The socio-economic impact of businesses in the railway arches
(primarily small) businesses in The Arch Company portfolio underpinning wider networks of activity. The food and beverage manufacturing spaces in Battersea are vital for serving economic activity across London’s West End, whilst logistics space in Manchest er City Centre enables residents and visitors access to the products they need. The organisations supported by The Arch Company spaces are the ‘quiet backbone’, providing foundational activity for local economies. Using data for the level of employment going to local residents from the areas in which organisations and businesses are located, it is possible to estimate the number of FTEs and employment opportunities within the railway arches that are taken by local residents. 49 This methodology takes the average share of employment (all employment including The Arch Company and other workers) within local areas that come from within the local authority and applies this share to the number of FTEs estimated to supported by The Arch Company’s spaces. Through this methodology, Table 6.1 presents the estimated number of jobs within The Arch Company portfolio in a given local authority that are filled by local residents. For example, of the 4,870 FTEs in space owned by The Arch Company in Southwark, approximately 860 FTEs are estimated to be taken by local residents. Overall, 32% of workers in the portfolio are estimated to live in the same local authority as they work. In most cases, the proportion of local employment supported in the railway arches is close to the borough- wide averages. It would naturally be expected that the railway arches support lower levels of local employment given their often highly accessible locations via public transport (particularly rail), allowing people to commute to work from further afield.
6.9
6.10
6.11
Table 6.1 – Top 10 local authorities where the largest number of workers at space in The Arch Company portfolio are estimated to both live and work in the same local authority
No. FTEs taken by local residents
% local FTEs (Arch areas)
% local FTEs (borough wide)
Total FTEs
Local authority
Explanation and notes
The Arch Company's space in Croydon supports a relatively high number of jobs due to a larger provision of office workspace. Much of the employment is driven by large office spaces in South Croydon. Space in Leeds is located further outside the core of the city, particularly in industrial-focused areas such as Holbeck and Southbank where more residents commute locally. The Arch Company's space in Southwark is primarily along the railway corridor from London Bridge to Bermondsey. The area is highly accessible and office-centric, leading to significant in-commuting and a lower share of local employment. The Arch Company's properties in Manchester are found in traditional industrial zones to the northwest and southeast of the city centre. These areas typically support businesses that hire locally, contributing to a higher proportion of jobs for Manchester residents.
Croydon
2,310
1,200
52%
53%
Leeds
430
300
68%
69%
Southwark
4,870
860
18%
2 2%
Manchester
550
210
38%
4 2%
49 This methodology relies on estimated commuting patterns data for workers in 2021 for each Middle Layer Super Output Area (MSOA) area (roughly equivalent to 10,000 residents) in England and Wales, and the proportion of workers in each MSOA who reside in the same local authority. Data used is taken from ONS, 2023. Travel to work estimates using assumed pre-coronavirus travel behaviours
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