Bouygues UK has completed Phase 4 of Hallsville Quarter in Canning Town, East London, delivering 375 purpose-built student accommodation rooms ahead of the 2026/27 academic year.
The development is delivered through a joint venture between Crosstree Real Estate Partners and Bouygues UK’s Development arm, with Bouygues UK also acting as main contractor. The project was designed by community-focused architect PRP with interiors by Holloway Li.
Rising 10 storeys, the new development provides a range of en-suite rooms and fully equipped studios. Residents will have access to an extensive suite of amenities, including communal lounges, landscaped roof terraces, dedicated study areas, a fully equipped gym, meeting rooms, and a staffed reception with parcel room.
The scheme has been designed to promote student wellbeing, community and social interaction, with well-lit, airy spaces and a combination of formal and informal areas. The landscaped public realm has been developed alongside the architectural and urban design proposals to create a high-quality, accessible, and sustainable setting.
Phase 4 is the penultimate phase of the £650 million Hallsville Quarter masterplan, a long-term regeneration programme transforming Canning Town in the London Borough of Newham in partnership with Bouygues UK. The wider development provides more than 1,100 private and affordable homes, over 30,000 sq metres of leisure and retail space, a hotel, and generous public spaces including a playground designed by Landscape Projects.
Sustainability was central to the project’s delivery, with Bouygues UK adopting a low-carbon construction approach that helped the scheme achieve BREEAM Excellent certification. Fully prefabricated bathroom pods reduced construction waste and improved efficiency on site, while Bouygues UK’s self-delivery of the concrete frame and selected internal finishes supported stronger quality control, programme efficiency, and a reduced overall carbon footprint.
Bouygues UK has also placed significant emphasis on social value throughout the development. Initiatives have included paid roles for University of East London engineering master’s students, apprenticeships and employment-support programmes delivered in partnership with Newham Works, work-experience placements for local schools, CV-writing workshops, mock interviews, and local volunteering and charity activities.
The new development will be operated by ARK Living under the trading name ARK Canning Town, marking the brand’s first dedicated student residence. ARK Canning Town forms part of ARK Living’s growing portfolio of co-living and student residences across London. Drawing on ARK’s established community-focused approach to urban living, the development combines thoughtfully designed private and shared spaces with dedicated on-site teams and a year-round events calendar to encourage socialization and community engagement.
Oliver Campbell, Managing Director, Bouygues UK’s Development team said “The completion of Phase 4 marks an important milestone for Hallsville Quarter and for the regeneration of Canning Town. We are proud to have worked alongside Crosstree Real Estate Partners, PRP Architects, and the wider project team to deliver high-quality student accommodation that combines excellent facilities, sustainable construction and a strong connection to the surrounding neighbourhood.
“As students prepare to move in for the 2026/2027 academic year, this new development will contribute to a vibrant and well-connected town centre, while the wider Hallsville Quarter Masterplan continues to deliver lasting benefits for Newham.”
Pascal Lux, Managing Director, Bouygues UK London & South East commented: “Completing Phase 4 ahead of the academic year reflects the strength of our construction team and our commitment to integrated delivery. Self-delivering the frame and selected finishing trades in combination with prefabricated elements allowed us to maintain tight quality control while reducing waste and carbon impact. This proves that programme efficiency and sustainability go hand in hand.”
Robert Alam, Managing Director at ARK Living comments “ARK Canning Town marks an exciting milestone for us as our first dedicated student residence and an important step in the continued growth of ARK Living. From the outset, our ambition has been to provide a high-quality student living experience, where great design, wellbeing and community all come together under one roof.
‘The building has been designed around how students live today, balancing private studios with places for study, exercise and socialization. Our extensive community events programme and dedicated on-site team will help students settle into London and meet new people, whilst making the most of university life.’
Bouygues UK’s development team has been active in the sector since 2010, delivering 30 projects with a combined gross development value (GDV) of £2 billion and construction activity totalling £1.6 billion. To date, the team has delivered 9,535 student beds across London and the wider UK, establishing Bouygues UK as one of the sector’s most experienced developers. This track record reflects the company’s growing ambitions in student accommodation, with Bouygues UK recently securing planning permission for Bankside House – a landmark 1,945-bed student residence for the London School of Economics (LSE), in partnership with Equitix, set to become one of the largest purpose-built student accommodation schemes in central London.
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