Dominus and Cheyne Capital have secured planning consent for the retrofit and refurbishment of 65 Fleet Street into a student accommodation-led scheme.
The joint venture partners acquired the office building in April this year and intend to convert the space to offer more than 850 student bedrooms.
The scheme will incorporate a new cultural space on the ground floor and lower ground levels, which will be designed in partnership with St Bride Foundation – the historic home of print and type design on Fleet Street.
The proposed development also includes the continued refurbishment and enhancement of the Grade II listed Tipperary pub, improvements to the public realm and a newly enhanced ‘celebratory space’ to improve access to, and visibility of, the Grade II listed Whitefriars Crypt, which is currently largely hidden to the public and only accessible via appointment.
The joint venture partners are targeting BREEAM Excellent for the redevelopment, which will reuse as much of the building’s existing fabric as possible, including all of its substructure, almost all of its superstructure and more than 70% of the total structure.
Preet Ahluwalia, principal director at Dominus, said: “Our expert team has a robust track record of delivering exemplary schemes that create real value for local communities and economies – 65 Fleet Street will be no different. By working with the existing building and with an ambitious design team, we intend to minimise our environmental impact, positively contribute to the City of London’s Destination City Plan and create a place that truly serves the district and its people.”
Hamish Gordon, from Cheyne Capital, added: “This project will deliver high-quality student housing in one of the most iconic streets of London, to address considerable demand for student accommodation in the city. We are pleased to be delivering a redevelopment which is focused on sustainability, including preserving and improving access to historic listed buildings, to add value to the surrounding communities.”
