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 Urban

07 Oct 2025

Mizoram’s Kaladan Transport Project To Be Completed By 2027

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma announced that the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMMTTP) — a cross-border road link connecting southern Mizoram to the Bay of Bengal via Myanmar — is expected to be completed by 2027.Speaking at Tlanglut Kut, a major festival of the Bawm tribe, and the International Bawm Cultural Meet held in Khawmawi village, Lunglei district, Lalduhoma said he had recently met with officials from the company executing the Kaladan project, who assured him that the bilateral infrastructure initiative would be completed within the next two years.He added tha..

Bhopal Metro To Launch Orange Line With Noise Control

The Bhopal Metro is gearing up to launch its priority corridor next month, marking a major milestone for the city’s urban transport network. The Orange Line stretch from AIIMS to Subhash Nagar Depot, covering eight stations, will allow trains to run at speeds of up to 80 km/h while incorporating extensive noise and vibration control technologies, in line with the Metro Rail Transit System Guidelines for Noise and Vibrations (2015), according to the Times of India.Officials from the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL) said the project places strong emphasis on minimising en..

Gandhinagar Metro Completes Trial Run To Mahatma Mandir

The Gandhinagar Metro successfully conducted its trial run on the extended route from the Secretariat to Mahatma Mandir on Thursday, coinciding with the celebration of Dussehra. The trial covered five new stations — Akshardham, Old Secretariat, Sector-16, Sector-24, and Mahatma Mandir, the terminal stop. Previously, metro services in Gandhinagar were operational only up to the Secretariat station. With this extension, the project has taken a significant step towards full-scale operations across Gandhinagar. Officials confirmed that a proposal will now be submitted to the Commissioner of Me..