Co-designing a public realm vision for The Cut, South London

15 November 2024

The Cut is a street that is variously a daytime and evening destination, an important walking and cycling connection, a place of work and education, a neighbourhood artery and a historic high street. During the COVID-19 pandemic, experimental traffic measures were introduced to create more space for businesses and diversify kerbside uses. We are working on a co-designed vision for The Cut which builds on these lessons, seeking to enhance public space, support existing and new uses and facilitate a shift towards more walking and cycling.

We have been appointed by Lambeth Council, working in collaboration with Southwark Council, to co-design a vision for The Cut, along with proposals for a series of short term interventions which will provide the first steps towards making the vision a reality. Working with local practices Civic Engineers and Stockdale, we will be developing designs for the entire street.

The Cut hosts a variety of uses and communities. These include residents, businesses, students, office workers and visitors. It is a daytime and evening destination which also functions an important walking and cycling connection routes between Waterloo, Southwark and London Bridge Stations, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, Lower Marsh and Borough Market. The Cut is presently closed to through traffic between Short Street to Hatfields and this project will identify opportunities for improvement, with the aim of enhancing the public realm, providing more green infrastructure, supporting the local economy and cultural activities, and creating better conditions for walking and cycling.

“We want people to have equal access to their neighbourhoods, create space for people to meet, chat and socialise without feeling at risk from vehicle traffic or breathing in toxic fumes. The Cut has untapped potential and I hope as the project progresses we can introduce measures that will have a big impact on how the space is used. That could mean the introduction of new green areas, enhanced public realm or more space for people to walk, cycle, scoot or wheel through The Cut with confidence, while supporting those who already live and work there.”

— Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, Lambeth Council deputy leader, Cabinet member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air

“When Southwark launched the Streets for People strategy in 2023, we made a number of pledges to improve our streets. We want to build on the recent pavement improvements on The Cut, by working with the local community and providing a vision for the area based on what residents, workers, businesses and students, tell us they want to see. Together, we are creating a healthier environment, and a cleaner, greener, and safer Southwark for everyone.”

— Cllr James McAsh, Southwark Council’s Cabinet Member for Clean Air, Streets and Waste

We will be undertaking a series of workshops with local people, businesses and institutions. The first of which will be a ‘Walking Workshop’ on 23rd November 2024. We will meet at Emma Cons Gardens at 11am before heading on a journey of joint exploration along the length of the street.

“We know that an important part of the project will be engaging with The Cut’s various communities to understand how they use the space at present, and their hopes for the street’s future.”

Holly Lewis, Co-founding Partner at We Made That