The South Bank has always had the cultural credentials. The Royal Festival Hall, Tate Modern, the Globe, the riverside walk from Waterloo to London Bridge – these are not new. What is changing is the quality of what is being built around them, and the growing number of buyers paying attention.
Oliver Sanhaji, our Prime Central and East London advisor, spoke to The Standard on why this stretch of London is seeing a level of residential investment that would have seemed unlikely a decade ago.
What the Masterplan means in practice
The Waterloo Station Masterplan, commissioned by Lambeth Council and Network Rail and launched in 2024, sets out a framework for improving connectivity, public space and pedestrian access across a part of London that has historically been better known as a destination to visit than a place to live.
Oliver’s view: “The Masterplan is focused on urban improvement and the development of existing infrastructure rather than starting afresh, embracing the cultural setting and riverfront proximity. It focuses on improving pedestrian routes, reducing traffic and creating higher-quality public spaces. Southbank’s original attraction was rooted in history, cultural institutions and proximity to the river but the prospect of enhanced connectivity and public space is seen as a key factor in reinforcing long-term desirability.”
This is not a regeneration story in the conventional sense. It is an area with established foundations being made more liveable – a meaningfully different proposition for buyers to somewhere starting from scratch.
What is being built
Several significant schemes are either under construction or in advanced planning. Bankside Yards, a £2.5 billion mixed-use development on a 5.5-acre site beside Tate Modern, will bring homes, offices, workspaces, cultural programming and green space to a part of the riverfront that has been underused for years. The Round adds further residential and commercial space nearby. Southbank Place, on the former Shell Centre site, has already demonstrated how well-executed mixed-use development can work in this location.
The view from here
The area from Waterloo to London Bridge is seeing residential investment that reinforces an already established address. The cultural foundations have been there for decades. What is changing is the quality of the public realm around them – and for buyers who understand what the area already is, rather than waiting to see what it becomes, the current moment is worth considering carefully.
To speak with Oliver Sanhaji about buying in Prime Central or East London, click here
Read the full article here.
