Plans have been unveiled for a new shopping and community attraction made from shipping containers to be built in Camberwell.
The proposals, named Camberwell Yards, were put forward by Mumbo Jumbo World Ltd, a property firm which owns the Butterfly Walk shopping centre in Denmark Hill.
Detailed drawings shown at a public event on July 20 suggested up to fourteen units made from the containers could be built in a square. The site would cover the small carpark beside Morrisons, bordered by Danville Road, Wren Road and Orpheus Street.
Comparisons were made with the Artworks shipping container park in Elephant and Castle, and Pop Brixton, but the company say project will be more “community focussed”.
Chris Horn, a planning consultant working on the project, said: “In terms of what’s on offer, we want there to be space for community use, and we want the shops and any food sellers to be independent and affordable and for it to have a bit of a buzz.
“We have done traffic surveys and work on noise, and we think it would actually be a lot quieter than what it’s used for now, which is as a loading bay for the shops.”
Giving a time scale for when the project could be up and running, Chris added: “We would like to get a planning application in by early autumn, and if that’s successful we could start building and have it finished in time for summer next year.”
Tom Flynn, a Camberwell Green ward councillor who spoke to the News at the consultation event, said: “I’m quite excited by the overall concept.
“It could be a space for people from all of Camberwell, not just those with a bit of disposable income. For this to work and become a welcome part of the community it should reflect the diversity of Camberwell in terms of what’s on offer.
“And it could be a good use of the small part of the car park, which is hardly ever even half full.”
His ward colleague, Cllr Dora Dixon-Fyle, said: “it’s a good use of the space, but it’s got to reflect the true Camberwell. Which is the rich and not so rich, and perhaps the arty and not so arty.”