A set of new towers will bring 3,000 new homes to Vauxhall.
The cluster of behemoths at Nine Elms and Vauxhall is now so dense that it's hard to work up much excitement (positive or negative) for yet more. But the seven-building Vauxhall Square development promises to be a bit different.
For one thing, it's massive, even by local standards. At 227 metres, the tallest tower in the development would be the loftiest in Vauxhall, and the second-tallest residential building in the UK (after the slightly taller Landmark Pinnacle at Canary Wharf). Its upper floors will be higher than the restaurants of the Heron Tower in the City, for example.
For another, the development is right next to Vauxhall Tube/train/bus station. Its stepped profile will therefore dominate the immediate view for anyone arriving in the area by public transport. Even its second and third towers, at 204m and 205m, would be two-thirds of a Shard in height.
It might have been still taller, but a proposed spire was chopped back thanks to aviation restrictions and a protected view from Parliament Square.
The scheme was drawn up by architects Pilbrow and Partners for the developers Bmor, Cheyne Capital and Cedarstone Capital. It replaces an earlier and smaller scheme by Allies & Morrison that had been approved in 2016 but failed to gain momentum.
According to the official website, the new development would "deliver approximately 1097 new homes, with 35% affordable, alongside 1,164 co-living units and 699 student units with 35% affordable* provision. Vauxhall Square will also help to deliver over 180 additional homes in the borough". Throw in a cinema, restaurants, bars, hotel, central green, office space and sundry community spaces and this is one huge development.
The £2 billion scheme has now been submitted to Lambeth Council for approval. You can (in theory) scrutinise the plans on Lambeth's planning portal by searching for application reference 25/03113/EIAFUL ... but we've been unable to get it to work on repeated attempts.
If approved, work would be expected to start in 2027 for completion in 2032.
*Usual caveats apply about this subjective adjective.
