Site redevelopment including demolition of the existing buildings and erection of a new part 22/part 15 storey building comprising office, public house
66 Almshouses and flexible office/community use.

For over 250 years, Southwark Charities has provided charitable housing on their Blackfriars Road site, for those in need, hardship or distress. The Charity intends to continue to fulfil its historic mission by providing new modern homes for the 21st century.

Southwark Charities’ Almshouses provide accommodation for older people of limited means, who have been resident in the borough for at least five years, enabling them to live safely and independently for as long as possible, for an extremely modest maintenance charge, making them truly affordable.

The current Almshouses on the site were built in 1973 and have reached the end of their life. The proposed development includes the redevelopment of the site to comprise a 22-storey office building, facing Blackfriars Road, and a separate 15-storey Almshouse building looking onto a new garden next to Chancel Street.

The Prince William Henry pub (a fixture since 1785) will be relocated on the north west corner, with outside seating facing Blackfriars Road (the new public house will be double the size of the current space).

A feature of the proposed development will be a charitable hub, with accessible community facilities for residents and others in the locality, plus a new, enlarged, on-site Prince William Henry public house. Attractively landscaped gardens, roof terraces and public footpaths will further enhance the scheme, along with a new east-west pedestrian link in the form of “Edwards’ Walk”, in recognition of Edward Edwards, the philanthropist who established the Almshouses here.

It is intended that the building achieves BREEAM Outstanding accreditation. A key feature of the development will be the sustainability credentials with excess heat generated by the offices being used to heat the Almshouses.

The delivery of the new Almshouses will be achieved by the development of around 220,000 sq.ft. of high-quality flexible office space within the 22 storey element of the development fronting onto Blackfriars Road. The Almshouses which share a party wall with the offices will overlook a new amenity space fronting the quieter Nicholson and Chancel Streets.

“For the past decade, my mission has been to continue the work of our founder, Edward Edwards, by providing the elderly and needy with safe, independent living. Our residents are our priority and a key challenge has been offering our residents safe and secure accommodation during the development. This can now be offered in the newly completed Almshouses at United St. Saviour’s on Southwark Park Road, Bermondsey, so they can remain in the borough until our development is ready”.
Chris Wilson
Clerk to the Trustees of Southwark Charities