EMERGING LONDON 2018

Change is in London’s DNA. The city evolves on an almost daily basis. But just like the Thames, the constituent parts ebb and flow at different rates, in response to a plethora of drivers, including economic flux, immigration, social advancement and technological development. This continual process of change within geographically-defined neighbourhoods creates opportunities for individuals, communities and commercial organisations. At any point in time, any particular London location defined by its own set of infrastructural, environmental, cultural and socio-economic influences, will be on its own timeline. And, with each step along that timeline, new opportunities emerge. Emerging London pinpoints the stage at which 104 locations are along their own, unique journeys, which in turn indicates what kind of opportunities might present themselves, both immediately and in the near future. We have identified five general states of evolution: - Truly Established - Maturing - Flourishing - Up & Coming - Untapped Key to taking advantage of these is an understanding that possibilities are linked to a location’s individual characteristics, rather than its notional timeline position. It is quite conceivable that a Truly Established area can hold as many opportunities as an Untapped one. Importantly, Emerging London looks at the capital holistically, noting that rather than competing with each other, individual parts of the city are inexorably interconnected with their neighbours. The benefits of development in one area can be felt much further afield. Of course, not every location has the potential to become commercially established, nor, we would argue, should it aspire to be. But recognising the trajectory of a particular area can be vital for appreciating the likely effect on its peers – and vice versa. Our experience of Greater London is that while one of the world’s top cities is teeming with exciting property development opportunities, particularly for retail and leisure uses, these are not always in plain view. Dictionary definitions of the word ‘emerge’ include ‘to come into view’ and ‘to become apparent’. So the key purpose of Emerging London is to highlight which parts of the capital currently offer the most interesting (and financially rewarding) prospects. This report isn’t an academic exercise. Rather it is designed to have real practical value for you, the reader, whether you are an occupier, developer or investor. We recognise that your organisation’s definition of an opportunity will be shaped by its attitude to risk. We’ve therefore grouped the 104 parts of the capital ranked in this report into five categories – from Untapped to Truly Established (see p.54) – to give a broad indication of how frontier-pushing development in any particular area is likely to be. Of course we can’t pinpoint to the street lamp exactly which parts of London present the best opportunities for your own organisation. But we believe we can get you very close. Emerging London notes that wherever you choose to look, two key factors define the areas most likely to see successful development. Firstly, they will be either already well connected or have substantial transport infrastructure investment in the pipeline. And, secondly, they will welcome end projects, whether large or small, which attempt to integrate into that part of London’s existing urban fabric and recognise a sense of place, rather than stand in complete isolation. EMERGING LONDON – A DEFINITION JOHN PERCY HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT AND PLACE 7 EMERGING LONDON – A DEFINITION 6 CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD  | EMERGING LONDON