Fleet Street Quarter BID, in collaboration with the City of London and key stakeholders, partnered with Gensler to envisage a sustainable future for a segment of London’s CBD.

The Fleet Street Quarter Era of Change Strategy is a visionary proposal seeking to revitalise the area and cultivate a new community of workers, visitors and residents over the next decade. With the potential to be the most extensive transformation in the City of London in 150 years, the 10-year strategy identifies 34 public realm opportunities to reconnect the area, enhance movement and walkability, and provide green spaces and amenities.

The project targets a 25% increase in daily public realm usage, a 75% expansion in seating space, and a 50% rise in footfall to historic and cultural destinations, with emphasis on critical gateways. The vision aspires to deliver an improved experience for the historic Fleet Street Quarter, featuring interventions such as widened pedestrian footpaths, tree planting, creation of safe cycling routes and improved accessibility.

The introduction of "linger longer places" seeks to establish an environment where shops, cafes, bars and restaurants thrive, transforming the area into an enticing destination. The proposal would enable employees to break away from traditional work routines, explore cultural institutions and contribute to a vibrant community. Gensler’s City Pulse Report identifies lively public realms complemented by commercial areas as stimulators for local economies.

The repositioning of Fleet Street Quarter holds the potential to transform it into a key contributor to the City of London’s economy, potentially adding 3.5 million square feet and 25,000 employees to its working population. The Fleet Street Quarter Era of Change Strategy proposes phased incremental enhancements, breathing new life into the area and positioning it as a robust global destination that is vibrant, green and sustainable—a Central Social District.

Lady Lucy French OBE, Chief Executive of the Fleet Street Quarter BID said:

“This project is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that calls for a joint collaborative approach to the ongoing improvements of the streetscape and public spaces. The sheer scale of this transformation is directly what we know our businesses and investors in the area want to see, it is a direct response to the voices of our levy payers and the wider community. This area is steeped with a rich history but now it is about taking it forward into its next phase of transformation, ensuring the area is globally competitive and catering for a new generation of visitors, workers and businesses.”