Camden student housing approved at appeal

Morris & Company has won planning permission at appeal for proposals to demolish a six-storey 1960s office building near London’s Euston Station and replace it with a 15-storey student housing development.

The scheme, drawn up for developer Euston One Ltd, also involves the refurbishment of the ground floor level of a neighbouring residential block on William Road to provide affordable workspace. Both buildings were previously used as offices by private hire taxi firm Addison Lee.

Camden Council rejected Morris & Co’s plans for 239 student rooms in October 2021, citing the quality of the proposed accommodation and the absence of a legal agreement among its reasons for refusal.

The practice subsequently redesigned the scheme to include a second staircase, however the lack of a second staircase for the building was not one of Camden’s grounds for refusal.

Issuing her decision at the end of last month, planning inspector Christina Downes noted that Greater London Authority planning officers had said the proposals would offer a “very high standard” of accommodation and that she agreed with the verdict.