University of the Arts London (UAL) has announced a new cutting-edge campus for London College of Communication and a new centre for its core university services at the heart of proposals for the regeneration of Elephant & Castle.

UAL’s presence in the proposed development will reinforce the status of the area as a major cultural and educational destination in central London.

The new campus for London College of Communication builds upon a number of high-profile estates investments undertaken by UAL including a £62m regeneration of Camberwell College of Arts, the relocation of London College of Fashion to the Olympic Park at Stratford by 2021 and the completion of its Central Saint Martins campus in King’s Cross in 2011.

Incorporating the redevelopment of the Elephant and Castle shopping centre and the adjacent London College of Communication’s existing site, initial proposals will include a first class shopping and leisure destination with new homes to rent for people living and working in London, state-of-the-art educational facilities for UAL students, excellent transport links and enhanced public spaces. It will build upon the existing community and cultural diversity of the area and sit at the heart of the changes within the local area.

Nigel Carrington, Vice-Chancellor of University of Arts London, said: “We are delighted that a new cutting edge campus for London College of Communication and a new centre for UAL’s core university services will be at the heart of one of London’s most exciting regeneration projects. UAL is proud to have been at the heart of Elephant & Castle for more than half a century and this development will mean we are there for years to come. This investment will mean a great deal to our staff and students, many of whom live and contribute in many exciting ways to the vibrancy of Elephant & Castle.”

The Elephant and Castle town centre redevelopment is the lynchpin to the wider £3 billion regeneration underway in the area and integral to Southwark’s wider regeneration plan, which includes the creation of a new pedestrianised town centre, market square, 5,000 new and replacement homes, approximately 500,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space, an integrated public transport hub and five green spaces.

The emerging proposals for the new town centre were officially announced today by Delancey’s client fund DV4 and Europe’s largest pension fund asset manager, APG.

Jamie Ritblat, on behalf of Delancey and APG commented: “We want the community to be at the heart of our proposals for the revitalisation and renewal of the town centre, and in that spirit and objective, local feedback is key to ensuring that our vision corresponds to that of the local community and the wider activities within the regeneration area. This public exhibition will show for the first time our emerging plans to deliver a fantastic new town centre at the heart of Elephant and Castle. Proposals include new world-class educational facilities, a significant increase in homes for rent and improved shopping and public realm for locals and visitors alike. We would like to encourage everyone to visit the exhibition and provide feedback to help inform the next stage of the design process.”

The proposals are at the centrepiece of a public exhibition to be held in the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre from 9 to 11 July. Local stakeholders, businesses, residents and community groups are being invited to contribute to the evolving proposals and meet some members of the team including lead architects, Allies & Morrison.