Tate Gallery objects to Southwark plan for Mandela Way park

The Tate Gallery stores hundreds of artworks not on public display at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives in a large warehouse (with a significant open yard)  on Mandela Way, just off the Old Kent Road.

Tate has occupied the site – chosen for its proximity to both the Bankside and Millbank galleries – since 1995.

Gallery bosses say that the current stores have reached capacity and they would need to use the full extent of the site for a new single-storey building to house their collections. 

Southwark Council's planning policy for the area – set out in the Old Kent Road Area Action Plan (OKRAAP) – includes the creation of a new public park on Mandela Way that would incorporate some of Tate's land.

Tate's most recent letter to the council was presented to Southwark cabinet members at their meeting this week as they prepared to rubber-stamp the latest OKRAAP for further consultation.

"As a longstanding stakeholder in the Mandela Way area, Tate has seen the area change significantly over the last decade," wrote Susie Taylor of Tate's consultants The Planning Lab.

"Tate is committed to delivering public benefit through the appreciation of art, and this is one of its key drivers for improving its estate and facilities. 

"Tate remains concerned that development planning constraints and site limitations proposed for its Tate Stores site would prevent expansion and adaptation of its facility to suit Tate’s overall mission and objectives.

"In summary, Tate fundamentally disagrees with the fixed location of the proposed Mandela Way Park. 

"The park unduly burdens Tate as a public organisation of international importance. It also hinders Tate’s ability to deliver public benefits within the wider borough of Southwark at Tate Modern. 

"Tate considers that fundamentally, the park is not justified, effective in its deliverability or consistent with national and regional policy. For these reasons it fails the test of soundness."

Security is one of a number of particular concerns raised in Ms Taylor's letter.  She wrote: "Tate has specific security requirements for its collections facility which are not conducive to co-location with public open space and any rights of access that could be required. 

"Tate operates a stringent process of on-site security measures involving full monitoring and CCTV. The Tate Stores site must be closed with no overlooking or potential for unauthorised access from vehicles or pedestrians.

"Tate’s reputation would be significantly compromised by any theft or damage to works in its care."

In a response to Tate's letter tabled as part of the papers for Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Southwark Council officers wrote: "The Mandela Way Park proposals was introduced for a number of reasons, including addressing the shortfall in public open space identified in the plan area, delivering the Greener Belt Strategy of the OKRAAP and addressing feedback from public engagement and members that the greater homes and jobs density should be supported by additional public open space provision. 

"With that in mind planned open space provision has increased in both quantity and quality in each iteration of the OKRAAP from 2016 onwards."

The council officials also noted that any moves to create the public park would be some years away: " The OKRAAP is a lon- term plan dependent on the delivery of the Bakerloo Line Extension (BLE). 

"The Mandela Way sites would only come forward in phase 2 of the OKRAAP post the completion of a contract to deliver the BLE in 2030. The council can’t compel owners to develop sites, but the OKRAAP is considered to create additional value in the land that would incentivise the delivery of Mandela Way Park and the re-development of the Tate site."