In central London, The Arbor, a 19-storey office building at Bankside Yards, Blackfriars, has gained Secured Environments accreditation.
Pictured inside left to right are: the criminologist Professor Martin Gill, founder of Perpetuity Research, which runs the accreditation; Guy Ferguson, CEO of Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (PCPI), owners of the accreditation scheme; Simon Tagg, Arbor Head of Security from Assist Security Group, the security contractor; Troy Hewitt – CEO of Assist Security Group; Thomas Clements – Arbor Senior Facilities Manager (Ashdown Phillips); David Dorman,ย Arbor Building Manager and Matthew Bekesh, Arbor Building Administrator (also Ashdown Phillips).
The building scored 49 green ratings and one amber from 50 criteria as assessed by Perpetuity. Set up in 2007, the scheme assesses how a site – such as a shopping centre, hospital or university campus – manages security operationally through six core principles: leadership commitment, understanding security risks, developing effective responses, managing security effectively, implementing security properly, and monitoring crime prevention initiatives. Awards last three years and can be renewed.
The security company proposed, prepared for, and led the accreditation process. The Arbor is partially occupied with further phases to come.ย Simon Tagg, ASG’s Head of Security at The Arbor, led on the accreditation. He joined in September 2025 and increased Standard Operating Procedures from 37 to 54 within four months, achieving the building’s first 100 per cent KPI (key performance indicator) score in December. He runs daily scenario testing and monthly cross-service exercises involving security, reception, cleaning, engineering, and facilities management teams. The auditor specifically noted this collaborative approach.
Dave Cox, ASG’s Chief Security Officer, provided oversight. A former senior police officer with 30 years’ service, including counter-terrorism work, he delivered Secured Environments accreditation at Kings Cross Estate in 2018 and London Bridge City in 2022 and 2025. Dave Cox said:ย “This result validates our approach. Better security doesn’t require bigger budgets; it requires better processes, documentation, and cross-service collaboration. Simon and the team proved that at a building that’s still coming online, which is no small achievement. The fact that we scored 49 greens on the first attempt shows what’s possible when you prepare properly.”
Tom Clements, Senior Facilities Manager at managing agent Ashdown Phillips, added: “Since Simon joined our team, we have seen a remarkable enhancement in our building’s security awareness and preparedness. Simon has been instrumental in conducting security sessions with other service partners, including the cleaning, engineering, and reception teams. His proactive approach and dedication to enhancing security have made a tangible difference in our building’s safety and the confidence of our occupiers, landlord, building staff and us as managing agent.”
More about Arbor
It sits above Blackfriars Station’s railway arches at the junction of Blackfriars Road and Southwark Street. Part of Native Land’s ยฃ2.5 billion Bankside Yards development, it is the UK’s first large mixed-use development powered by a fifth-generation energy network and runs fossil fuel-free from day one.ย The building holds BREEAM Excellent, Platinum WiredScore, WELL Platinum enabled, NABERS 4.5 star, and EPC A ratings. It runs entirely on renewable energy using air source heat pumps and a fifth-generation ambient temperature energy network that delivers savings on heat energy compared to conventional systems.
