Clapton Tram Depot revival plans revealed in Hackney, 2026

Key Points

• Fresh planning proposals have been submitted to Hackney Council to refurbish the historic Clapton Tram Depot on Upper Clapton Road.
• The Victorian-era site could include business units, creative workspaces, public areas and a food-and-drink venue.
• Proposals reported by MyLondon include five brick arches across the building’s 68-metre street-facing façade.
• A public courtyard of approximately 100 square metres and an upper-level communal terrace are also planned.
• A vacant single-storey building on the corner, unused since 2024, could be demolished and replaced with a two-storey structure containing six commercial units.
• The developer behind the planning proposal reported by MyLondon is Tram Gate Capital Ltd, while other reports identify Gilini Group as the company leading the wider regeneration project.
• The scheme could create 20 full-time jobs, according to details reported by MyLondon.
• Separate plans reported by Time Out and the East London Times describe 34 creative business units and five family homes.
• Existing occupants, including BLOK gym and an independent café-deli, are expected to remain under the wider redevelopment proposals.
• Yellow Cloud Studio is involved in the design work, with plans focused on retaining the depot’s industrial character and historic features.
• If permission is granted, construction could begin by February 2027.
• The depot has faced previous demolition and redevelopment proposals, including plans for flats and commercial space.

Clapton (East London Times) August 7, 2026 – A historic Victorian tram site in Hackney could be given a new lease of life through fresh planning proposals for commercial units, creative workspaces, public space and food-and-drink uses.

Plans to refurbish the Clapton Tram Depot on Upper Clapton Road were submitted to Hackney Council last month, according to a report by MyLondon. The application follows years of stalled development proposals and a long-running debate over how the site should be used while retaining its historic character.

The proposals would alter the street-facing part of the depot while keeping the main historic building as the dominant feature of the site. A key element would be the installation of five brick arches across the building’s 68-metre façade. The design is intended to provide a more defined public frontage and improve the appearance of a section of the site that has experienced years of alterations and disrepair.

The scheme also includes an upper-level communal terrace linked to a public courtyard measuring approximately 100 square metres. The proposed outdoor areas would provide space for visitors, tenants and local users, while creating a clearer connection between the depot’s commercial uses and Upper Clapton Road.

MyLondon reported that the project would involve the refurbishment of parts of the existing depot rather than the wholesale replacement of the historic structure. The report said the site is not a listed building, but Hackney Council has applied strict heritage requirements to redevelopment proposals because of the depot’s architectural and historical importance.

Could the redevelopment create new business space?

A vacant single-storey building at the corner of the site is proposed for demolition and replacement with a two-storey structure containing six commercial units. The building has reportedly been empty since 2024, and its redevelopment would form one of the main new-build elements of the latest planning proposal.

The new commercial units are expected to provide space for businesses and could support a combination of office, workshop, retail or food-and-drink activity, subject to the final planning permission and any future use approvals. The proposals are also intended to improve the relationship between the depot and the surrounding streets.

According to MyLondon, the developer has said the transformation of the vacant corner could deliver 20 full-time jobs. The proposed employment would be linked to the new commercial space, although the available details do not identify the future occupiers or specify the industries that would provide the jobs.

The original tram-shed wall is also included in the refurbishment plans. MyLondon reported that this section, which was historically associated with the stabling of horses used to draw tram carriages, would undergo extensive restoration after decades of what the report described as “inconsiderate and unattractive alterations”.

The design work is being undertaken by Yellow Cloud Studio. According to the MyLondon report, the architects studied the history of 19th-century tram depots when developing the proposed brick arches and other elements of the street-facing design. The aim is to introduce new commercial and public uses without removing the features that identify the building as a former tram depot.

How would the site support creative businesses?

Separate coverage describes a wider regeneration plan for the depot as a creative neighbourhood. Alice Hall of Time Out reported that Gilini Group, a London-based property and investment company, is planning to refurbish the site to provide 34 creative business units. The proposed units would be suitable for furniture makers, photographers, manufacturers, artists and other creative businesses.

The East London Times, in a report by Abdul Haris, also described plans for 34 creative business units alongside public areas and five family homes. That report said the intention was to restore the historic depot rather than replace it with a new development.

The two reports present the wider project as a scheme designed to preserve the depot’s role as a place for independent businesses, artists and makers. The available reports do not provide the individual sizes, rents or allocation arrangements for the proposed units, so it remains unclear how businesses would apply for space or whether the units would be marketed under specific affordability conditions.

Time Out reported that the existing BLOK gym and a café-deli would remain part of the new development. Their continued presence would maintain some of the current commercial activity at the site while other areas are refurbished or rebuilt.

The East London Times similarly reported that the existing tenants would remain, describing them as part of the established community atmosphere around the depot. The report said the redevelopment would combine new creative workspaces with public areas while maintaining the character of the current site.

Which historic features would be retained?

The Clapton Tram Depot is one of the remaining Victorian horse-drawn tram depots in London. Time Out reported that it was built during the 1870s for horse-drawn tram routes connecting Clapton with Aldgate and Moorgate. The first floor was used for stables, while the ground floor accommodated tram tracks and facilities for washing the carriages.

The depot’s last horse-drawn tram left in 1907. Following the end of its original use, the site was adapted several times, including as a bus station and as a location for tradespeople such as carpenters and mechanics. During the 1980s and 1990s, it also became associated with artists and studio-based businesses.

The proposed design by Yellow Cloud Studio would retain the original shed structures and preserve the double-height warehouse interiors. The plans also seek to reinstate tram-track detailing where possible, according to the East London Times and Time Out.

Architects have described the proposed redevelopment as modest in scale. Time Out reported that Yellow Cloud Studio wanted the historic buildings to remain the dominant part of the site, while creating a more welcoming entrance and an improved street-facing elevation.

The proposed courtyard and upper terrace would introduce new public-facing areas without placing large structures over the historic depot. The design approach therefore combines the retention of the existing industrial buildings with new commercial units and residential accommodation at the rear or within the wider site.

The development would not mean that every part of the depot remains unchanged. The vacant corner building is expected to be demolished under the proposal reported by MyLondon, while other sections would be repaired, redesigned or adapted for modern uses.

What has happened to earlier development proposals?

The site has faced redevelopment pressure for many years. MyLondon reported that planning permission was granted in 2011 to demolish the buildings and construct 85 flats, car parking and industrial units. The proposal attracted opposition from local campaigners, who had attempted to secure listed status for the depot because of its importance as one of the remaining Victorian horse tram depots in the country.

Although several businesses reportedly left the site before the planned demolition, the work did not proceed. MyLondon reported that Executec Ltd later sold the premises to Upper Clapton Ltd in 2014 before the approved redevelopment was carried out.

Time Out reported that campaigners had defeated two demolition proposals since 2008. Those proposals would have replaced the depot with flats and offices, according to Alice Hall’s report.

The history of earlier applications is significant because the latest proposals are being presented as a conservation-led alternative to the complete removal of the historic structures. Rather than treating the depot solely as a development site, the new plans seek to use its existing buildings as the foundation for business, cultural and public activity.

However, the previous planning history also means that the latest proposals will need to be considered through the formal planning process. Approval has not yet been confirmed, and the final scheme could be amended as part of the council’s assessment.

Who is leading the current project?

The available reports identify different corporate details for elements of the regeneration. MyLondon identified Tram Gate Capital Ltd as the developer behind the latest planning proposal for business units and a food-and-drink space. It also reported that the company had revised the scheme to meet Hackney Council’s heritage requirements.

Time Out and the East London Times identified Gilini Group as the organisation leading the broader creative-neighbourhood project. Their reports described a scheme involving 34 creative business units, five family homes, a public courtyard and an upper terrace.

Gilini Group told Time Out that it regarded the depot as an “irreplaceable” working creative ecosystem that had survived two decades of development pressure. The company said its approach was intended to show that heritage-led regeneration and affordability could work together.

Those statements represent the developer’s stated objectives rather than a guarantee of the final outcome. The number of units, the identity of future occupiers, the detailed employment arrangements and the final mix of uses will depend on the approved plans and subsequent delivery of the project.

When could work begin?

If Hackney Council approves the latest planning proposals, work is anticipated to begin by February 2027, according to MyLondon. That date is presented as an expected construction start rather than a confirmed programme.

Before construction could begin, the project would need to pass through the council’s planning process and satisfy any conditions attached to permission. Heritage, design, access, commercial use, construction effects and the treatment of existing tenants could all form part of the assessment.

The project is therefore still at the proposal stage. The eventual outcome may depend on the decision issued by Hackney Council, any revisions required by planners and the ability of the development team to carry out the work in phases while maintaining existing activities at the depot.

What is the background to Clapton Tram Depot’s history?

The Clapton Tram Depot was built in the Victorian period to support horse-drawn tram services in East London. Its original operation reflected the transport system of the time, with horses housed at the depot and carriages maintained before carrying passengers between Clapton and destinations including Aldgate and Moorgate.

After the final horse-drawn tram service left in 1907, the site was adapted for other transport and industrial purposes. It subsequently accommodated a range of trades and later became associated with creative studios, workshops and independent businesses.

The depot has remained in use as a commercial and creative site for approximately 25 years, according to MyLondon, with more than 20 independent businesses currently occupying parts of the building. Other coverage has highlighted its role as a base for artists, makers, photographers and small businesses.

Its survival has been contested during several periods of redevelopment pressure. Earlier proposals focused on replacing or substantially altering the site, while current plans place greater emphasis on retaining the historic structures and adapting them to modern commercial and public uses.

How could the redevelopment affect local residents and businesses?

If approved and delivered, the redevelopment could provide additional workspaces for creative businesses, new commercial units and improved public areas in Clapton. Existing facilities, including BLOK gym and the café-deli, are expected to remain under the wider proposals reported by Time Out and the East London Times.

Local residents could also gain access to a redesigned public courtyard and an upper terrace, although the available reports do not establish the exact opening arrangements, operating hours or extent of public access. The addition of food-and-drink space could increase activity at the site, but its eventual impact would depend on the businesses that occupy the new units and the conditions attached to planning permission.

For current tenants, the key issue will be how construction is managed and whether refurbishment affects access, trading arrangements or occupancy. The project’s stated intention is to preserve the depot’s existing creative ecosystem, but the practical effect will depend on the final programme and agreements with individual businesses.