Summary:
- IQ has secured planning approval to demolish the former Blackfriars Crown Court in Southwark and develop a £100m scheme delivering 600 student rooms alongside 71 affordable homes, addressing central London’s housing needs.
- The project replaces a previous adaptive-reuse plan by Fabrix, shifting focus from mixed-use offices and leisure to purpose-built student accommodation and social rent homes, with designs that enhance local connectivity and streetscape vitality.
- Construction is scheduled to start in 2026, introducing three new blocks inspired by local warehouse architecture and featuring landscaped pedestrian routes to improve neighbourhood links and activate the long-vacant site.
Original article:
