Plans to demolish a central London petrol station and replace it with towers up to 29 storeys high to house hundreds of university students have been “supported in principle” by City Hall.
The proposed scheme on the Albert Embankment, close to MI6’s headquarters in Vauxhall, would provide 769 rooms and 897 bedspaces.
It would consist of two towers - one with 29 floors and the other with 26 - bridged by a six-storey ‘link building’.
The planning application will be considered in the coming weeks by Lambeth Council, though an exact date has not yet been set. It comes after permission was granted earlier this week for a 15-storey student accommodation block to be built above Southwark station.
As well as demolishing the JET petrol station next to the South Western Railway mainline, the project would also involve refurbishing and extending a 19th century former warehouse building called Vintage House. It is currently used as offices, and would continue to be under the plans.
The new student accommodation would include a publicly-accessible cafe on the ground floor, and from the upper levels would offer views towards the Houses of Parliament across the river.
In a statement prepared by Hopkins Architects on behalf of the applicant - Urbanest UK Albert Embankment Ltd and Hotchkiss Ltd - the people behind the plan argue that the existing site “has been underutilised for many years”.
They add: “The proposed development will create new jobs and increase visitor numbers, benefiting local businesses - especially nearby restaurants, public houses and bars. The superb location, with excellent transport links, adds to the site’s potential.”
In a report prepared by officers at the City Hall - which is required to express a view on the plans before a decision is taken by the council - the application is said to be “supported in principle”, partly because it will help London to cope with the number of students looking for somewhere to live in the city each year.
According to the London Plan - the mayor’s blueprint for future development across the capital - the city needs at least 3,500 new student bed spaces to be created every year in order to meet demand.
However, City Hall’s report also raises queries and concerns about aspects of application, which it says must be resolved in order for it to fully comply with the London Plan’s requirements.
This includes requests for further information on air quality, sustainable drainage and flood risk, as well as ensuring more work is carried out on the design of the bicycle parking area. It adds that “a contribution of £600,000 to improve the pedestrian realm in the vicinity of the site is requested and should be secured”.
