Overdevelopment debate rages on in Elephant and Castle as new student accommodation proposal approved 

Elephant and Castle residents are divided over plans for a new student accommodation that was approved at a council meeting last week.

The proposal submitted by London & Regional Properties Ltd (LRP) on 10 September comprises two 30 and 31-story tower blocks that will house 1,434 students. 

The property is set to be developed on land currently occupied by Skipton House, a seven-storey office block adjacent to Elephant and Castle tube station that has been vacant since 2022.

The investment comes amidst ongoing criticisms from Southwark natives about ‘overdevelopment’ in the borough, with 116 people opposing the Skipton House project.

One objector at the council meeting said: “We cannot keep simply throwing up tall buildings which are not supported by physical infrastructure nor other essential provisions such as healthcare.” 

Speaking to Southwark News in January, another resident said: “This application should be refused as it has no reference to its setting as a gateway into Central London. More student accommodation will add to already high antisocial behaviour.”

However, some business owners in the area surrounding Skipton House view the influx of students that will come with the building as an economic opportunity.

Emeka Ofagburuagu, owner of Black Cowboy Coffee, said that although the development may be ‘difficult to digest’ for some, the neighbourhood ‘cannot afford to stagnate’ by resisting change.

The 54-year-old who immigrated from Nigeria 38 years ago believes that locals will be able to maintain their place in the community while welcoming new footfall, saying: “Elephant and Castle is known for a vibrant culture but it is not known for a vibrant economy. It has not been for a long time. So what we want to do is to have both, you can have both a vibrant culture and a vibrant economy.”

Ana Karina Payono, a hairdresser living in Streatham who has worked in the area for 22 years, said that the incoming student blocks would bring money into neighbourhood businesses. 

The 50-year-old also discussed how urban regeneration projects like these had made Elephant and Castle safer since she first arrived in 2003, but agreed with calls for more affordable housing to be built alongside the private developments. 

Under Southwark Council mandates, any new private development must include a minimum of 35% affordable accommodation. 

LRP has promised to build 243 new flats across two tower blocks that will be priced at affordable rates, with Councillor Emily Tester praising the ‘high portion of on-site affordable housing’ at the deciding council meeting. 

Despite these commitments, Payono said that the affordable housing being built by developers does little to address high rent costs. 

“The problem is that the government allows people to charge whatever they want in rent. That’s why there is a long waiting list for housing,” she said.

“With my salary, I can’t afford to pay for a flat here or in Streatham. Wherever you go in London at the moment, it’s unbelievable.”

Commitments to build 35% affordable housing have also been skirted around by some developers. 

Another plan submitted by the property group Tailored Living Solutions (TLS) will construct a 15-story student accommodation and make a £7.8 million payment in lieu (PIL) of its obligations under council protocol. 

This payment will contribute to the Homes Building Programme which constructs off-site accommodation. 

The 35% Campaign, a Southwark group advocating for more accessible social housing, said: “These developments are an example of an unwelcome trend in Southwark, which favours student accommodation over housing. The developer of the Elephant and Castle Town Centre also has a planning application pending for over 450 student bedrooms.

“While we will be getting the equivalent of 35% affordable housing from these developments, either as homes or as cash payments, this is well short of Southwark’s 50% strategic target and well short of what is needed if we are ever going to beat the housing crisis.”

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “The government will not allow rent controls in London or anywhere else.

“We will empower tenants to challenge excessive rent hikes through our Renter’s Rights Bill to give people housing security.”

London & Regional Properties Ltd has been approached for comment. 

Tailored Living Solutions has been approached for comment.

Featured image: Skipton House. Credit: Megan Norcott