Waterloo development to offer refreshed retail and leisure
A refreshed retail and leisure offering has been included in plans to redevelop London Waterloo Station.
The plans, drawn up by Network Rail and Lambeth Council in collaboration with a number of partners, look to deliver improvements to both the station and the wider area and make it easier and safer for people to move around, whilst promoting active travel and supporting the local economy.
The proposed redevelopments include:
- The creation of new workspaces, a retail and leisure offer, and employment opportunities
- Better connectivity – With over 40 enhanced walking and cycling routes, and more than 15 improved gateways to the station and the City.
- A redesigned northern concourse – A remodelled entrance at the northern end of the station to better interact with the public realm and surrounding areas immediately outside the station.
- A new southern station concourse – A new concourse in the south of the station to help improve passenger flow in, out and through the station, make the station even easier to navigate, and reduce congestion on the existing concourse.
- Enhanced public spaces – New and improved and safe public spaces.
- More green infrastructure – 20,450 sq ft of new green space around the station with proposals for hundreds of new trees.
- An enhanced bus and taxi interchange – some existing bus and taxi stops will be relocated to a new enhanced interchange on the south-eastern side of the station.
Lambeth Council, Network Rail, and their partners will bring forward a programme of short-term investment to begin delivering the project, and there will be further engagement with residents, businesses, and stakeholders to refine and develop the proposals.
Network Rail chair, Lord Peter Hendy of Richmond Hill, said: “We are delighted to be working with Lambeth Council on an exciting long-term plan to transform London Waterloo station.
“London Waterloo is iconic, and one of the busiest stations in the country, and it is imperative this station continues to evolve to ensure it is a world class transport hub and meets the needs of the millions of passengers that use the station each year, today and into the future.
“This a significant but first step towards realising this ambition, and there is a great deal of work to do to progress this forward and find funding. We look forward to working with our wider partners, passengers, local businesses and organisations, and the local community, as we refine these plans.”
Lambeth Council leader, councillor Claire Holland, added: “Waterloo and South Bank is hugely important to Lambeth’s economy and culture and is the gateway to millions of visitors’ journeys every year. The area is home to leading educational, cultural, and healthcare institutions as well as exciting start-ups at the forefront of the medical tech, digital, and the green economy.
“It’s increasingly a place for business to locate to, and significant, high-quality developments in the pipeline will bring new homes and workspaces. The Vision document provides a strong framework for this change and will allow us to harness and shape the investment in Waterloo and South Bank to make sure spaces are safe, accessible, and welcoming for our residents and visitors to the area.”
Artist’s impression of a potential future station undercroft