The cultural heart of London is expanding as Bankside Yards transforms a historic 5.5-acre site into the South Bank’s newest district.
London’s South Bank is one of the city’s most exciting and fast-evolving areas, and Bankside Yards is its newest neighbourhood. The 5.5-acre site by British developer Native Land, will introduce new residences, public realm and green spaces alongside a curated mix of retail, hospitality, office space, dining and cultural programming.
Home to Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Southbank Centre and the National Theatre, and with Borough Market just moments away, the South Bank has long been London’s foremost cultural destination. Bankside Yards is set to add to this legacy, creating 3.3 acres of new ‘greened’ public realm and connecting the walkway between Tate Modern and Royal Festival Hall for the first time. Alongside eight new buildings, Bankside Yards also includes the refurbishment of 14 Victorian railway arches on the site, which have been closed to the public for 150 years. These arches will now be transformed into 50,000 sq.ft of shops, bars, restaurants and leisure spaces, available to both residents and the public.
“At Bankside Yards, we’re not just delivering homes but an entire ecosystem, including wellness, workspaces, cultural programming and green spaces, all designed to sit naturally alongside the South Bank’s community and existing cultural institutions,” says Nicholas Gray, Executive Director at Native Land. “We’re bringing back to life the historic arches, which have been closed off for over 150 years, and repurposing them for retail and leisure use. The result is a more balanced, sustainable neighbourhood where residents can live, work and socialise seamlessly, elevating the area from a cultural hub into one of London’s most dynamic residential districts,” he adds.
“We’re not just delivering homes but an entire ecosystem… elevating the area from a cultural hub into one of London’s most dynamic residential districts.”
Nicholas Gray, Executive Director at Native Land
Underpinning Bankside Yards is developer Native Land’s commitment to sustainability: this will be the UK’s first fossil fuel-free major mixed-use development, powered entirely by electricity from renewable sources, producing zero emissions in operation, with the use of a fifth-generation energy network across the site.
At the heart of Bankside Yards is Opus. Designed by PLP Architecture, Opus rises 50 storeys and 170 metres above the Thames and is set to become the tallest residential building in prime central London. The building’s 249 apartments offer unrivalled city views, while four floors of amenities include a 23rd-floor private club, healthcare suite, podcast and art studios, padel court, swimming pool, climbing wall, co-working spaces and spa. Completion is scheduled for early 2027 and prices start from £775,000. It will be the second building to complete following the multi-award-winning, ESG-focused workspace, Arbor, and will soon be joined by six further buildings including a 5* 171-key Mandarin Oriental Bankside Yards hotel.
With the scheme’s first buildings completed or nearing completion, the development is already firmly establishing itself as a cultural hub. Bankside Yards recently hosted its inaugural exhibition within one of the site’s restored Victorian railway arches, in collaboration with acclaimed photographer, Andy Earl. Andy Earl x Bankside Yards is a three-month photography exhibition celebrating Earl’s four decades of work, showcasing his images that have quietly shaped the visual language of popular culture.
All images: Native Land
