UK: Tribe Student Housing has received planning consent for the redevelopment of the former Avonmouth House conference centre in Southwark, south London.
Planning officer Dipesh Patel said: “We feel that the height is appropriate for this location, and the site allocation [in the Southwark Plan] does anticipate taller buildings on this site.” Patel added that the scheme offered “a real enhancement to the public realm on Avonmouth Street and Tiverton Street” although he did acknowledge that the development would affect daylight and sunlight to two blocks on the Rockingham Estate – Telford House and Stephenson House.
Nick Lawrence of Tribe Student Housing told councillors that the company expected to sign a nomination agreement for the accommodation with either London South Bank University (LSBU) or the University of London.
He also said that LSBU was interested in occupying the proposed educational/office space on the lower floors of the proposed development.
The committee unanimously endorsed the planning officers’ recommendation that permission for the 14-storey scheme be granted. An earlier 16-storey version of the same development is currently the subject of an appeal against Southwark Council’s failure to determine the planning application within the allocated timescale.
Tribe has said it intends to start work in the site early next year.
