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Applications for businesses to apply for space at Lockton Street Arches in North Kensington now open

As part of Places for London's Places for Growth initiative, they are seeking to support small, local businesses who need help to grow

Businesses will be ready to move into the arches in winter 2026/27

Places for London, Transport for London's wholly owned property company, revealed at an opening event on 14 January, that applications for its new Places for Growth at Lockton Street Arches are now open and ready for ambitious businesses looking to grow.

The run of 11 arches, located near Latimer Road Tube station in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, is currently being refurbished and is the first site in Places for London's Places for Growth programme will help new, emerging and growing businesses with a specially designed rent model that is initially discounted and steps up to market rent over four years.

Businesses taking part in the initiative will receive personalised business support and advice from Portobello Business Centre and Grow London Local, and access to dedicated in-house support provided by Places for London, as well as becoming part of a thriving, London-wide tenant community.

The arches are being refurbished in line with Places for London's Arches Design Guide which reduces environmental impact and improves the social and economic contribution of the arches locally. The refurbishment brings the arches up to modern environmental standards and will achieve a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Rating 'B' once complete, making them very efficient spaces. Air source heat pumps will be installed to keep energy costs down for the incoming tenants. Where possible, recycled material are being used and zero emissions vehicles used to remove debris and waste from site. The public realm and service yard will also be improved making the area more welcoming.

Places for London is encouraging a wide range of businesses to apply to be part of Places for Growth, including those seeking to move into their own commercial premises for the first time having tested an idea from home, markets or shared spaces - as well as those planning to turbo boost their growth and needing a larger or additional property. Applicants will be assessed against criteria including the strength of their business plan, their proximity to Lockton Street Arches (either their permanent residence or existing business) or plans to put down roots in the area and their anticipated contribution to the local community and economy. The scheme has been designed for and with the local community at its heart. Places for London will curate the successful tenants by choosing tenants who complement each other, giving the local community a range of options for products and services in the area.

Jo Fisher, Head of Arches at Places for London said: "We're hugely excited to open applications for our Places for Growth programme at Lockton Street Arches. We know that some businesses struggle to access space, and this is not down to their ambition or business plans.

"We want to provide a pipeline of new, growing businesses across London, and our Places for Growth initiative will see us supporting a wide range of entrepreneurs to join us and support the city. Supporting innovative, ambitious businesses is part of how London grows and how we continue to support our many diverse neighbourhoods and communities. The refurbished arches on Lockton Street will be modern, sustainable and welcoming to all and through this work, they'll soon have great tenants supporting North Kensington."

Dr Sheela Sharma, CEO of Portobello Business Centre, which has been supporting entrepreneurs in North Kensington for more than 30 years, said: "We're delighted to be partnering with Places for London on this exciting initiative at Lockton Street Arches. At Portobello Business Centre, we specialise in helping small business owners turn ambition into sustainable growth, and this scheme brings together two things that are often missing when businesses scale: high-quality, affordable workspace and tailored, hands-on support.

"By combining stepped rents with targeted business advice for the 11 successful occupiers, Lockton Street offers a genuinely supportive route to growth. We hope this becomes a model for how landlords and business support organisations can work together to help local enterprises flourish - benefiting tenants, communities and the wider local economy alike."

Vanesa Perez-Sanchez, Director of Small Business Services at London & Partners, said: "Grow London Local helps small businesses unlock new opportunities; and through this new partnership Places for London on Places for Growth, we are able to go even further! By combining free business support, with access to affordable space,  we are helping SMEs grow where they are rooted. This will help protect and create jobs, strengthen local economies, as well as bring more life back and opportunity to our high streets and neighbourhoods."

Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth, Howard Dawber OBE said: "Small businesses are the backbone of London's economy and central to our ambition for inclusive growth across the capital. It's fantastic that the Lockton Street Arches will provide local businesses with the space and support needed to grow and flourish - helping boost the local economy and creating jobs as we continue building a better, more prosperous London for everyone."

Places for London re-invests every pound back into London, into the transport network, the capital's growth and into its communities.  In 2024, Places for London proudly delivered £440m of economic and social value to the London economy*. Building on this at Lockton Street, Places for London is further helping the capital grow.  The Lockton Street Arches will support growth through jobs and provide long-lasting benefits to the local economy.  

Places for London is a proud landlord of more than 1500 businesses, 95 per cent of which are small to medium enterprises. Several businesses have grown across the estate, from having their first cupcakes cart or burgeoning bakery to now having multiple locations across the capital and, in some cases, more widely across the UK. For example, Zie Coffee & Co, a family run coffee shop specialising in Italian Coffee, started their business in Rayners Lane station in 2022 and, since then, have opened two further sites on the Places for London estate.

For more information, please visit: www.placesforlondon.co.uk/projects/lockton-street  

*For information on how Places for London is bringing growth and development to London please see: Our Contribution Report - Places for London

Notes to editors

Applications opened on 14 January 2026, and all applicants will be required to submit:

A cover letter about them applicant and why their business would benefit

A business Plan covering the five-year lease

An Indicative Floor Plan showing how they would lay out the arch including details about the businesses' approach to sustainability, employment and social value. 

The lease headlines include:

• Five year lease, with rent paid by direct debit at the start of every month
• Compliance with all health, safety and compliance regulations
• Places for London's London Lease where the tenant shares environmental impact information and ensures all employees are paid the London Living Wage - so the tenant and Places for London can support a greener more prosperous city together

The Places for London cost calculator is designed to help prospective tenants anticipate initial costs ahead of their partnership with Places for London: http://bit.ly/3NdMGJO

Tenants will also be expected to ensure they can afford other property associated costs such as Business Rates - payable to the Local Authority - utilities and service cost