Alumno and joint venture partner Hurlington Capital have gained planning approval for a new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development on Marshgate Lane in Stratford, East London.
The scheme, which is adjacent to the Pudding Mill Lane Docklands Light Railway station, will house 316 students and is designed by award-winning London architects Henley Halebrown.
University College London (UCL) has expressed interest in a nominations agreement for the development, which is just a 10-minute walk from its new East Campus.
The scheme’s on-site amenity provision includes lounges, study spaces, cinema room, private dining area, gym, games room, external courtyard spaces and four individual roof terraces. Some 35% of rooms will be designated as affordable as defined through the London Plan.
David Campbell, managing director of Alumno, said: “We’re delighted to have gained approval for another new Alumno development, which will help close London’s student accommodation gap, free up local community housing and provide welcome rejuvenation and an economic boost to the area.”
Harry de Lotbiniere, managing director of Hurlington Capital, added: “The successful outcome at Marshgate Lane marks the fourth PBSA scheme in Hurlington’s London pipeline demonstrating our continued commitment to investment in the sector. We look forward to delivering this fantastic project alongside our partners at Alumno.”
Chris Benham, partner at Knight Frank, which supported the planning application, said: “We worked hard with officers in a positive and constructive way to make sure that we achieved the design standards expected by the LLDC and our university partner, while also ensuring a very constrained site is deliverable. The site represents the missing piece of the Pudding Mill Lane puzzle, and its delivery will play a key role in the continued regeneration of the area.”
Jack Hawthorne, associate at Henley Halebrown, added: “This is an important project for the practice, particularly in light of the wellbeing of young people and the role that architecture and their environment can play in this. On an urban level the scheme forms a key piece of the emerging Pudding Mill Lane development, establishing a new street that connects Marshgate Lane with the City Mill River. This street will be characterised by a lively ground floor populated with artists’ studios and social space for students, encouraging communities to mix and rooting the building in its surroundings.”
