Southwark - AV.15 Rotherhithe Area Vision

Policy information sourced from the Southwark Local Plan 2022

AV.15 Rotherhithe Area Vision

Rotherhithe is:

A relatively new residential neighbourhood built on former docks and surrounded by historic riverside development. The transformation of the Rotherhithe peninsula is incomplete and there are significant opportunities for further growth;
Home to a thriving town centre at Canada Water that is a busy destination for shopping and entertainment and higher density homes. Local shopping is provided in shopping parades at Albion Street and Lower Road;
Accessible by tube and rail from Canada Water and Surrey Docks stations with improved bus connections, walking and cycling routes. However, accessibility for all modes of transport including the use of the River Thames as an alternative form of transportation and congestion require improvement;
A place for sports and activities with a network of parks, woodland, docks, marina, leisure and water sports centres and a long stretch of the Thames riverside;
Of historical and archaeological interest, containing significant sites relating to the prehistoric development of Rotherhithe Peninsular as a landform, connections with the Mayflower, the historic village of Rotherhithe and the industrial history of the Surrey Commercial Docks

Development in Rotherhithe should:

Create a new destination around the Canada Water basin which combines shopping, civic, education, and leisure, business and residential uses.
Provide as many homes as possible of a range of tenures including social housing while respecting the local character. There will be opportunities for taller buildings on key development sites;
Transform the Canada Water into a new heart for Rotherhithe with a new leisure centre, shops and daytime and evening events and activities around the basin and in the Harmsworth Quays Printworks. New retail space will be provided including a new department store and independent shops, offices and places to eat and drink;
Provide new education opportunities and health services which will include new school places and a health centre with GPs and could include colleges and universities;
Complement and improve the historic character, including the docks, and the unique network of open spaces, water and riverside;
Prioritise walking and cycling and improve public transport, including improved links to Southwark Park, the river, boat services and docks, completion of the Thames Path, a new river crossing to Canary Wharf, better circulation of buses, enhanced cycle routes to support expansion of cycle hire to the area and creating ‘healthy streets’;
Improve traffic flow on the road network, particularly on Jamaica Road and Lower Road;
Provide a range of flexible employment spaces, including premises suitable for smaller businesses;
Improve roads, pavements and cycleways, particularly the local environment around Albion Street and Lower Road.

Growth opportunities in Rotherhithe:

The Canada Water Area Action Plan was adopted in 2015 and identified 18 sites for development. These have mostly been completed. They have delivered over 1,200 homes, 1,300sqm employment floorspace, 900sqm retail floorspace and 7,000sqm community facilities. Sites approved or under construction will deliver 407 homes, 610sqm retail floorspace and 300sqm community facilities.
Rotherhithe is part of the Canada Water Opportunity Area delivering 20,000 jobs and the Canada Water Major Town Centre will provide at least 40,000sqm (net) new retail uses. Site allocations in Rotherhithe have enormous potential to provide new homes and commercial space, particularly in and around the Canada Water town centre. The site allocations including the Canada Water masterplan to redevelop the Surrey Quays shopping centre, Harmsworth Quays and Surrey Quays Leisure Park have the potential to deliver an average of 4,300 new homes, 186,000sqm (gross) office and employment workspaces and 134,250sqm (gross) retail, community and leisure uses as well as 1.35ha new open space. King’s College are building a campus with teaching and student accommodation. The College may also be interested in building more teaching facilities which would provide a valuable facility at Canada Water. Larger sites and smaller infill sites could provide new homes outside the town centre.

For more information please see the Southwark Local Plan 2022