As architects, we believe that the future of our cities lies not just in what we build next, but in how we adapt what already exists.

The Adaptive London report, recently published by New London Architecture (NLA), reinforces this view, arguing for prioritising reuse and retrofit as core strategies for sustainable urban growth.

At Chetwoods, adaptive reuse and retrofit are central to our work, from industrial transformation to the innovative reuse of heritage fabric. The findings of this report echo many of the drivers and constraints we navigate daily with our clients and collaborators.

Growth Through Adaptation

London has a long history of adaptive reuse in its endlessly adapted historic built fabric, and today stands out as a global leader in adaptive reuse. With over 70% of non-residential buildings built before 2000, and nearly 40% of national carbon emissions linked to the built environment, the capital’s future development cannot be based on demolition and rebuild alone. Adaptive reuse offers a compelling alternative by encouraging decarbonisation, circularity, place-based regeneration, and community value.

As the report reminds us, reuse has long been part of London’s DNA, but today there is a new level of urgency, and the recognition that if we are to meet net-zero ambitions and create more liveable places, retrofit must move from best practice theory to embedded principle.

Key Recommendations in the Report

NLA’s report outlines ten key recommendations to advance adaptive reuse, many of which align with our work at Chetwoods supported by our Thrive and Works teams of sustainability and innovative technology experts.

It calls for a retrofit-first approach to be embedded in the London Plan, supported by clear and consistent definitions across boroughs, and improved building data transparency to inform early decisions.

The report also highlights the need for financial reform, including retrofit-specific funding models and VAT alignment with new-builds, alongside streamlined planning processes to remove barriers.

It urges a shift in market perception, driven by ESG goals and occupier demand, and emphasises investment in skills and training that connect heritage expertise with new technologies.

Innovation in material reuse, community-focused design, and more integrated, strategic thinking are also central to scaling retrofit as a tool for sustainable urban development.

From Insight to Action

We welcome the report’s focus on whole-life carbon modelling, material circularity, and data-driven design, all of which are embedded in our own approach. Through our own projects and research, including our role in Project RESTOR and the Enabling Structural Timber in UK Logistics study, we have seen first-hand the environmental and economic benefits of a retrofit-first mindset.

But we also recognise the barriers. Unclear policy, risk-averse financing, skills gaps, and uneven planning interpretation across boroughs are all real. These are challenges we believe the industry can overcome, not in isolation, but through genuine collaboration between architects, engineers, clients, developers, and local authorities.

Seizing the Opportunity

At Chetwoods, we see adaptive reuse not as a compromise, but as an act of creativity where architectural imagination meets environmental and social responsibility. It is a chance to reframe buildings as resources, full of embodied energy, materials, and stories, that deserve to be transformed rather than discarded.

As the NLA report makes clear, London has the talent, tools and track record to lead this opportunity. What is needed now is policy alignment, financial support, and a mindset shift across the industry.

At Chetwoods we look forward to continuing to contribute, through our design, research, and advocacy, to a built environment for London that embraces intelligent, inspiring adaptation.

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Our Retrofit specialist group have recently put together a Retrofit Decision Maker chart which you can download here to evaluate your existing building:

Read the full NLA Adaptive Reuse Report here:

Adaptive London: Reusing Existing Buildings - New London Architecture

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