11-storey office block proposed for Long Lane

Developers KCN Land claim their scheme for the site at the corner of Long Lane and Pilgrimage Street "is sympathetic and considerate to the surrounding community" and will offer benefits including the widening of Southall Place.

The proposed building will accommodate around 500 employees and is intended to a be a multi-let office complex allowing firms to expand and contract the space they occupy according to changing needs.

According to architects Panter Hudspith, "the building's language takes cue from the scale, rhythm and detailing found in the area's squares of three storey Georgian townhouses, four storey warehouse buildings and the vibrant and varied streetscapes of the nearby high streets.

"The rotated volumes, made from a collage of brickwork, break down the mass of the building to a collection of blocks with a relatable, human scale reminiscent of the factory buildings of the nearby London Leathermarket.

"The varying brickwork tones and horizontal banding take cue from the Georgian and early Victorian streets and Trinity and Merrick Squares nearby."

The existing building has recently been used by CoLab theatre for a variety of immersive productions.

A previous owner of the site proposed a 15-storey 'co-living' development which proved controversial with nearby residents.

Southwark Council's archaeologist Gillian King has warned the developer that "there is high potential for significant archaeological remains – including elements of a complex Roman ritual landscape and possibly burials – to survive on the site" and is recommending early work to excavate the site.

• Planning application 20/AP/0076