Car park retrofitting
As a result, there has been a sharp decline in private car use within the inner city. TfL reported in 2023 that in Central London car ownership rates fell by 14% in the 3 years between 2019 and 2022[1]. Even factoring in the Covid-19 pandemic, a significant modal shift away from private cars appears to be occurring – strongest in Central London.
Future developments, where well connected to public transport, must aim to be ‘car-free’ and maximum parking standards are helping ensure new car parks become relegated to suburban locations with low public transport connectivity. Existing parking infrastructure however, becoming steadily surplus to demand, offers an exciting opportunity for development.
This coincides with a recent push towards a retrofitting approach to development, due to concerns towards the volume of carbon resulting from the demolition and construction of new builds. This represents a break from past practice, whereby multi-storey car parks (MSCP) and other car parks have been razed[2], with the site seized for the construction of a shiny new building. In some cases, this is the most suitable route to go down, when the calculation between embodied carbon savings from a retrofit versus future operational carbon savings in a new building suggest demolition as the favourable decision.
The submission of retrofit development planning applications hit a record year in 2023 according to the City of London[3]. Recent proposed developments include The Brunswick Centre, where designs for an underground hotel in the underutilised former car park have been announced by developer Lazari and Axiom Architects[4]. The design will reportedly encourage a revitalisation of the space, whilst preserving the Grade II listed building’s character. Barriers to retrofitting often include concerns that plans will be limited by the existing infrastructure, without the customisation allowed in a purpose-built space. But, with a certain degree of ingenuity and flexibility, great spaces can be designed. At the Brunswick Centre plans include innovative circadian lighting to overcome the challenge of making an underground site an airy and pleasant place to stay.
Peckham Levels, a collection of 500 artists’ studios housed in a retrofitted 1960’s MSCP, offers a success story with the once underutilised space now a thriving community space. The project was completed in 2015, with the former history of the building visibly embraced into the new design created by architects Turner Works.
There is also an opportunity to use vacant and underused MSCPs to ease the increasing demand for safe and secure bicycle parking within cities. Whist a growing number of cycle hangers are addressing the residential demand for cycle parking, there remains the issue of parking at the endpoint of leisure and work journeys. Not only is on-street parking liable to theft, but it is also often unsuitable for larger cargo bikes and adapted cycles, deterring people from cycling. Parking operator Q-Park has sought to address this dilemma, partnering with bike parking provider SpokeSafe to build out spaces within three of their London car parks. In a future where bicycles are taking over traditional car travel, adapting car parking spaces to accommodate this shift could present an ideal solution.
Logistics hubs have previously thought to present a further key opportunity area for development within underused car parks, with the City of London draft Local Plan (2036)[5] identifying car parks as a ‘priority for use as last-mile logistics hubs’. This is not always a straightforward solution, due to low headroom and the local traffic impacts – but the idea has potential.
Exploring the realm of possibilities presented by repurposing MSCPs, raises additional questions: to what degree does their adaptability depend on contextual factors such as location, surrounding infrastructure, and architectural design? In which scenario are these factors the most optimal? How can the obstacle of limited headroom be overcome? Does them being underground or above ground have an impact? Addressing such inquiries would lead to a clearer understanding of when to pursue a retrofit approach and assist in identifying their most appropriate applications.
[1] Travel in London 2023 – Road traffic trends (tfl.gov.uk)
[2] https://www.dezeen.com/2019/05/10/demolition-starts-on-design-icon-welbeck-street-car-park/
[4] https://brunswickcentreconsultation.com/our-vision/
[5] City Plan 2036 (cityoflondon.gov.uk)
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