Waterloo station: Plans to redevelop station and South Bank area unveiled

Plans to redevelop London’s Waterloo station have been unveiled, making use of underground arches for shops and restaurants

Network Rail and Lambeth Council have set out a long term plan to deliver improvements to both the station and wider area including new entrances, wider concourses and enhanced walking and cycling routes.

Waterloo station is the third busiest station in the UK, with 57.8m entries and exits last year, and is a gateway to the wider Waterloo and South Bank area, which includes the National Theatre, the Royal Festival Hall and the Old Vic.

The redevelopment by Grimshaw architects aims to create a “future-proofed station” and an “intuitive interchange” between sustainable transport modes that alleviates congestion and access issues.

The proposals include 11 new or enhanced entrances around the station perimeter, 12 new pedestrianised routes, 5,000 new cycle parking spaces and 1,900m2 of new green space around the station.

Some existing bus stops and taxi stops will also be moved to a new interchange on the south-eastern side of the station and there are plans to convert unused underground arches into shops and restaurants.

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.

“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 Cllr Claire Holland said: “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.”

Grimshaw partner Kirsten Lees said: “Waterloo is an extraordinary neighbourhood, and this masterplan is designed to help it meet its full potential through a framework that is visionary and aspirational but critically pragmatic and has a phased approach.

“The Waterloo and South Bank area of tomorrow will be one of London’s healthiest, most sustainable, diverse and successful centres with an integrated world-class multimodal transport and civic hub at its heart. This evolution will bring equitable change for communities, business, visitors and passengers alike.”