New proposals for the Vauxhall Campus of South Bank College (formerly Lambeth College) have been in the headlines recently. A number of locals are against the plans. However, the developer London Realty has spoken in support of them. As one of the leading resources for guaranteed rent Lambeth has, we want to take a closer look at what is going on. New housing for the area is great news, but this project seems to have struck the wrong chord with locals.

What is the plan?

The proposal is to build a new residential tower on the 0.2 hectare site. It could create hundreds of apartments in a high rise that could be as tall as 24 floors. As many as 35% of the new homes would be affordable.

This is an interesting plan and a slight evolution of a previous proposal for the site. Here the developer was planning to create a tower for student accommodation. It would have had flats for 272 students but been smaller in height.

The local response

While the developer has optimism for the project, a number of locals have already spoken out against it. One of the major fears is it is a very dense development. It could bring more than 600 new residents to the area. There are concerns that it would cause traffic issues on local roads.

In addition local people are worried about the impact on the community. They fear the tower would struggle to integrate with the area. In fact, the plans have a high fence that will be a physical barrier in the way of this.

One of the criticisms is that the proposal is not for the right kind of housing for the area. They say towers can struggle to create a nice place to live. Instead, they would prefer to see high quality housing that will provide a good quality of life for the residents.

What did the developer say?

London Realty has spoken in response to the criticism of the density and design. They have pointed out that the massing has already got planning permission. This was given by Lambeth Council in 2019. They also said the density complies with the London Plan. Plus, it shows how it is possible to use land efficiently to maximise the creation of new housing.

In terms of the design, they are really happy with the work from the architects Squire & Partners. They feel the new tower will suit the local context and fit well with the area.

What next?

The residential tower project is at a relatively early stage. Plans for the student accommodation were further along, gaining planning permission, but they seem to have now been put on the shelf. Instead the plan for homes for individuals and families is the focus.

London Realty is yet to submit these plans to the council, but is in the process of a public consultation. They may move forward with the submission by the end of the year.

Ask us about guaranteed rent in Lambeth

At Guaranteed Rent we know how hard the situation is in terms of housing in London. There are a number of factors that cause problems. For starters, demand and prices are high so it can be hard for people to find homes. Then it is tricky to build enough new ones because of spatial issues.

On top of all that there is often a divide between what locals want and what developers think an area needs. That can cause lots of issues. In some cases people simply don’t want to see new high rises or social housing in their area.

We appreciate the need for all kinds of different housing. We also have a lot of experience working with it. Our goal is to help clients arrange a solution for their assets where their rent money is safe.

So, you can choose us for the best option for guaranteed rent in Lambeth and get help with assets anywhere else in the city. Get in touch today for further details.