Plans to construct a major 15-storey student accommodation block directly above a Zone 1 London Underground station have been granted planning permission for a second time, following the station's recent heritage listing.
Re-approval Following Listed Status
Southwark Council's Planning Committee voted to approve the development on top of Southwark Tube station during a meeting on Tuesday, 9 December. This decision came after the station was granted Grade II-listed status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in November, following advice from Historic England.
The committee was told the application before them was a supplementary report required to give "special weight" to the building's new protected status. Planning officers confirmed the scheme, designed with listing in mind, would not harm the station's setting or its special significance.
Details of the Southwark Development
The approved project will see 429 student rooms built in a tower above the Jubilee Line station. The student block will feature en-suite rooms and communal facilities including a gym, wellness room, and events areas.
Adjacent to the tower, a separate nine-storey block will provide 44 new council homes for social housing. The mix of these homes will be:
- 15 one-bedroom flats
- 13 two-bedroom flats
- 15 three-bedroom flats
- 1 four-bedroom flat
The development also includes a new community hall on the Styles House estate. Furthermore, a payment exceeding £15.6 million will be made to fund additional affordable housing elsewhere in the borough.
Background and Partnerships
The scheme replaces Transport for London's (TfL) previous office proposal and the council's own earlier plan for 25 council homes next to Styles House, which was paused in 2023 due to changes in fire safety regulations.
The council homes will be built by TfL in partnership with developer Helical plc, but will be owned and managed by Southwark Council. The original application was first approved by councillors in March of this year, but required reconsideration due to the then-pending application to list the station.
This significant development marks a substantial investment in both student accommodation and critically needed social housing in the heart of London, while navigating the complexities of building on a newly designated heritage asset.
