Sheppard Robson submits new student housing to Camden Council

Image: courtesy of Sheppard Robson

Plans have been submitted to Camden Council, according to Sheppard Robson, for 121 beds of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and 60m² of community space on Britannia Street.

The project, designed for Curlew Capital, transforms a site, currently used as a surface car park, into a building that responds to significant technical constraints while incorporating community-focused amenity within the highly constrained site.

Britannia Street’s distinctive form emerged from the complex engineering requirements of building over the Thameslink tunnel beneath the western portion of the site.

The design creates a three-part composition: a lightweight pavilion above the tunnel supported by an independent raft foundation; a cantilevered western section hung from roof level; and a more substantial eastern element providing structural support.

The seven-storey building's massing steps down towards the Grade II-listed Derby Lodge, with the form and materials carefully developed through extensive consultation with planning officers and local residents.

The design draws on the area's industrial and residential heritage, employing a palette of light brickwork, warm metalwork, and perforated screens that complement the conservation area's character.

At ground level is a dedicated community space with priority access for local organisations, alongside student amenity areas that wrap around a green central courtyard. This space was integrated following consultation with local residents.

The project team intend to continue working with the residents to develop the detail of the design and to enhance the courtyard landscape at the heart of Derby Lodge.

Large windows in communal areas and corridors create an inviting place for students to congregate and socialise. Corridors are punctuated by communal nooks, inviting incidental social interaction. A landscaped rooftop terrace offers panoramic views of landmarks such as St Pancras and the BT Tower.

The scheme's 24-hour management and active frontages will help increase safety, while new trees and public realm will enhance the pedestrian experience.

Futureproofing is provided by incorporating adaptable layouts that can accommodate other compact living uses, such as a hotel, co-living or additional care, with the potential to increase accessible accommodation provision above standard requirements.

The scheme targets BREEAM 'Excellent' through a comprehensive sustainability strategy that includes all-electric low-carbon services, including air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels.

The façade design responds directly to solar orientation, with carefully calibrated window proportions and shading elements to optimise daylight and views out while preventing overheating.

Planting at ground level and on roof terraces significantly enhances biodiversity on a site that currently has no ecological value. Rainwater attenuation systems will reduce runoff and manage water efficiently.

Dan Burr, partner at Sheppard Robson, said: "Our design proposals for Britannia Street demonstrate how technical challenges can drive inventive architectural composition.

"Through collaboration with our neighbours and the planning officers, we've developed a scheme that not only overcomes significant engineering challenges but that will enhance the conservation area and provide much-needed student accommodation in London's Knowledge Quarter."