Flats where neighbours share kitchens to be built next to Printworks site

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

More than a hundred flats where people share their kitchen with neighbours could be built in a neighbourhood.

Plans have been submitted to construct 135 so-called shared living rooms in a 14-storey building in Canada Water by developer Scape.

Residents of the studio flats would have their own bed, kitchenette, living area and bathroom but share a kitchen, dining area and laundry room with other people in the block.

Single rooms in the development would be 21.3 square metres (sqm), with the larger double rooms reaching 23.4 sqm. A total of 14 larger wheelchair-friendly rooms would also be included in the block.

Draft guidance published by City Hall last year said rooms in co-living developments should be at least 18 sqm.

Communal work areas, lounges and space for socialising would also be provided in the block, according to plans submitted to Southwark council.

The site on the corner of the new Printworks Street and Mulberry Walk is the last part of the former Mulberry Business Park to be redeveloped.

Southwark council granted King’s College London permission to build offices on the plot in 2013 as part of the ex-business park’s wider redevelopment, including flats, student housing and shops.

But the university subsequently scrapped plans to move into offices at Canada Water and the site was sold to student accommodation developer Scape in 2020.

While the building’s surrounding the site have now been finished and are partially occupied, construction of the office block has never got further than the ground floor and basement.

Under the new plans to build co-living flats on the plot, Scape would hand over some land to allow Printworks Street to be widened and turned into a two-way road.

According to planning documents, Scape said: “The combination of private and shared space (in addition to the range of services and facilities) means that occupiers will have a quantitatively and qualitatively better accommodation than in a traditional house or flat share, or HMO accommodation.

“There is relatively limited purpose-built large scale private rented accommodation in the area and so the proposals will enhance the residential composition of the area contributing to a mixed and inclusive community.”

No affordable housing would be included in the planned building but the developer said it was willing to make a payment to the council instead.

Planning documents argue that the site’s design means providing affordable housing in the same building would be “impractical and unfeasible.”

According to the developer, there isn’t enough space to include ground floor play space for kids and no additional floor space can be created as the block has already been built out to basement and ground floor slab level.

Southwark council will make a decision on the plans at a later date.

Pictured top: CGI of planned co-living flats from Mulberry Walk (Picture: Southwark council planning documents)