Hill House Blackfriars Road

Does anyone know what is happening to this building? I have tried searching the news stories and forums but nothing recent seems to spring up. I could just be being dippy. Is it being redeveloped? Its such an eye sore as it is.

I too would love to know as I live right behind it. Deutsche Bank vacated in the autumn - I assume their lease was up.

It just sat there derelict until about 4-5 weeks ago when a caravan appeared in its car park at the back and a chap took up residence. More men arrive every morning and they seem to be slowly taking all the scrap. They only seemed to be taking cabling until recently when I saw they were removing the fans from the low rise roof (they've yet to touch the roof at the rear).

Last week, a second caravan arrived. It had been on the vacant bit of land at St George's Circus for a while along with the one that's been there for years. But for some reason, they brought it round on to Hill House land. All very odd.

I know BT used to own it and they leased it to Deutsche Bank but as I understand it, BT passed all their property (or nearly all) over to Land Securities a while ago. I have thought to get in touch with them to ask but I wouldn't know where to start.

No planning has been applied for as I have looked on SOuthwark's lists so it's a mystery.

Meanwhile, it's feeling very desolate around here: Hill House empty, Erlang House empty until this week, Colorama's been empty and for sale for a long time and now the Diversity Garden and the Housing Office are boarded up. I also understand that CYC are moving out soon to make way for the site office for the hideous development. It's not nice!

Any news on this would be great - all sounds very strange

I agree all the empty buildings are beginning to give the area a very depressing feeling...may be there are some regeneration plans going on behind the scenes, they are quite big sites...

I too live behind this office block and agree it's all very strange. No planning applications that I can find. I overlook the rear car park and I find it a bit weird that someone is living in that caravan at night. One night I saw four men coming out of there at midnight. The other morning I saw a workman drinking a can of beer by the caravan! I used to work in the building when it was BT and I know there is asbestos in the ceiling - they only found out when they took some tiles down and consequently myself and my colleagues are all on the asbestos register. Something to think about if they decide to demolish it right in front of my flat - all that dust flying about!

There's an application to put a large advertising billboard on the northern face of Hill House:

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/4709