GLA green light for Canary Wharf student housing

Our design for a new PBSA development, located within the Wood Wharf neighbourhood at Canary Wharf has received planning approval from the GLA. The proposal comprises a 46-storey building for client Canary Wharf Group, delivering 912 student bedrooms, making a significant contribution to tackling the housing shortage within Tower Hamlets.

Situated in a prime position on the Blackwell Basin waterside, the building will act as a key marker within Wood Wharf. New external public realm is created in two new pocket parks to the east and west of the site with active retail frontages and with a new landscaped boardwalk along the waterside.

7 Brannan Street benefits from an infrastructure of exceptional public transport connectivity making it an ideal location for student accommodation.

The form of the building is a visual expression of its various uses with a distinctive outward step reflecting the different type of student rooms. On the ground floor, student amenities address the streetscape with elevated views across the waterfront. On the ‘step level’, amenity rooms sit just above the surrounding building roofs, while at the top, the south-facing roof terrace affords an excellent long-distance outlook towards Greenwich and beyond.

Our client, Tom Venner, Chief Development Officer for Canary Wharf Group, said: “7 Brannan Street will be a fantastic addition to the diverse range of residential offerings at Canary Wharf. We are already home to world-leading education and learning facilities, including the UCL School of Management operating from One Canada Square. This building will help meet the demand for modern, high-quality accommodation located within a metropolitan environment offering a rich mix of retail, leisure, hospitality and green spaces for students to enjoy.” 



Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor, City Hall commented at the meeting: “Whilst this application is for PBSA, it nevertheless meets a housing demand equivalent to 364 homes. We’re all aware of the urgent need to deliver more homes, and particularly genuinely affordable homes, if we’re to tackle the housing crisis and boost economic growth. World-class higher education institutions are an important economic driver and can support growth and regeneration, as well as addressing skills shortages.”