City planning officials look set to approve a 14-storey student accommodation block on Holborn Viaduct, after the developer pulled plans for a hotel on the site.
The scheme at 61-65 Holborn Viaduct, EC1, was earmarked for a 12-storey hotel under previously approved plans from developer Dominvs Group, which has also submitted the new proposals.
The new plans are for 644 rooms, including studios and shared accommodation, 35% of which will be affordable and which are likely to be used by the London School of Economics and Political Science. Last year Dominvs changed a hotel scheme in Hammersmith into student accommodation.
A planning statement for the project from DP9 said: “As a result of the recent pandemic, the applicant has had to re-evaluate the hotel offer… Since the granting of planning consent in December 2020, LSE has emerged with a long-term requirement for purpose-built student accommodation close to its campus and also its students’ hopeful eventual workplace, creating synergy and diversity of use within the City and access to future labour source from important local employers.”
The Stiff + Trevillion-designed scheme will also feature cultural and community space on the lower ground and ground floors.
“The student accommodation and community spaces will contribute towards diversifying the City’s building stock and land uses, adding vibrancy and activity for seven days per week, and contribute towards meeting Local Plan housing targets,” said the City of London Corporation’s planning officers, who recommend that the corporation’s planning committee approves the scheme at a meeting next week.
The site was once occupied by a 1950s office building, which was knocked down in 2020. Until last September the site was then an open public space known as Gaia’s Garden.
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