The Aylesham Centre has been identified by Southwark Council as an important regeneration opportunity within their ‘Southwark Plan’ (2022). The shopping centre is dated and has a high vacancy rate of shops. The wider site is dominated by large areas of surface car parking and provides a poor public experience in the centre of Peckham. An improved new Morrisons supermarket with parking and associated retail uses will be re-provided as part of the planning application alongside a range of town centre uses and new homes, maximising the proportion which will be affordable.

The design brief indicatively targets c. 850 new homes on the site, with an aim to optimise the site to meet the Borough’s housing needs. Our design approach targets c. 850 homes on the site, in line with this.

The brief also sets a target of 35% affordable housing provision by habitable room (25% social rented and 10% intermediate housing). We are also looking to provide at least 20% of these homes for families requiring three or more bedrooms.

Building heights across the site will range from 4 – 20 storeys, with lower building heights along the site ‘edges’ on Rye Lane, Hanover Park, Peckham High Street and towards McKerrell Road. We have carefully considered the location and orientation of taller buildings to reduce their visual impacts.

Please see our consultation boards for further information – including diagrams showing individual building heights and views of the proposed development from the surrounding area.

A new, improved Morrisons store will be provided on the site. We will ensure the continued trading of the existing Morrisons store during the construction of the new one. Our indicative timeline targets the opening of the new Morrisons on-site in 2027.

Car parking will be provided in the basement of the new Morrisons – and visitors will be able to use this free of charge, as they can now.

We believe that future retail on the site should complement rather than compete with the unique character and diversity of Peckham. A key part of this is the small businesses and traders which operate in and around the Aylesham Centre.

Our design approach is based on ‘intensification over displacement’ – based on detailed analysis of the existing retail ecosystem and local economy by our design team and commercial experts Quod.

The design brief commits to providing 10% of new retail floorspace as small units, and we will work with tenants to accommodate relocation requirements where possible.

The scheme will be required to contribute towards the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), which is a pot of money which new developments are required to pay into and is collected by the Council.

It is then up to Southwark Council to allocate this money towards community infrastructure (including schools and GPs) in areas where it is needed most.

The current availability of spaces etc. will be assessed as part of a future Environmental Impact Assessment, which looks at the social-economic impact of development on an area and makes recommendations as to infrastructure required.

Yes, the development will make a significant contribution to local growth, with 5,700 sqm of new commercial and retail space (including workspace and offices).

It is estimated that c. 200-250 Full Time Equivalent jobs will be created during construction, with 370 permanent job created once the site is completed.

Yes – Berkeley is committed to ensuring local people are able to access the right training, skills and job opportunities to improve their career prospects; helping them secure long-term, aspirational employment. This will include internships and apprenticeships as well as training/mentoring and direct employment opportunities. Please email hello@theayleshamcentre.community if you’d like to find out more.

The design team will take your feedback on the emerging design approach on board as they continue to develop their work – we are aiming to share and consult on our detailed design proposals in March.

Throughout the consultation process we are reporting on feedback we have received and set out how it has influenced the proposals – a full summary of engagement undertaken, feedback received and our responses to this feedback will be included in the Statement of Community Involvement.

Following further consultation with the community, we are aiming to submit a planning application to Southwark Council in the spring. If the application is approved by Southwark Council, we are targeting the start of works on-site for late 2025, with the new Morrisons opening in 2027 and the first affordable homes delivered in 2029.

Following this, the Aylesham Centre itself is expected to close in 2030 to allow for the redevelopment of that side of the site – with overall completion targeted for 2034.