Commercial property developer Landsec has been given the green light to start a net-zero office development in London’s Bankside.
The company has received planning permission to create the new Red Lion Court development that will include almost 21,400 sq m of grade A offices, retail and an open public space close to the Tate Modern by the River Thames.
Landsec has designed Red Lion Court to be net zero in both construction and operation. According to the company, it will meet or exceed the Greater London Authority and Southwark council sustainability, biodiversity and energy efficiency policies. This will be achieved by reusing parts of the existing building on the site and prioritising low-carbon and recycled materials.
The completed building will be fully electric and feature a sustainable urban drainage system which repurposes rainwater for future use.
The project is part of the developer’s plan for a 90,000 sq m green office cluster in Southwark.
Collaboration with local community
Landsec said plans for the Red Lion Court building were designed in collaboration with the local community and other key stakeholders following a two-year public consultation. More than 45% of the site will be publicly accessible, including an expanded Thames Path, a pocket park and community garden.
Landsec’s redevelopment of the Bankside area began a decade ago. Its other projects in Southwark include The Forge, the first commercial building in the UK to be net-zero carbon both in construction and operation. Landsec worked on it as client of Sir Robert McAlpine and Mace, as well as with designer Bryden Wood. It won the Digital Construction Project of the Year category at last year’s Digital Construction Awards.
