McLaren Lands £55m Elephant & Castle Student Housing Job

McLaren Construction has won a £55 million contract to build new student accommodation at Elephant & Castle in south London.

Developers Fabrix and PATRIZIA appointed McLaren for Walworth Corners, a 134,000 sq ft purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development. The scheme will transform a 0.34-hectare brownfield site into 283 student beds, 20 new affordable homes for social rent, and retail and community space.

Enabling works are underway. Completion is targeted for Spring 2028.

Howells designed the scheme. It pairs high-quality new construction with targeted retention and extension of part of the existing concrete frame fronting Walworth Road — an approach McLaren frames as central to the project's sustainability credentials.

Louis Duffield, Partner at Fabrix, said: "McLaren's appointment is an important milestone for Walworth Corners and for the growth of our living portfolio."

"We have an exceptional team in place and are excited to be moving into construction on a development that will deliver much needed student accommodation and affordable homes alongside genuinely useful spaces for the wider community," Duffield added.

Tony Whyte, Divisional Director at McLaren Construction, said: "This project is an exemplar of sustainable, mixed-use development, combining the careful retention of part of the existing structure with high-quality new construction to create long-term social, economic and environmental value."

"By making efficient use of a centrally-located brownfield site, the development will deliver much-needed new homes, high-quality student accommodation and enhanced community facilities, while bringing increased footfall and vitality to an important high street," Whyte said.

The contract marks a significant step for Fabrix's expanding living portfolio, and positions Walworth Corners within the wider regeneration of Elephant & Castle, where demand for student beds and affordable housing continues to outstrip supply.