Assist Security Group (ASG) has secured Secured Environments accreditation at The Arbor, Bankside Yards. The 19-storey office building beneath Blackfriars Station scored 49 green ratings and one amber from 50 criteria assessed by police-backed auditors Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International (PRCI).Secured Environments is managed by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives and PRCI. Established in 2007, the scheme assesses how organisations manage 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.
What makes ASG's achievement distinctive is that the company proposed, prepared for, and led the entire accreditation process. The Arbor is partially occupied with further phases to come, demonstrating proactive commitment to security standards ahead of full occupancy.
 

Simon Tagg, ASG's Head of Security at The Arbor, led 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% KPI 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 strategic oversight. A former senior police officer with 30 years' service, including counter-terrorism work, he has previously delivered Secured Environments accreditation at Kings Cross Estate in 2018 and London Bridge City in 2022 and 2025: 
 

"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, said: "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."
 

Arbor sits above Blackfriars Station's railway arches at the junction of Blackfriars Road and Southwark Street. Part of Native Land's £2.5 billion Bankside Yards development, it is the UK's first large-scale mixed-use development powered by a fifth-generation energy network and runs fossil fuel-free from day one.
 

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 30–40% immediate savings on heat energy compared to conventional systems.