Southwark Council has granted planning permission for a new student housing and residential development by Sellar Property Group (Sellar). Following a unanimous decision from Southwark Council, Sellar will develop 444 purpose-built student homes, fully direct let, with eight affordable homes for local key workers and flexible office and retail space. Named ‘King’s Place’, Sellar has said that the development will be designed to the highest wellbeing standards, in a location with first rate connections to world class universities. King’s Place will offer more than double the average internal and external amenity per room found in Purpose-Built Student Accommodation across London, with a high-quality offering as standard across all rooms, including the wheelchair-accessible studios. King’s Place will also deliver 1,850 sq m of flexible work and retail space, including a corner café on Borough High Street, and a new pocket park that will be created on Harper Road. In line with Sellar’s broader ambition towards sustainable development, King’s Place will be an all-electric building that can be carbon free through green power procurement. Sellar is also aiming for BREEAM Excellent as a minimum target for the development, which is currently on track to be BREEAM Outstanding. The one-acre site occupies a prime location fronting Newington Causeway and Borough High Street. It marks the point of transition between Elephant & Castle, Bankside, Borough and the London Bridge opportunity areas, and therefore has excellent accessibility and transport links, with access to multiple nearby educational institution, including to King’s College London and London South Bank University. James Sellar, chief executive of Sellar, said: “King’s Place is redefining the design of student accommodation in London in a location with unrivalled connections to world class universities. To deliver exemplar student accommodation, the design focusses on health, well-being and comfort for students – rooms are generous and well lit, with abundant internal and external amenity spaces throughout. This combined with its ease of access to central London make the site the optimum location for student living. The project also furthers our long-term track record of working with and making a positive contribution to Southwark through regenerative developments, adding King’s Place to our successful projects at Shard Quarter and Bermondsey Yards.” Morris+Company is the architect for the development, DP9 acted as planning consultant and Savills advised on funding on the scheme. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals