A huge 20-storey student accommodation tower block could be built in the City of London.
Along with room for 780 students, the building is planned to have a cinema, museum, cafe, gym, space for mental health counselling and rooftop views of the River Thames.
Real estate company Dominvs Group wants to build the new accommodation by demolishing a 1980s office block called 65 Crutched Friars in Aldgate. The new set-up could be built in the heart of the Square Mile, just a 10-minute walk from Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.
The new halls include a mix of studios and two to four-bed “cluster apartments” with shared kitchens. A planning report said 35per cent of the rooms will be rented to students at affordable rates in line with standards set by the Mayor of London.
The report adds: “The design team are working with an expert and experienced project team to deliver ‘best-in-class’ purpose-built and professionally managed student accommodation.
“The student accommodation will bring new talent directly into the City of London, helping the transition from learners to earners that maintains the City’s status as the world’s leading place to meet and do business with one another.”
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A public park and courtyard would be built on the site as well as a museum celebrating the history of British immigration. The building could offer a long-term space for the Migration Museum, which “is in discussions” with Dominvs Group to occupy the space, according to the report.
The museum looks at how the movement of people to and from Britain throughout history has shaped identities and celebrates immigration. If the project goes ahead, the set-up would include space for exhibitions, a cafe and museum shop.
The report said: “It is imperative, in a time of Brexit and racial tensions, that a permanent home is given to the museum. Its role being in City of London, the oldest section of London, would cement the long and entwined history of London being about the people that made/make it.”
The second floor of the block includes study spaces for the students and a space for counselling. The report said: “A private and sound-proofed counselling room will also be provided to support the mental health and well-being of the students… The third floor provides for a hive of activity, and includes a cinema room, gym, games area, laundry and café/bar.”
The plans also feature two roof terraces for the residents – one on the third floor and another on the 20th floor with views of the South Bank along the Thames. Dominvs might also open a poetry centre on the ground floor of the building or a dance studio that focuses on South Asian dance.
The City of London’s planning committee is expected to make a decision on the plans in December.
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