This vibrant residential neighbourhood sits right between Vauxhall and Stockwell stations, and is therefore a popular commuter hub for those who work all across the city. South Lambeth Road travels north to south through the area, acting as both a bustling local high street full of independent shops and cafes, and a convenient thoroughfare towards Clapham or central London. Extending out from the high street are a number of residential streets lined mainly with post-war blocks of flats, and a few Victorian and Edwardian terraces, which house the locale’s diverse population. Vauxhall station provides the neighbourhood’s focal point, not only for travel, but for nightlife, with bars such as the world famous Royal Vauxhall Tavern, and clubs like Fire and Lightbox bringing partyers to the convenient location. The Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens and Vauxhall Park offer a quiet getaway for those who wish to find peace and quiet amongst the hubbub.

The name ‘Lambeth’ derives from Lambehitha, literally meaning a ‘landing place for lambs’, or a harbour where lambs were shipped to. The area would have remained rural and owned by the Duchy of Cornwall for the majority of its life, existing as farms and market gardens irrigated by the Thames to the west. One market garden was leased to the Montpelier Cricket Club and turned into The Oval in 1845, remaining one of London’s most popular cricket grounds to this day. Vauxhall station opened in 1848, spurring local suburbanisation. The Royal Vauxhall Tavern opened in the 1860s, and by the end of the Second World War, was a famous venue for returning servicemen and local gay men, and held regular drag shows even then. The extension of the Victoria line to Vauxhall in 1971 further increased the neighbourhood’s popularity, beginning its transformation into the popular residential area it is today.

The aforementioned Royal Vauxhall Tavern has a fascinating history as one of the country’s most important LGBTQ+ spots. During the 1980s, Princess Diana visited the venue disguised as a man, accompanied by friends Cleo Rocos, Kenny Everett, and Freddy Mercury! The story goes that revellers didn’t even notice Diana as they were too focused on Mercury.

Vauxhall station’s convenient location means that it is busy at all times of the day, which can be a nuisance for those who have to travel regularly. The local Kia Oval can also make the streets congested on match days. Furthermore, the popularity of the local area with developers and well-off commuters means that house prices are rapidly increasing and the residents who brought the neighbourhood to fame are being priced out.

Conscious of the area’s problems with increasing inequality, the Lambeth Borough Council divised three strategic policies that would benefit the local population, with targets set for 2021. They wished to create inclusive growth, ensuring any local investment and regeneration is shared out equally amongst all residents, while improving health services, job opportunities, and general quality of life. They also pledged to maintain safe and cohesive communities across the borough. That said, the neighbourhood also coincides with the Vauxhall Nine Elms and Battersea Opportunity Area, the development of which has predominantly focused on luxury schemes. Earlier in 2022, Hong Kong-based Far East Consortium (FEC) snapped up a major development site in the area: the Vauxhall Square development site. The site comes with outline planning for seven major buildings, including twin 50-storey flat-top residential skyscrapers, and its existing planning consent aims to transform the site into a truly mixed-use development of residential towers, offices, a hotel, student accommodation (which has been already built), a cinema, retail and restaurants.

Lambeth Council, in partnership with Wandsworth Council, has also been exploring opportunities to extend the Low Line through the Vauxhall Nine Elms and Battersea Opportunity Area, and both councils agreed to appoint Allies and Morrison to lead the project. The Low Line currently runs through Bankside, London Bridge and Bermondsey and the extension would create a continuous walking and cycling route from Battersea to London Bridge, to connect communities and establish climate resilient infrastructure with the creation of new space alongside the viaduct. Railway arches account for an estimated 776,000sqft of floorspace and could become home to more commercial community or leisure activity, while enterprises who already operate from arches will benefit by extra support. Arches along the current Low Line have been successfully occupied by a variety of well-established businesses including bars and restaurants, so the chances are pretty good that the same could happen for the arches in South Lambeth.