The former Mulberry Business Park is bounded by Canada Street, Quebec Way and the former Harmsworth Quay. This site is owned by King College London (KCL) and building work has begun to transform what has been a derelict site for some years into 770 bedrooms for KCL students. Units will be 4-9 storeys and include new roads, parking and cycling facilities. The development will also includes a health centre, some retail units and 33 ‘affordable’ homes. Planning permission was given to 13-AP-1429 on 17 September 2013. [To get the detail, do read our earlier post on planning more generally here]

Mulberry site today

Mulberry site today

KCL want to locate a major teaching and research campus in Canada Water. They are in negotiation with the LB Southwark and British Land about their use of a substantial part of the SE16 Printworks site (formerly the Daily Mail Group Harmsworth Quay print works). KCL have already signed up to a new Centre for Urban Science and Progress with the University of Warwick and New York University to be located in Canada Water. Their presence in the area is already assured through the Mulberry site but their influence might be far greater if they are successful in gaining the sort of commitment they want from British Land and their partners.

 

Mulberry - proposed student blockThe main website for information about what is happening at Mulberry is the Kings College London site itself – you can find it here. On this site is a May newsletter from Cementation Skanska who has been appointed to undertake the enabling and foundation works. This tells us in technical language what is happening behind the hoardings that now exclude all but the most elevated views of the site. Essentially the works are putting in the foundations and footings for the later construction phases; hence the number and noise of pile-drivers at present.

To keep in touch with planning and developments in the area, get along to the meetings of the Canada Water Consultative Forum.

Other planning posts include