Futurecity developed the Arts & Cultural Strategy for Southall Waterside, an 80-acre regeneration site transforming the former Southall Gasworks into a new mixed-use neighbourhood. Grounded in Southall’s multicultural identity, industrial heritage and canal-side setting, the strategy positions culture as a core driver of placemaking, social sustainability and long-term identity.

The vision establishes Southall Waterside as a Creative District, using arts, culture and active living to create an inclusive, connected and healthy place to live, work and visit. Five Cultural Placemaking Principles - Creative Commerce, Creative Community, Intercultural, Active Living and Embedded Arts - guide investment across all phases of development, ensuring culture is integrated into architecture, public realm and community life rather than treated as an add-on.

Informed by research, community engagement and Futurecity’s Creative District DataScanner, the strategy identifies Southall’s strengths - including its young population, rich cultural networks, waterways and green spaces - alongside gaps in cultural infrastructure. It responds with a suite of interlinked projects designed to grow and adapt over time.

Key proposals include Temporium, a meanwhile programme of community-led cultural activity; Canal Station, activating the canal edge through arts and partnerships; a network of Activity Trails promoting walking, running and cycling; a 1km Cultural Promenade through Central Park with embedded art and landscape interventions; and Cycle Southall, an ambition for a culture-led cycling village.

Together, these projects form a coherent cultural ecosystem that supports everyday participation, strengthens local identity and delivers lasting social and economic value. The strategy provides a clear framework to ensure culture remains central to Southall Waterside as it evolves.

Site images by Urban Design Group