“Innovative” student housing-led mixed-use development confirmed for Southwark

Investment and mixed-use development specialist Sellar has secured a resolution to grant planning permission for the development of 444 purpose-built student homes following a unanimous decision from Southwark Council on July 18.

King’s Place, which will feature fully direct let homes, with eight affordable homes for local key workers and flexible office and retail space, all designed to the highest wellbeing standards, in a location with “first rate connections to world class universities”.

It will offer more than double the average internal and external amenity per room found in Purpose-Built Student Accommodation across London, with a high-quality offering as standard across all rooms, including the wheelchair-accessible studios.

King’s Place will also deliver 1,850 sq m of flexible work and retail space, including a corner café on Borough High Street, and a new pocket park that will be created on Harper Road. In line with Sellar’s broader ambition towards sustainable development, King’s Place will be an all-electric building that can be carbon free through green power procurement.

Sellar is also aiming for BREEAM Excellent as a minimum target for the development, which is currently on track to be BREEAM Outstanding. The one-acre site occupies a prime location fronting Newington Causeway and Borough High Street.

It marks the point of transition between Elephant & Castle, Bankside, Borough and the London Bridge opportunity areas, and therefore has excellent accessibility and transport links, with access to multiple nearby educational institutions, including to King’s College London and London South Bank University.

Morris+Company is the architect, DP9 acted as planning consultant and Savills advised on funding on the scheme.

James Sellar, chief executive of Sellar, commented: “King’s Place is redefining the design of student accommodation in London in a location with unrivalled connections to world class universities.

“To deliver exemplar student accommodation, the design focusses on health, well-being and comfort for students - rooms are generous and well lit, with abundant internal and external amenity spaces throughout. This combined with its ease of access to central London make the site the optimum location for student living.

“The project also furthers our long-term track record of working with and making a positive contribution to Southwark through regenerative developments, adding King’s Place to our successful projects at Shard Quarter and Bermondsey Yards.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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