Tiverton Street - The Arch Company

Repurposing four railway arches in the heart of Elephant and Castle for various business uses as part of The Arch Company’s Project 1000.

Contributing to Project 1000, The Arch Company’s £200m initiative to bring 1000 empty or derelict railway arches across the country back into use by 2030, our work on Tiverton Street led to four newly refurbished units fit for retail, food and beverage, commercial, workshop or light industrial use.

The nature of the constrained, built-up and busy site meant careful planning and delivery was required. Despite these challenges, each unit now boasts a range of vital upgrades.

The existing frontage was removed across all four rental spaces. The three largest rental spaces received a new full-height glazed entrance to increase natural light, and brick surround to maintain the Victorian-era style. Meanwhile, the smallest rental space saw the installation of a new and accessible electric roller shutter door with a brick surround.

Inside the rental spaces, the back walls were rebuilt, and a fully lined interior was completed. Continuing the effort to improve the presentation, internal and external brickwork was professionally cleaned and restored.

To ensure the units are protected from water that permeates the brickwork, which is more likely due to the design of the arches, new arch linings were applied to direct water into newly built floor level drainage channels and prevent damp.

To aid the use of the rental spaces, accessible W/Cs were installed in three of the four arches. A new fresh water mains supply was installed, with new ducts and pipework to serve the W/Cs. Completing the new services, an electrical mains supply was installed to serve the units individually.

Danny Joss, Capital Programmes Director at The Arch Company, said: “The rental spaces on Tiverton Street in Elephant and Castle are a prime example of what railway arch refurbishment can offer. With E-class business use approval, the units are highly flexible and provide a brilliant space for a range of different occupiers.

“Alongside Pexhurst, we have transformed numerous railway arches now, from Battersea to Bermondsey. You had to see the condition of the units before we stepped in to appreciate how successful the work has been in improving the look, feel and productivity. Now, this refurbishment project means that we’ve successfully helped contribute to urban renewal and the availability of highly valuable business space in London.”