available. You can also get in touch with us via email or phone to let us know what you think. Thank you. Thank you for coming to our exhibition setting out our plans for a new home for the Social Sector at Waterbridge House on Loman Street. Welcome Canopi (formerly CAN Mezzanine) provides affordable workspace, at below market rates, for Charities and other Social Sector organisations. Founded in Southwark over 23 years ago, we have been home to hundreds of organisations working for positive change that would otherwise not have been able to afford Central London premises. We are home to 679 staff in 135 charities, all working locally, nationally and globally for social change. The way that Social Sector organisations and individuals work has changed hugely due to COVID-19. At the same time, there has also been a growing urgency for all of us to respond to the pressures our environment is facing. In response to these challenges, changes, and pressures we used the time during the pandemic to review how best to support the Social Sector moving forwards. This meant a long hard look at who we are and what we are set up to do. We looked at how we deliver our services and the buildings we operate, including our consented development in Southwark – our most important building. Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse About Why new plans? In 2021, Southwark Council granted consent for a new building to replace Waterbridge House. The plans were to demolish the existing building and replace it with a new seven storey office block on Loman Street. A CGI of our proposals which were granted consent in 2021. We wish to build a flagship hub for the Social Sector in Southwark, with: • Conference and event facilities • Flexible workspaces • Community café • Affordable offices We reviewed our 2021 consented plans and commissioned a study to explore the potential to rescue the existing building. We concluded we can achieve what we wish to by refurbishing and extending the existing building to the height of the consented scheme, rather than full demolition and redevelopment. Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse We remain committed to providing affordable workspace, and to our home in Southwark. However, we have now considerably strengthened our plans and want to develop more than just offices. Waterbridge House as it is now Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse The current building has a semi basement and four storeys above ground level. The building is neither Listed nor in a Conservation Area. The character of Loman Street is mainly commercial and office use. The building is not fully accessible to all users with disabilities and has out of date and insufficient kitchen and meeting room space. Our nearby Borough building’s lease expires in the next few years and we have little hope of renewing this in a market that has constantly rising costs. To prevent the organisations in Borough being priced out of Southwark with its established third sector talent, easy access to City donors and politicians at Westminster, we still need to develop a larger building at our Waterbridge House site. Sadly, Waterbridge House is no longer able to provide what our customers in the Social Sector need. The pandemic has fundamentally changed the way they operate, needing more flexible workspace, and the ability to meet both in person and online. The need to develop Waterbridge House at 32-36 Loman Street is on the corner of Loman Street and Risborough Street. It is bordered to the north by Copperfield Street and to the east by another office building, which has recently undergone refurbishment. A planning permission was granted in 2021 to demolish the building and replace it with a new seven storey building, plus basement, to provide better office accommodation. As can be seen from the above and below plans, there are now several other planned buildings in the nearby area of a similar height, including the Roots in the Sky project at the former Blackfriars Crown Court building immediately to the south. Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse A massing plan showing both the consented scheme at Waterbridge House and consented plans nearby. 1. Waterbridge House – consented for 7 storeys 2. 17-21 Risborough Street – consented for 7 storeys 3. Roots in the Sky, Blackfriars Court – consented for 8 storeys 2 1 3 The Emerging Context Design development Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse Building to be refurbished • Existing building to be retained and refurbished • Existing roof structure and parapet to be demolished • Mansard and bay windows on the north facade (Copperfield Street) at second and third floor to be demolished • Replace existing external windows and make good the existing brickwork and facade 1 Consented Massing • The site has an existing consented planning application, which was granted in August 2021, for the complete demolition of the existing building • Proposals include a new seven storey office building plus basement 2 Building Extended • Complete the floor plate at second and third floor • Extend the existing building by three storeys in line with consented new- build scheme • Incorporate a set back on all sides at the top floor to minimise the visual impact from ground level 3 Balconies added on the west elevation • Include outdoor terrace area at ground floor as secondary entrance to cafe and to encourage activity along Risborough Street • Include balconies on upper levels to provide outside space for each floor and improve passive surveillance • All external space is within site ownership line 4 Ground Floor opened up and activated • Increase glazing along cafe and main entrance frontages to provide activity and encourage use • Larger windows also provide better daylighting into basement spaces 5 Final proposed massing • The proposed massing seeks to stay within the consented envelope as much as possible • Proposed massing sits comfortably in the context of the emerging schemes in the locality • Included are the consented schemes of 17-21 Risborough St. and Blackfriars Court 6 By refurbishing and extending the existing building, instead of demolishing and rebuilding it entirely, we can deliver a new home for the Social Sector in a quicker, greener and less disruptive way to that consented. Our new plans will not encroach further north onto Copperfield Street and will be of a comparable height and scale to our consented scheme. We will be able to provide approximately 200 more workstations than the existing 270 the building can hold at the moment. Proposed entrance The main building entrance will remain on Loman Street, as can be seen on the image above. Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse Our plan is to refurbish and extend the existing building to match the height of the 2021 consented scheme, and create a modern, efficient and attractive hub for the Social Sector in Southwark. A CGI of the new refurbished and extended building, viewed west along Loman Street Our proposals A CGI of the new refurbished and extended building, viewed east along Loman Street The community café will be on the ground floor, with access via Loman Street and secondary access via the corner of Risborough Street, as can be seen from the above image. Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse We will be providing significant conference and event space throughout the building, with a purpose-built event space on the top floor, recessed back from the edge. There will be an outdoor terrace on the south side of the building, away from existing residential neighbours. Central to our revised plans for Waterbridge House is a new community café and conference facilities, bringing the Social Sector and the community in Southwark together. Community café & conference space Plans in detail Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse Comparing Consented Scheme with Proposed As you can see from the opposite section, the new design is of a comparable scale and massing to the consented scheme. Ground Floor Plan Typical Floor Plan Inside the building A refurbishment and extension of the building allows us to provide the modern and flexible work and meeting space which our customers are telling us they need. We will ensure that the building when finished is ideally suited for charitable organisations to work in. We have appointed an interior designer to work with us to ensure that the building meets the needs of the charitable sector. Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse The plans for the interior of the building have not yet been finalised, but will include: • Flexible workstations and hotdesks, allowing for a range of small and medium sized organisations • Inclusive and fully compliant access for those with disabilities and special requirements • New secure bike storage • Larger kitchens • Increased conference and meeting room space with high quality AV to allow for hybrid meetings By not demolishing the building, we are taking a more sustainable approach than our 2021 plans. The significant proportion of the carbon used in the construction process is embodied already in the fabric of the building, and as such, by refurbishing and extending, the carbon savings are significant. In addition to this, we will be undertaking the following to ensure we take a sustainable approach: • The use of energy efficient services and solar panels to reduce energy demand • Efficient electrical and mechanical services, minimising energy use and reducing CO2 emissions • Clearly labelled and accessible waste segregation and storage facilities, to minimise the impact of operational waste • Construction waste will be minimised by the contractor, through monitoring and reporting We are committed to reach a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ standard and to achieve the best Energy Performance Certification possible. Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse A greener building It is important to us that the refurbished building helps to meet the challenges which the climate emergency presents. How long will the construction last? We would expect the construction phase of the refurbishment to take approximately 18 months, aiming to finish in the summer of 2024. How would this construction differ from the consented plans? Aside from being shorter, we do not need to demolish the building nor is there a need for particularly disruptive activities, such as piling. What will the working hours be on site? All noisy work will be limited to working hours on Monday to Friday, and possibly on Saturday mornings. How will you manage site construction traffic and subcontractor parking? As part of the Planning Application, a Construction Management Plan will be produced stipulating how these issues will be managed to ensure the least possible disruption. We will sign up to the Considerate Contractor’s scheme and a 24 hour freephone number will be available to answer any concerns. Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse By refurbishing and extending the building, the construction process would be significantly shorter and less disruptive than if we carried out our consented 2021 plans. Managing the refurbishment & construction When are you expecting to start the refurbishment? We are beginning the ‘soft strip’ of the building – i.e. the removal of all non-structural elements - on Monday 23rd May. If we are granted consent for our revised plans, we aim to begin the construction phase in early 2023. Timeline & Next Steps Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse 7th May 2022 Public consultation 22nd May 2022 Deadline for feedback 23rd May 2022 Begin soft strip of building May/June 2022 Review feedback and finalise plans July 2022 Submit plans to Southwark Council Early Autumn 2022 Expected Determination Early 2023 Estimated start of construction Summer 2024 Expected completion of construction Early Autumn 2024 Charitable organisations move into new building To ensure our neighbours and others have a clear understanding of what our proposed timeframe is for the development, we thought it useful to provide the anticipated timeline below. Complete one of our feedback forms and leave it with us today Email waterbridge@canopi.org.uk Write to “Freepost CONSULTATION REPLY” Call us on 0800 689 5209 Your views are important to us and we would appreciate it if you could take the time to let us know your thoughts. We can then take these into consideration as we finalise the plans. Get in touch: 0800 689 5209 waterbridge@canopi.org.uk www.canopi.org.uk/waterbridgehouse Over the coming weeks, we will review the feedback we receive, in advance of submitting our Planning Application to Southwark Council, alongside a summary of the comments made by local residents and other key individuals and organisations. The deadline for comment is midnight on Sunday 22nd May. Feedback Many thanks for taking the time to attend our exhibition today.