Architect Morris + Company has designed the 45-storey building for the site at 231-235 Southwark Bridge Road, which would become one of Europe’s tallest purpose-built student accommodation towers.

The scheme will replace existing buildings with the landmark tower while retaining and restoring two locally listed townhouses.

A disused single-storey taxi office will also be flattened to make way for a new pocket park, while active ground-floor uses and wider public realm improvements are planned around the site.

Scape said the two historic townhouses would be carefully restored and brought back into public use.

The developer is also proposing to contribute more than £30m towards affordable housing elsewhere in Southwark.

The tower has been designed to sit within the emerging cluster of high-rise development around Elephant & Castle and major transport links.

It neighbours the proposed Borough Triangle redevelopment, where plans include four towers ranging from 10 to 44 storeys and 892 homes.

The constrained site also sits close to railway lines and the Ministry of Sound nightclub, requiring the design team to tackle noise and other challenges.

Construction is targeted to start in mid-2027 with completion by the end of 2030.