Rockingham Street, Elephant & Castle

The Opportunity

This purpose-built student accommodation development presented a unique set of challenges. The 24-storey slender tower was designed with a compact footprint to respond to the constraints of a highly restricted brownfield site, located adjacent to a Thameslink railway viaduct and bordered by two major highways. To maximise site density, the upper storeys were cantilevered, enabling the provision of 244 student bedrooms alongside a range of high-quality communal amenities. The development also incorporated the site’s three existing railway arches, which were repurposed to create commercial space for independent and local businesses.

Our Approach

Anstey Horne’s extensive experience delivering purpose-built student accommodation on complex central London sites provided a strong foundation for leading the procurement strategy and contractor negotiations while maintaining strict budgetary control. This was achieved through proactive management of work packages, early risk identification and mitigation, and the implementation of targeted value-engineering initiatives.

Working closely with Network Rail and other key stakeholders, we developed an efficient logistics strategy and rationalised the concrete frame design to minimise transfer structures. We also optimised storey heights, evaluated a range of heating and cooling solutions, and successfully eliminated the need for a basement, delivering significant cost and programme benefits.

In addition, we played a key role in managing the project’s response to evolving regulatory requirements, including changes to Building Regulations and the introduction of the Building Safety Act during the design phase. Through careful programme management and forward planning, we ensured the project remained compliant while maintaining momentum throughout delivery.