Where: Morning Lane, E9
Who For: Manhattan Loft Corporation
What: 12,241 sqm retail
Architect: Adjaye Associates
Hackney has strong historic links with fashion and in the 1800’s was the centre of London's textile industry. Since then, while local manufacturing has declined, Hackney's creative reputation and links to the fashion industry have flourished. The Hackney Fashion Hub will build on this and create a unique centre for Hackney's design community - a place for young designers to gain new skills, apprenticeship and training opportunities in the fashion industry and jobs for local people. It will act as fashion outlet centre, the first of its kind in an inner city location, and will house a mix of top brands and emerging local designers. The proposals will deliver new retail outlet space, a Stitching Academy, apprenticeships and training opportunities, a high quality restaurant and a café, encouraging visitors to stay in the area and new open space and pedestrianised areas encouraging people to explore Hackney Central. CMA Planning secured approval for Manhattan Loft Corporation and the Borough for the main element of the Fashion Hub at Committee in October 2013 (to be contained within two buildings of up to eight storeys). Previously CMA had obtained four other permissions to convert various railway arches and other commercial units to retail use along with refurbishments and alterations, to all help create this East End fashion district. The scheme was then shortlisted in the Regeneration Category of the 2014 Placemaking Awards.