Three new skyscrapers are coming to south London, and one of them will take the crown as the second-tallest residential building in the UK.
Lambeth Council has given the all-clear for a £2,000,000 redevelopment in Vauxhall Square, a vacant plot of land near Vauxhall station.
The project, led by developers Bmor and investors Cedarstone Capital Partners and Cheyne Capital, will see the construction of seven new buildings in the area, ranging from two to 69 stories tall.
The highest of the buildings will stand at a staggering 230.5m, making it the second-tallest residential building in the UK after Canary Wharf’s Landmark Pinnacle, which stands at a whopping 239m with 75 storeys.
According to reports, the building will provide more than 1,000 new homes for sale and rent, a quarter of which will be classed as affordable homes. Retail units will open on the ground floor.
Two 61-storey buildings will offer 355 Built-to-Rent homes as well as 1,164 co-living units, with co-working spaces and retail units located on the ground floor.
A 45-storey tower will function as student accommodation, offering almost 700 rooms for students, 35% of which will be ‘affordable’.
A smaller 20-storey building will offer 122 social rent homes with healthcare amenities proposed for the ground floor, and a 17-storey building will offer office and retail space as well as a hotel on the upper floors.
The seventh building, consisting of only two storeys, will include retail space as well as a cinema. Additional community facilities for the area, like a gym, swimming pool and play area, are also planned.
What else is coming to London?
The news comes as the City of London is about to get a brand-new £1,000,000,000 skyscraper offering panoramic views of the city, as well as the ‘highest bar in London’.
In central London, the iconic BT Tower is being transformed into a posh hotel with a rooftop swimming pool, a 360-degree revolving observation deck, and lots of new retail space.
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Backlash to the plans
Although Lambeth Council approved the project earlier this month, the decision has been met with backlash.
Stockwell East councillor Kevin Brown warned that the opinions of London residents were not being considered, and that the towers would ‘overshadow public space’.
He said: ‘The towers are visible from Stockwell, which is my ward, and even Brixton. Many housing estates, including in the local area and further afield, as well as pubs and businesses around Little Portugal would be affected by this, and we need a better Local Plan that would actually account for it.’
Historic England has warned that the development would harm the Westminster World Heritage Site – a UNESCO-recognised site that includes the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey – and claimed that the new towers would have an impact on several protected London sightlines.
Lambeth Council rejected the argument, insisting the towers would not harm protected views or harm any heritage assets.
Development manager Bmor has said that the project will create a ‘vibrant environment for residents, workers, and visitors alike.’
A website statement reads: ‘With a central garden at its heart, lined by an array of ground-floor uses, and equally diverse residential offering, our vision will create a landmark destination in London. One that supports and nurtures the local community as much as the new residents it attracts.’