Policy information sourced from Lambeth Local Plan 2020-2035

ED6: Railway Arches

The use of railway arches within London Plan Opportunity Areas and major, district and local centres for commercial, business, service, leisure and community uses and appropriate sui generis uses will be supported. B2 micro-breweries will also be supported in town centre locations, subject to assessment and mitigation of potential harm to neighbouring uses. Within town centres, the requirements of other relevant Local Plan policies, including places and neighbourhoods policies, will apply.

Elsewhere, industrial uses will be supported. Proposals for nightclubs in railway arches outside of town centres will not be permitted. Proposals for change of use of railway arches from industrial uses to other commercial or community uses will be considered against other development plan policies relevant to the proposed use. Proposals for contiguous sets of railway arches are encouraged to enable a comprehensive approach.

Proposals to use railway arches for car parking will not be permitted.

Class C and residential sui generis uses will not be permitted in railway arches.

Where necessary to make a development proposal acceptable in planning terms, applications affecting railway arches will be required to improve the immediate environment around the arches, including the public realm. This will include accessibility, safety, servicing and lighting appropriate to the location and the opening up of routes that contribute to the ‘Low Line’ project. In some circumstances the loss of useable railway arch floorspace may be supported as part of major development proposals where it is demonstrated this is necessary to increase site permeability and/or achieve public realm improvements.

For more information please see the Local Plan