Vacant offices in City of London to be transformed into 1,500 homes

29 Apr 2021 CW Team

The City of London Corporation has announced that offices and other buildings within London's Square Mile, which have been left vacant due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will be redeveloped and transformed into at least 1,500 new homes by the end of the decade.

The corporation told the media it would work with the property industry to enable and promote sustainable, flexible and adaptable buildings, including exploring new ways to use vacant spaces.

The announcement comes as many office workers have permanently adopted remote work during the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving prime real estate vacant in the UK's historical financial centre.

In a new report called ‘The Square Mile: Future City’, the corporation identified priorities for the next five years after consulting the public and industry leaders.

It was produced by the body's Recovery Taskforce, which was formed in response to the pandemic to define a more inclusive, innovative and sustainable vision for the city over the next five years.

The report also details investment in green finance, technology and infrastructure, with the city committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040.

Introducing traffic-free Saturdays or Sundays was suggested as a way to promote nightlife in an area typically deserted after the weekday traders and bankers have gone home.

A pilot scheme trialling the use of small cell and rooftop mobile infrastructure as part of plans to launch complete 5G coverage in the Square Mile.

Increasing numbers of major companies are embracing a hybrid or flexible staffing approach that blends home and office work.

Image Source

Also Read:Canada Pension Plan Investments to fund RMZ’s office space development

Also Read: Stylised innovative interiors for your space!

Infrastructure Transport

18 Dec 2025

RVNL secures Rs 1.65 billion railway bridge project from North Eastern Railway

Rail Vikas Nigam (RVNL) has received a Letter of Award (LoA) from North Eastern Railway for a Rs 1.65 billion railway infrastructure project, strengthening its order book and showcasing its expertise in complex railway construction.The project involves constructing the substructure of a major railway bridge over the Gandak River, located between Paniyahwa and Valmikinagar stations. This is part of the doubling of the Gorakhpur Cantt–Valmikinagar railway section, aimed at improving line capacity and operational efficiency.The bridge will feature 14 spans of 61 metres each, built on double D-t..

Raebareli’s Modern Coach Factory rolls out 15,000th railway coach

The Modern Coach Factory (MCF) at Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh has achieved a major manufacturing milestone with the rollout of its 15,000th railway coach on December 15, the Ministry of Railways said.In a press note, the ministry said that MCF has already produced 1,310 coaches in the current financial year 2025–26, reflecting sustained high output at one of Indian Railways’ most advanced passenger coach manufacturing units.Established in 2007 at Lalganj in Raebareli district, MCF was built at a cost of Rs 31.92 billion with an initial annual production capacity of 1,000 coaches. The factor..

RailTel wins Rs 260.88 million IT infrastructure order from VOC Port

Navratna public sector undertaking RailTel Corporation of India has secured an IT infrastructure order worth Rs 260.88 million from V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOC Port), strengthening its presence in port-led digital transformation projects.According to an exchange filing dated December 16, 2025, RailTel has received a Letter of Acceptance (LoA) from VOC Port Authority for the implementation of advanced IT infrastructure at the port. The project is domestic in nature and is scheduled to be completed by August 15, 2026.The company said the order has been awarded in the normal course of ..