Developer Southern Grove has secured permission for a scheme that promises to complete the transformation of Hackney Wick into a student quarter.聽
The Piano Works, on the site of the former Broadwood piano factory in Fish Island, will house 204 student beds in two blocks 鈥� one six-storey, the other seven-storey.
The ground floor of both buildings will host incubator space for the London College of Fashion (University of the Arts London).
A third building, five storeys high, will contain 840 sqm of commercial floorspace, which will be entirely given over to community organisation the Stour Trust, which supports local commercial, artistic and industrial enterprises.
No contractor has been signed for the project yet.
The developer hopes that having these two organisations embedded 鈥渨ill create a new centre of gravity in the cultural life of Hackney Wick鈥�.
Southern Grove said that The Piano Works, on Stour Rd, would 鈥渉elp Hackney Wick complete its evolution into one of the most vibrant off-campus student communities in London鈥�.
Neighbouring student accommodation blocks include The Vogue, a 330-bed scheme developed by Southern Grove鈥檚 joint venture sister company, Future Generation, a specialist in purpose-built student accommodation.
The Piano Works was designed by architect Henley Halebrown. Southern Grove was also assisted by planning consultant Knight Frank and townscape consultant Montagu Evans.
Southern Grove Group chief executive Tom Slingsby said: 鈥淗ackney Wick will soon be one of the most vibrant and exciting places to be in the capital and we鈥檙e tremendously proud that we鈥檝e played a huge role in making that happen.
鈥淭he Piano Works will be yet another design-led, landmark development helping to make Fish Island a magnet for young people, students, entrepreneurs and the businesses that want to reach them.
鈥淭he presence of Stour Trust and the London School of Fashion will present no end of opportunities for local people and residents. This is the kind of scheme that suddenly puts an area on the map, creating a wave of inward investment that we鈥檙e sure will last for decades.鈥�
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