Sadiq Khan has addressed the Make Architects\u2019 plans for a 20-storey student accommodation scheme in Paddington, two months after it was rejected for the second time by Westminster Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The proposal for 605 bedrooms for Unite Students and Travis Perkins was rejected by councillors in January due to its height, scale, and the impact on daylight for nearby residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This followed a previous refusal of a larger version with 768 bedrooms in 2022, which itself had been scaled down from an initial 22-storey plan containing 843 bedrooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, in a letter to Westminster Council, Khan said these proposals would make a \u201csignificant contribution to the strategic student accommodation requirements set out in the London Plan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Mayor of London said these plans would also make a \u201cpositive contribution\u201d to meeting the capital\u2019s housing targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTherefore, it is considered that the refusal of 605 student bed spaces impacts the implementation of the London Plan,\u201d Khan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This move means the mayor will now act as the local planning authority for the scheme, with public hearings to take place in the coming months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2021 London Plan requires at least 3,500 purpose-built student bed spaces to be delivered annually to meet demand, with 35% of rooms designated as affordable rent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The application rejected by Westminster in January proposed 35% of the bedrooms as affordable. However, this has since been revised to 30%, with 5% provided as a payment instead of \u00a33 million into the council\u2019s affordable housing fund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The scheme involves the demolition and replacement of the existing Travis Perkins branch on the canal-side site with student housing above, along with a new pathway to the canal and a public space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The site is located behind Paddington Station and next to the Brunel and Fletcher Priest buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project team includes Gerald Ives for planning, Arup for transport, GIA for daylight, Tavernor Consultancy for heritage, Waterman for MEP, Meinardt as the structural and fa\u00e7ade engineer, BDP as the landscape architect, and AtkinsRealis as the lead designer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":5663,"template":"","class_list":["post-5665","news-cu","type-news-cu","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n