A former crown court in London is set to be demolished and replaced with housing for students and social accommodation, following the approval of plans by local councillors.
iQ Student Accommodation aims to redevelop Blackfriars Crown Court, creating space for 600 students as well as providing 71 affordable housing units.
The planning committee of Southwark Council voted in favor of the project, which will revamp the currently vacant site on Pocock Street that has been unused for six years.
Originally built in the post-war era as a printworks for HM Stationery Office, the building later transitioned to a court of law.
An iQ representative informed the planning committee that the new development would deliver “high-quality, well-managed student housing along with needed affordable homes in the center of Southwark.”
According to the plans, the student housing will be situated within a single block, comprising 350 studio apartments and 40 shared flats.
Amenities for students will include communal facilities such as a cinema, karaoke room, and gym.
The tallest section of the housing block will reach six stories and will comprise entirely affordable units, which will consist of 23 one-bedroom, 34 two-bedroom, six three-bedroom, and eight four-bedroom apartments. Additionally, a café and commercial retail space are also planned for the site.
During the public consultation phase, the proposal garnered two objections from residents over concerns regarding the scarcity of affordable housing, the high concentration of student accommodations in the area, and potential impacts on privacy and sunlight.
In response, a planning officer stated in a report that the project was deemed “suitable for the area” and highlighted that the plan for 40% affordable housing was “very commendable.”
Blackfriars Crown Court was one of the many courts closed between 2010 and 2019 as part of efforts to reduce expenses and streamline the judicial system.
At that time, the Ministry of Justice indicated that its closure would “provide better value for money for taxpayers and enhance facilities for court users.”
However, these closures have faced criticism as the backlog of crown court cases in England and Wales has surged to a historic high of nearly 80,000 cases, resulting in trial wait times reaching up to four years.
Her Majesty’s Court & Tribunal Service relayed to The Law Society Gazette that they explored the possibility of temporarily utilizing the site while redevelopment plans were being established, but determined that “the venue was only available for a limited timeframe and did not offer good value for money.”
Additional reporting by Josh Elgin.
