Two years on – a WorkStack evaluation

The competing pressures to maintain London’s urban manufacturing capacity while delivering much-needed housing have prompted developers, architects, and policymakers to explore innovative approaches for viable industrial workspace provision. The traditional response to industrial space needs – the ‘tin shed’ typology – is no longer fit for purpose in a city where land values have reached unprecedented levels, and every square metre must work harder to justify its existence.

Charlton WorkStack presents a so far rarely explored approach to industrial employment space provision in adopting a stacked arrangement. This arrangement offers several advantages enabling a higher density of employment space to be provided on a smaller building footprint. Building both more compactly and vertically provides opportunities to build more efficiently, lowering the cost of materials and building services, and also contributes to lowering embodied carbon. Not to mention, stacking industrial workspaces frees-up land for the potential to build much needed housing.

Providing 14 workspaces over five floors, WorkStack has the potential to provide an employment density of 428 employees per hectare compared to London’s industrial average of 73 employees per hectare. This near six-fold increase in employment density represents a fundamental shift in how we can think about industrial land use in urban contexts.

As part of our evaluation, we surveyed tenants across Greenwich Enterprise Board’s (GEB) nine industrial sites—many of whom are engaged in small-scale bespoke manufacturing, repair services, and creative production that define the industrial character of Charlton Riverside.

When asked whether their business operations could be effectively accommodated in an upper-floor workspace equipped with a goods lift and loading bay, 57% of respondents indicated that they could. These survey results highlight the potential for smaller scale, stacked workspaces tailored to micro businesses with few employees and limited requirements for heavy machinery or large storage areas. Notably, in 2020, 92% of industrial businesses in London were classified as micro businesses, and much of the city’s economic growth is being driven by these smaller enterprises. While the stacked arrangement may not be a universal solution for all industrial needs, it offers significant potential to support a wide range of small-scale manufacturers across the capital.

Historically, industrial workspaces have often been defined by their temporary ‘tin shed’ design or the adaptation of old buildings repurposed due to lack of alternative uses. When WorkStack’s tenants were asked to reflect on their previous workspaces, many reported conditions marked by inadequate security, discomfort during both winter and summer, poor acoustic insulation, limited access to natural daylight and ventilation, and inefficient delivery vehicle access. These insights underscore the pressing need for higher-quality industrial workspaces that not only meet functional requirements but also provide significantly enhanced comfort and thermal performance standards.

Providing a goods lift, loading bay area, double width doorways, natural light and ventilation and views of the city skyline, WorkStack sets a new standard for industrial workspace in urban areas. The interior is defined by solid laminated timber walls, which practically allow tenants to fix in to while providing an appealing environment. A tenant survey carried out 15 months post-occupancy found that most of WorkStack’s tenants felt their new workspace was an improvement on their previous one owing to the building’s purpose-built design. Tenants consistently highlighted the access to natural light and ventilation, attractive timber interior, and expansive views as decisive factors in their choice to apply for a tenancy demonstrating a clear preference for thoughtfully designed work environments.

This feedback reveals something crucial about the industrial workspace market: quality matters. The assumption that industrial tenants will accept poor conditions in exchange for low rents is being challenged by a new generation of businesses that understand the connection between workspace quality and business performance.

WorkStack not only meets the practical operational needs of businesses, but also offers affordable, high-quality workspace that surpasses ambitious environmental benchmarks. WorkStack exceeds both embodied and operational energy targets set by LETI for 2030 office buildings. Its cross laminated timber structure and the dimensions of the units allow for modification, long-term flexibility and circular re-use. The building clearly demonstrates it is possible to deliver light industrial workspaces that are not only fit for purpose and affordable, but also meet the highest standards of contemporary sustainability.

The report highlights the significant role GEB’s business and financial model plays in supporting the viable delivery of affordable light industrial workspaces. As a social enterprise, GEB adopt a low-risk financial model based on rental revenue rather than development loans. This innovative strategy enables GEB to deliver genuinely affordable workspace at £16-26 per square foot in rent (inclusive of service charges). This model demonstrates that affordable industrial space can be financially viable when delivered by organisations with different risk profiles and social objectives than conventional commercial developers.

The social impact extends beyond affordability. WorkStack’s tenant base is remarkably diverse, with 50% of business owners belonging to global majority groups compared to just 16% across London SMEs generally[1]. This suggests that the combination of affordable rents, flexible lease terms, and high-quality design creates conditions that enable more inclusive entrepreneurship.

[1] Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, 2021. Longitudinal Small Business Survey: SME Employers – UK 2020.

The Charlton WorkStack Evaluation Report reveals the potential for a replicable and scalable approach to urban industrial development that addresses multiple challenges simultaneously.

It highlights opportunities to maximise employment density on compact sites, helping to sustain industrial capacity within urban centres, while also introducing innovative business models that address viability challenges and deliver positive social impact. By providing high-quality, affordable workspaces, this approach supports the diverse, small-scale manufacturing that increasingly defines successful and resilient urban economies.