Newham: Victorian warehouse left empty for seven years to get new lease of life with cafe

The 19th-century building on Stock Street in Plaistow has mostly been used as a storage space by Curwen Primary School and the council’s heritage service but since 2017, it has been unoccupied.

Create London, an arts organisation, is looking to transform the space into a multifunctional community venue that would consist of affordable studios, offices, a venue hire space and a front yard area that would be split across several storeys.

As the building is locally listed, Create London plans to carry out restoration works to the main building which includes retaining brickwork and repainting the entrance door.

Create London is also planning a single-storey side extension that would include a café canopy.

Check out the latest developments in London

According to its website, Create London intends to make the space a ‘thriving arts hub’ with an emphasis on creativity, culture and community wellbeing.

Create London says Newham Council has invested over £1million into the project through successful Levelling Up Fund bids, while Create London plans to raise a further £1.3m to cover part of the restoration costs through donations and grants.

Planning officers have said in documents that the proposal is an ‘innovative and viable use of a locally listed building’ through preserving and enhancing the building.

During the public consultation phase, the plans received one response from a resident who was strongly in support of the plans as they said it would help to regenerate an old building and bring more life into the neighbourhood.

Marie Bak Mortensen, director of Create London, said: “We are delighted to be working with Newham Council to transform this important community asset and to continue our strategic objectives of providing affordable studios and beautifully designed spaces in areas of low cultural provision and arts participation.

“Our ambition is to create an exemplary project that exceeds contemporary and future decarbonisation requirements while extending ambitious environmental and social sustainability into our public programmes’ content to support a circular economy model.”

Planning officers have recommended Newham Council’s local development committee approve the plans act a meeting next week (November 25).