Lambeth Council's Planning Applications Committee (PAC) is considering a compromise on affordable housing for the proposed redevelopment of 36-46 Albert Embankment. The applicant, Urbanest UK Albert Embankment Limited and Hotchkiss Limited, is seeking permission to build two linked towers for student accommodation, along with a cafe, flexible incubator space, and the refurbishment of Vintage House.
The original proposal included 35% affordable student accommodation. However, in order to comply with London Plan Policy H15 A (4) which requires that at least 35% of the accommodation provided must be secured as affordable student accommodation to follow the 'Fast Track' Route, the applicant revised this to 20% affordable student accommodation and an £8.02 million payment in lieu (PiL) to support conventional affordable housing in Lambeth. This change comes amid concerns that an influx of similar Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) applications may prevent other forms of housing, particularly conventional homes, from being developed.
The £8.02 million payment in lieu (PiL) is to be used for the provision of conventional affordable housing (Use Class C3) within Lambeth. The specific types and locations are not detailed in the provided text.
The proposed development includes:
- 769 student rooms with 897 beds.
- A cafe and flexible incubator/cultural space. This space is intended to be made available to 'Neon Performing Arts' or another similar organisation to be agreed with the Council, rent-free for 20 years.
- Retention, refurbishment, and vertical extension of Vintage House for office use.
- 640 bicycle parking spaces.
While the Greater London Authority (GLA) does not consider the revised proposal to be Fast Track
due to the hybrid approach, they recognise the potential public benefits of the PiL. The GLA and Historic England have raised concerns about potential harm to the Westminster World Heritage Site due to the development's scale. GLA officers consider that, in View 6 from Trafalgar Square, a small degree of harm is caused by the intrusion of the proposed development into the sky gap between the Victoria Tower and existing building, detracting from the appreciation of the silhouette of the tower against open sky.
The report pack for the Planning Applications Committee meeting on Tuesday 1 July 2025, also notes that the applicant is aiming for Passivhaus certification and a BREEAM rating of Outstanding for the student accommodation.
The Planning Applications Committee is scheduled to discuss and make a decision on the application at their meeting on Tuesday 1 July 2025. The full agenda and reports pack can be found on the Lambeth Council website.