The Borough area in Southwark has a very complex geography,
cut through by railways, roads and paths old and new. Hidden away in the
islands of old buildings between these routeways are many lost and inaccessible
corners that have tremendous potential for development and enhancement.
Greig & Stephenson’s latest proposals for the Borough
area have the aim of linking some of these private areas to form a pedestrian
loop from Southwark Street round to the west side of Stoney Street. This would
open up more space to public access as well as retail and leisure potential,
and make the whole area more permeable for the public.
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The scheme proposes two sections to this link. The first
opens up a footway from Brew Wharf to run, as an extension to this, down the
east side of the viaduct breaking through on the inside of the bend in Park
Street. The proposal would open up the railway arches and other currently
under-used or redundant buildings to create inhabited space as retail units,
bars and restaurants.
The second section of the new footway would start opposite
the first, on the outside of the bend in Park Street, between Paul Smith and
the café. Ducking under the other viaduct, it would emerge into the magnificent
Hop Exchange building whose listed facade fronts this part of Southwark Street,
and exit to Southwark Street down the steps of the main entrance. The galleried
trading hall would become a large glass-roofed public atrium space, offering
retail, restaurants, bars, and a gourmet space extending down into the
basements and up to the first floor. Three further floors would be devoted to
office space. On the Southwark Street elevation only, the Hop exchange would
have its top three storeys and its glass vaulted roof (lost in a fire in the
1930s) restored to recreate its original prominence on Southwark Street. This
part of the building would be residential, with apartments offering views
across the roofs of Borough and Bankside to the City.
The whole scheme would complement and extend Borough Market
and enhance the public space in the area by making it more useful, permeable
and navigable. Initial discussions locally have gained some support, but there
still remains much debate on how these developments may be executed in detail
in the future.
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