Bouygues UK has secured planning consent for a major student accommodation scheme behind Tate Modern, paving the way for one of the capital’s largest developments of its kind.
The approval enables progress on the LSE Bankside project, with a start on site targeted for 2027 as the team prepares a Gateway 2 submission to the Building Safety Regulator. The scheme will be delivered in partnership with London School of Economics and investor Equitix.
Backed by Southwark Council, the development will see the redevelopment of Bankside House at 24 Sumner Street. Plans involve demolishing the existing building and replacing it with three linked towers rising to 24, 26 and 28 storeys.
The project will deliver 1,945 student rooms arranged around landscaped courtyards, alongside new pedestrian routes, retail provision and community-focused spaces at ground level, improving connectivity and public realm in the area.
Bouygues has led the scheme from early concept through to planning and is now advancing into detailed design and regulatory approval stages. Design responsibility sits with Carmody Groarke and Sheppard Robson, with Montagu Evans advising on planning, heritage, viability and socioeconomics.
The development forms a key part of the London School of Economics’ strategy to expand its accommodation capacity to 6,000 bed spaces by 2030, reducing reliance on the private rental market for students.
Sustainability targets are central to the scheme, which is designed as an all-electric development aiming for a BREEAM Excellent rating, with an aspiration for Outstanding. It is also targeting Passivhaus-level energy performance and incorporating WELL-focused design principles.
