£3m railway arch restoration project underway at Bronze Yard, Peckham

13/07/2023

We are investing over £3 million to transform fifteen railway arch spaces between Brayards Road and Consort Road in Peckham into a new place for businesses to thrive. 

In recognition of the historical significance of these arches, formerly home of the Meridian Bronze Foundry, the development has been named Bronze Yard  

With works already underway, we are breathing new life into arches that were largely neglected and unlettable when they acquired the property portfolio in 2019. Recognising the potential of these spaces, the company is undertaking significant investment to transform the arches into flexible space suitable for a range of business uses. 

The fifteen railway arches have a long history of enterprise as the former home of the Meridian Bronze Foundry, where many iconic statues across London’s landscape were cast in bronze. These include Ivor Roberts-Jones’s statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, The National Firefighters Memorial sculpted by John William Mills to honour the victims of the Blitz, and David Wynne’s Lion and Unicorn centrepiece for the Queen Elizabeth Gate at Hyde Park Corner. 

“We are thrilled to embark on this transformative journey to revive these historic railway arches in Peckham,” said Craig McWilliam, CEO at The Arch Company. “The Arch Company is investing over £3 million into redeveloping these arches to preserve their heritage and create valuable opportunities for new businesses in this area, contributing to the economic growth and vibrancy of Peckham.” 

Given the prime location of the arches and proximity to Central London, we anticipate strong demand from businesses seeking to continue the arches’ tradition of making and creating. We anticipate that the project will complete this autumn. 

Offering attractive and functional spaces for businesses to thrive in Peckham, the comprehensive renovation plan encompasses a range of improvements to make the arches into a flexible, mixed-use development suitable for shops, cafes, offices, and light industrial uses. On average, businesses in railway arches employ approximately five people. Therefore, the renovation of these fifteen arches is expected to support the creation of up to 75 jobs. 

The restoration will involve fully lining each arch, creating infills, installing new floor slabs for efficient loading, and equipping them with automatic roller shutters. The installation of essential utilities, such as water and electricity, is also taking place. Exterior enhancements will include resurfacing the access areas, restoring rear yards, and erecting fencing to enhance security.  

The redevelopment scheme is a part of our £200m development plan – Project 1000. Project 1000 is bringing a thousand empty or derelict spaces into use across England and Wales by 2030 and is one of the biggest commercial property retrofit projects in London. The Arch Company is jointly owned by Blackstone and TT Group and exists to make space for businesses to thrive.  

For more information about spaces to let in Bronze Yard, Peckham, click here.