Olympian Homes has secured Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for its planned 46-storey co-living tower at 56 Marsh Wall in Canary Wharf, marking a significant milestone for the high-rise residential sector.
The 833-studio development is the tallest co-living scheme in the UK to pass through the Gateway 2 process under the post-Grenfell building safety regime. The project represents Olympian’s first wholly co-living scheme and will be delivered under its new brand, Vivus Living, which is intended to anchor a broader pipeline of London-based schemes before expanding into other major UK cities.
Main contractor RG Group is lined up to deliver the Docklands tower, with Leeds-based Demolition Services Ltd expected to commence site clearance works in April. Subject to programme progression, RG Group is anticipated to start construction in the autumn.
Designed as a purpose-built co-living offer, the tower will provide studios averaging 24 sq m, marginally larger than many comparable schemes currently in the market. Amenity space will be distributed throughout the building rather than concentrated solely at podium or roof level, a move intended to create more integrated communal environments across multiple floors.
Proposed facilities include a commercial-scale gym, spa and wellness areas, shared living and dining lounges, and flexible workspace. The operational model adopts a hotel-style approach, with 24-hour concierge services, food and beverage provision including room service, and private meeting and function rooms.
As of last year, Olympian had 1.8m sq ft of purpose-built student accommodation and build-to-rent development under construction across six sites. The Marsh Wall project signals its first pure-play entry into the co-living sector, aligning with shifting urban rental demand and affordability pressures in the capital.
Vivus Living will initially concentrate on London, where Olympian has identified a £2bn development pipeline, before targeting other core UK cities. Savills has been appointed to secure equity partners for both the Marsh Wall scheme and the wider Vivus roll-out.
Chairman and founder Mark Slatter said: “This milestone is the culmination of five years of hard work on the planning and the Gateway 2 process.
“It has not been easy, but the BSR regime is improving all the time.
“In my 33 years in the business, this scheme and the Vivus brand is by far the most exciting project I have been involved with and we look forward to finding the right equity partners in this still very challenging market to deliver this much-needed affordable alternative to BTR.”
