UK: Developer Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield has secured planning approval for sustainable student housing and community space in Stratford, east London.
The planning consent refers to 520 student beds on the Westfield Stratford City car park roof. The new development was unanimously approved at a planning committee. In addition to accommodation, the scheme will provide a 30,000 square foot publicly accessible roof top park space for leisure, sport and play for the community. Students will also benefit from more than 16,000 square feet of dedicated high quality amenity space throughout the building.
Creating inclusive and welcoming spaces is a central goal of the proposal, and the designs have been shaped by numerous consultations with key groups including Make Space for Girls, Elevate, and adjoining landowners, and will offer “a safe, affordable accommodation for students studying in the area”.
Key design elements include utilising the existing structure and foundations, whilst the accommodation will be serviced by existing utilities to ensure the building is energy efficient.
Scott Parsons, chief operating officer at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, said: “Delivering a high-quality, sustainable design that provides genuine community benefit was an important part of this process and something our team worked closely with local stakeholders and consultation groups on.”
“Despite a number of student homes having been delivered in the area in recent years, there is a pressing need for more high-quality and affordable student beds as Stratford continues to grow as one of London’s best regeneration zones, particularly with the arrival of UCL and London College of Fashion, UAL at the East Bank. I am delighted our scheme will meet this critical need, while also having a positive impact on the wider community by creating another accessible, free space where people can enjoy spending time,” he added.
