Architects join campaign to protect South Bank!

Coin Street Community Builders (CSCB) and Waterloo Community Development Group (WCDG) are urgently calling for the protection of London’s South Bank.

Mitsubishi and its developers CO-RE propose to construct a stack of bulky office blocks more than twice the size of the former tower which will blight the skyline of London’s South Bank. 

Renowned architects have joined the campaign and are supporting the launch of a new petition. It calls on the decision makers at Lambeth Council to listen to the hundreds of objections raised to the proposed redevelopment of ITV’s former London Studios.

The new petition urges the decision makers at Lambeth Council to address concerns and rethink what is needed on South Bank. If the decision makers at Lambeth Council are not prepared to listen, then campaigners will ask the GLA, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Secretary of State Michael Gove MP to intervene and 'call-in' this development.  

Liam Hennessy, architect and local resident said: “Denys Lasdun, architect of the adjacent National Theatre and IBM building, wrote about his proposals for the Theatre: "A series of terraces... cascade... gently down to the riverside". This Mitsubishi proposal is precisely the opposite; it steps up very aggressively at the riverside. Being right on the South Bank Riverside Walk, the huge bulk of the building will severely overshadow this important public promenade. An exceptionally aggressive and unacceptable way to treat London”. 

Dr Barnabas Calder, Head of Architectural and Urban History Group, University of Liverpool said: “The National Theatre was Lasdun's career-defining masterpiece and is one of the world's most admired Brutalist buildings.  Its hard-won monumentality is terribly compromised by this proposal.  Lasdun fought schemes like this tool and nail, and won the argument”

The National Theatre, Historic England, and the Twentieth Century Society, have also raised their concerns. They have advised Lambeth Council on how this proposed development will impact on the neighbouring National Theatre, IBM and other listed buildings across the Thames such as Somerset House (see notes to editors).

We are asking the public to support our opposition to this planning application by signing the new petition launched today. 

#SOSSaveOurSouthBank