A second office developer has set out plans for a project outside central Shoreditch due to increased interest in the area.

This £33 million office scheme is located in an area that is seeing a huge amount of interest as rents and prices continue to rise in Shoreditch, resulting in ‘Shoreditch sprawl’. This is pushing demand further towards the attractive Grand Union Canal on the border with Haggerston.

Developer Southern Grove aims to deliver a 4,530 sqm scheme at 16 Orsman Road, which backs on to the canal. The company exchanged contracts on the land and plans to use Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), a highly sustainable option that is much greener than concrete.

This will mean the building, spanning six floors, is approximately four to five times lighter than a traditional building, resulting in much smaller foundations and minimal disruption to the neighbouring canal. Architects Waugh Thistleton were chosen specifically because they are market leaders in CLT design and have built a reputation as the foremost architects in this part of London. 

Southern Grove plans to allocate around 10% of the office floor area (400 sqm) to ‘affordable’ office space and the building incorporates a substantial 100-bicycle storage facility on the ground floor with additional visitor cycle spaces in front of the building.

A terracotta façade will help the building blend in with the surrounding area, further raising the scheme’s sustainable credentials. 

This project places Southern Grove as the second office developer to enter the area, following British Land’s purchase of its first home for the flexible workspace brand, Storey, in the same road. 

Tom Slingsby, Chief Executive of developer Southern Grove, commented: “This is a great example of a prime development, sustainably built on an infill site that really makes the most of its surroundings. 

“Shoreditch sprawl means that demand is moving towards attractive neighbouring areas and the canal is an obvious draw. The glazed facade to the property is designed to embrace what the canal has to offer, providing one of the most attractive canal-front aspects to be found in central London. 

“We’ll be only the second developer to take advantage of a great opportunity to provide superior office space in an area that is being talked about as the next big thing now central Shoreditch has reached saturation point.”