Specialist advice in affordable workspace planning obligations.
Our unique guidance is rooted in over a decade of industry experience. We advise throughout the planning process, guiding design and negotiating agreements that are delivering the next generation of creative and cultural infrastructure.
Providing Clarity
A growing number of local authorities are enacting new planning obligations that require developments to deliver an element of “affordable workspace”.
Similar to affordable housing obligations, affordable workspace requirements aim to tackle the difficulties of providing affordable spaces for the creative and cultural industries in areas where rapidly increasing property values are pricing these sectors out.
These local policies look to redress property viability by requiring spaces be delivered at below the commercial market-rate. However, these emerging policies do not follow a universal definition of “affordable” and requirements vary by Borough.
With little relevant expertise within local authorities these new planning obligations can result in protracted S106 negotiations with unnecessary additional costs for Developers. Ultimately spaces may be delivered that have not been designed to the unique requirements of their designated creative-industry tenants, remaining void at significant cost to the Developer.
Affordablework.space is the only advisory service to concentrate solely on delivering solutions to these challenging new requirements placed on Developers. We have a unique and comprehensive knowledge base to help projects achieve their affordable workspace obligations, whilst delivering a legacy of benefits for every stakeholder.
What We Offer
Advice throughout the planning process
- Guidance on efficient delivery of affordable workspace planning obligations.
- Design, access, floor plan, location and fit out advice to ensure that spaces will meet the unique requirements of the creative industries.
- Industry-leading advice on the terms necessary to ensure stakeholder viability.
- Securing expressions of interest from creative and cultural organisations and institutions eager to lease the affordable workspace demise.
- Harnessing the support of local residents and organisations who back planning applications that target the benefits of redevelopment at creative and cultural communities.
- Calculation of off-site in-lieu payments.
- Drawing on our comprehensive knowledge base and working relationships to expedite negotiations with planning officers, the local authority, and the Greater London Authority.
- Case studies of the successful integration of spaces that deliver creative and cultural infrastructure.
Guidance that delivers stakeholder benefits
- A proven 4.4% measured increase in residential values (research link) awarded to sites that successfully integrate spaces for the creative industries.
- Achieving the aims of E.S.G investors looking for long-term social impact and added value.
- 62% of adults get a sense of pride from their local cultural institution.
- De-risk, future proof and drive footfall. We help create developments where employees are happy to support local creative industries, whilst achieving a vibrant place to live for residents, and an attractive location for visitors.
- Our advice ensures site-wide cohesion, with all activities being suitable for mixed-use developments.
- Place-making, branding and marketing opportunities for developments that highlight the benefits of spaces that are dedicated to the creative and cultural industries.
- We can also help activate under-utilised meanwhile and temporary spaces through creative community engagement.
We can also connect you with our partner organisation Southwark Studios, an approved affordable workspace operator, to provide an expression of interest to become the leaseholder. Since 2009 Southwark Studios has generated revenues in excess of £1million, and are now partnered with multiple developers to provide on-site management of affordable workspaces in redevelopment sites.
A National Need
The creative industries are the fastest-growing sector of the UK economy and the quickest to recover after the 2008 crash. It now accounts for one in every six jobs, employing twice as many graduates as any other sector.
However, there is currently no national strategy to deliver space for the creative industries, and coupled with multiple cost-pressures, the result has been huge reductions in infrastructure that is dedicated to this vital sector.
It is essential to build the spaces our creative economy needs to flourish, otherwise we risk losing home-grown talent, and ultimately damaging our international competitiveness.
Affordable work.space recognise the need to secure suitable spaces for creative production and cultural consumption across the country. Our service helps developers, local authorities and organisations to integrate viable spaces that are tailored to the creative and cultural industries.
A Case Study
The projects and development sites we have partnered with, successfully delivering developer affordable workspace obligations, are being used now by the Greater London Authority as examples of best-practice.
Vinegar Yard, SE1:
- A landmark agreement to deliver 12,000sqft of affordable workspace opposite London Bridge station.
- Activation over two basement levels.
- Collaboration across layout, design and access to ensure viable solution that worked for the developer.
- Dozens of independent letters of support from local residents generated for planning committee.
- Utilisation of our connections with the Southwark Council, the GLA, and stakeholders to help expedite planning approval.
- Providing a local specialist artist studio management organisation who agreed to lease the affordable workspace for 30 years.
- Efficiently delivering developer obligations for on-site affordable workspace whilst supporting local creative SMEs for generations.
Contact
Please contact us if you have questions and to organise an initial conversation
Affordable Work.space is the consultancy arm of Southwark Studios Limited.
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