Mount Pleasant Halls - Cambridge
It was our ability to see the potential of an old run down office that led to this very successful development for all involved. Having purchased the office it took tenacity to conclude a satisfactory grant of planning without appeal.
The development replaced a 1970’s office block and is an excellent example of where a collaborative approach to the development process can deliver tangible benefits for all parties.
This prominent development was built in close collaboration with the adjacent St Edmunds College, one of the autonomous colleges of the University of Cambridge.
Prominently located in the historic city of Cambridge, the building has been leased to St Edmunds with living accommodation that was specifically designed to meet the needs of their graduate student body. In particular it provides generous en-suite study bedrooms of 17.5m² ensuring ample space for seating and storage.
The development also includes a number of studio flats along with ancillary accommodation such as secure cycle storage, common room and a porters lodge.
The planning and design environment around this particular development were of paramount importance needing to be respectful of the setting and context within the West Cambridge Conservation area.
Planning involved an iterative design process with the local authority and we were able to secure consent for a development that has provided a new focal point for a prominent corner location and replaced a car dependent development with one that is focussed on walking, cycling and public transport.
We and our JV partner arranged forward funding with Legal & General.