Developer Regal London has secured planning consents this week for two major projects bringing forward a total of 1,580 student beds and 200 affordable homes in the London Boroughs of Southwark and Brent.

The largest of the two schemes, known as Devonshire Place, is for 940 student rooms and 200 on-site affordable homes at a site at 747-759 Old Kent Road.

The four-block project, ranging in height from 15 – 33 storeys, is expected to cost around £200m to build with the site located opposite the planned new Bakerloo Line station. 

At present, demolition of existing buildings is pencilled in for February next year with basement construction starting in Autumn 2024.

The entire demolition and construction programme is expected to take 51 months to deliver.

Its other purpose built student accommodation scheme in Brent was granted permission for 639 student beds at Wembley Greenway, situated to the rear of 390-406 High Road, Wembley.

The Wembley Greenaway 20-storey tower will open up the railway lands parallel to High Road, Wembley for the first time, and will provide safe and inclusive green space in the area.

Previously, Regal London gained permission for 359 beds on the adjacent site, the two sites have been brought together, bringing the total number of beds to 998.

Both Devonshire Place and Wembley Greenway will be BREEAM Excellent and will seek to be among the first PBSA projects in the UK to be WELL Platinum certified.

Simon De Friend and Paul Eden, co-Ffunders of Regal London said: “While others may sit on their hands and wait for circumstances around them to change, we have taken the opportunity to bring our PBSA portfolio into the spotlight.

“With the available capacity representing only 25% of the student housing requirement, we are looking forward to playing our part in helping to meet London’s urgent student demand.”