Orms-designed block to add to developer鈥檚 emerging commercial complex near Tate Modern

The scheme's approved frontage along Southwark Bridge Road

Landsec's emerging commercial complex in Southwark, with The Forge in the foreground and the Southwark Bridge Road scheme in the background

View of proposed office space

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Southwark council has approved Landsec鈥檚 plans to add a 12-storey office block to its complex of commercial buildings near the Tate Modern on London鈥檚 South Bank.

Councillors voted to approve the Orms-designed redevelopment of 22 and 24 Southwark Bridge Road earlier this week.

The scheme, located just south of Southwark Bridge, will back onto Landsec鈥檚 Forge development, a nine-storey office development designed by Piercy & Co which was completed by a Sir Robert McAlpine/Mace joint venture in 2023.

The new project will see the demolition of the seven-storey red brick building at 24 Southwark Bridge Road and the partial demolition, recladding and vertical extension by five storeys of the six-to-eight-storey building at 22 Southwark Bridge Road.

The two sites will be combined to create one block covering 0.25 ha and range from six to 12 storeys, providing around 20,000 sq m of office space.

The proposals had been recommended for approval by Southwark鈥檚 planning officers ahead of Tuesday鈥檚 planning committee meeting in a report which praised the scheme鈥檚 鈥渆legant and distinctive鈥� design.

鈥淭he architectural design is sound and well considered,鈥� officers said. 鈥淭he building, which takes up the full length of the block, benefits from a unifying design approach to the Southwark Bridge Road frontage. 

鈥淭he composition is measured with a confident and engaging base, a polite middle and a highly articulated and recessive top.鈥�

An earlier version of the scheme was significantly revised after being criticised as 鈥渃onfused鈥�  by the council鈥檚 Design Review Panel in 2023. The amended plans were submitted in July last year.

The project team includes cost consultant Core Five, structural engineer London Structures Labs, planning consultant Avison Young, facade consultant Eckersley O鈥機allaghan, townscape consultant Turley, fire and sustainability consultant Aecom and principal designer AtkinsRealis.

McGee is on the project team as pre-demolition advisor.

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