British Land's Head of Canada Water speaks at our Cambridge forum

Emma Cariaga speaking at Future Cities Forum in Cambridge in 2021

Future Cities Forum is delighted that Emma Cariaga will be returning to our Cambridge 'Science Cities' forum this January 2024 at Newnham College, Cambridge.

Emma is Joint Head of Canada Water & Head of Residential at British Land. She jointly leads the development of Canada Water, a 53 acre development project in Central London. She joined the Executive Committee in 2019.

Emma is also a Non-Executive Director of Assura plc, and a Non-Executive Director of TEDI-London, a higher education provider for future engineers founded by Arizona State University, King’s College London & UNSW Sydney.

She joined British Land in 2014 from Landsec where she delivered a number of Central London developments as well as overseeing their strategic land portfolio. Prior to this, Emma held development and land management roles at Barratt and Crest Nicholson.

British Land and AustralianSuper have recently announced the first pre-let at Paper Yard, an innovative new scheme comprising 33,000 sq ft of modular lab space at Canada Water. Chemastery, a start-up focused on increasing the efficiency of chemical research and manufacturing, will take c. 2,100 sq ft of office and lab space within the newly opened building which was delivered in just nine months.

Designed by Hawkins\Brown, Paper Yard is a unique new scheme that will accommodate a range of complex scientific requirements including research, work and education within a highly sustainable environment that encourages interaction, maximises daylight and promotes wellbeing. Paper Yard has been built using modular construction methods, which allow for a speedier build resulting in less disruption to the local community and a quicker completion for occupiers. The building utilises a mix of existing components and materials that can be repurposed following deconstruction.

Paper Yard sits alongside TEDI-London, an engineering higher education enterprise co-founded by King’s College London, Arizona State University and UNSW Sydney as part of a GIA 76,000 sq ft innovation campus. Paper Yard will attract a diverse and dynamic community of users within the building by virtue of its highly flexible modular design that can be quickly and easily adapted either in advance of, or during occupation.

British Land is focused on delivering best in class space for customers in the high-growth life science and innovation sectors in London and across the Golden Triangle (London, Oxford and Cambridge) where supply is constrained. In addition to the lab-enabled space already delivered at Canada Water and Regent’s Place, it has a significant pipeline of 1.9 million sq ft of lab and innovation space within its existing portfolio.

Canada Water is described by British Land as the 'first new town centre in London in 50 years: a truly mixed-use new urban centre, built for the future.

'Over the next twelve years, the 53 acre masterplan will deliver a new high street and town square. Up to 3,000 new net zero carbon homes, and 2 million sq ft of workspace accommodating 20,000 workers. A new leisure centre, with swimming pools, sports courts and gym. And 35% of the masterplan will be public open space - that's 16 extra acres of parks and places to pause and relax. 

'Not only preserving but enhancing all of the local history, character and biodiversity that’s already here, it's the UK’s most sustainable regeneration scheme.

'The Canada Water Masterplan is a partnership between British Land, Southwark Council and the local community to create an outstanding new town centre for Southwark and make a positive long-term contribution to local life.

'The Masterplan covers 53 acres providing jobs, homes, offices, public spaces and facilities, and responds to the Greater London Authority and Southwark Council’s policy aspirations to deliver new homes and jobs at Canada Water.

'We are committed to making sure that all those who live and work locally, both now and in the future, can benefit from the development and the opportunities it will create.'