Planning is approved for LSE's 1,945-bed Bankside student housing scheme

Images shows a large atrium which uses a lot of wood. Light is coming through from a skylight.

The London School of Economics and Political Science's redevelopment of Bankside House has secured planning approval. The 1,945-bed student residence being delivered in partnership with Equitix and Bouygues UK, and with Max Fordham acting as sustainability and Passivhaus consultants, will provide affordable, high-quality accommodation in central London and help ease pressure on the wider private rental market. 

Providing much needed student accomodation

LSE has more than 12,000 full-time students, with around 60% currently living in private accommodation because of a shortage of LSE-managed rooms. Under its 2030 strategy, the school has committed to expanding its accommodation offer to 6,000 bed spaces and guaranteeing a place to every new first-year student.

All rooms proposed at the Bankside redevelopment will be at sub-market rents, with 15% of bed spaces meeting the London Plan definition of Affordable Student Accommodation (capped at 55% of the maximum maintenance loan). 

Bankside Residences have also been designed to be a better neighbour. The scheme includes a publicly accessible Community Hub, Community Classroom, event spaces, an LSE-run café and public realm improvements designed to strengthen Bankside’s connection with Sumner Street and the Tate Modern. 

Designed by competition-winning team Carmody Groarke and Sheppard Robson, the scheme replaces the mid-century office-turned-residence with three stepped towers of 24, 26 and 28 storeys linked by two low-rise pavilions around generous, landscaped courtyards and extensive public realm integration. 

Tate Modern on the opposite bank of the River Thames, with the Millennium Bridge entering from the left and the gallery’s tall brick chimney centred, and a rocky shoreline in the foreground.

© Miller Hare

Three tall, light‑coloured residential towers rising from a new urban square, with people walking and gathering at ground level among trees and planting under a pale sky.

© Jeudi Wang

Image shows people in front of a glass fronted building. Large towers are next to and behind.

The ground level pavilions link the three towers

© Render by Jeudi Wang

“We're delighted to be part of the team on this project, taking high-quality Passivhaus student accommodation onward and upward in the UK.

It's been great taking the lessons learnt from designing, delivering, and carrying out post-occupancy evaluation (POE) on a series of industry-leading Passivhaus purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) projects, and applying them to a project that combines massive impact for the LSE, sits in an iconic location, and has such a progressive sustainability brief.

It's been a pleasure working alongside the LSE, the design team, and the Bouygues UK team, with really engaged input from their technical experts.“

Gwilym Still Director, Passivhaus

Sustainability embedded from day one

By working closely with both the design and delivery teams from the outset, we had the opportunity to influence early decisions—optimising embodied carbon and embedding circular design principles at the heart of the project.

The client showed a clear commitment to the principle of reuse and to driving a resource-efficient, lower-carbon scheme within tight constraints. This is a great example of what’s possible when sustainability is embedded from day one, even in the complex context of high-rise development. 

A key objective of the all-electric scheme is to manage and reduce the development's whole life carbon and maximise the use of materials that have a lower environmental impact such as recycled, reusable, or reclaimed materials. The buildings are designed to minimise waste generation during the construction phase using modular and modern methods of construction.

Passive design and fabric-first principles, supported by rooftop photovoltaics, will help reduce operational energy demand, manage ventilation, sunlight, and overheating risk, and create a stable indoor environment. The development is targeting operational energy use of approximately 45–55 kWh/m²/year.

The all-electric scheme is targeting high environmental standards, including BREEAM Excellent and very low operational energy use. 

Construction is targeting more than 99% diversion of waste from landfills and at least 20% recycled or reused content by value, supported by circular-economy principles. Landscaped terraces and gardens at podium level provide social and biophilic amenity for residents, while contributing to climate resilience. 

Works are expected to begin in 2027, with the new Bankside House scheduled to open before September 2032.

Audience seated in rows attending a talk in a timber‑lined hall, facing a stage with a podium and projected slide reading “New World Disorders” at the LSE Festival, with daylight through tall windows on both sides.

© Carmody Groarke and Sheppard Robson

A wide aerial view across the River Thames showing Tate Modern with its central brick chimney, the Millennium Bridge at left, and the London skyline behind, including The Shard, under a clear sky.

© Jeudi Wang

A pedestrian‑friendly urban courtyard framed by light‑coloured residential buildings, with trees, seating, and people walking, sitting, and socialising at ground level.

© Jeudi Wang

“This is the culmination of a ten-year engagement with the borough on the redevelopment of our Bankside residences. Working with the Southwark team we have crafted an affordable, sustainable and high-quality design which will make a significant contribution to the borough. The scheme’s civic offer is incredibly strong with genuine public access and community uses integrated within the building, and we can’t wait to see LSE’s world-class estate extended south of the river.“

Julian Robinson Director of Estates, London School of Economics and Political Science

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