Old student campus in Wandsworth is ideal for temporary family homes, say developers

By Charlotte Lilywhite, Local Democracy Reporter

Ex-student accommodation could be turned into 212 temporary homes for homeless families.

Buildings at Mount Clare campus, previously used by the University of Roehampton, would be used as temporary accommodation for up to five years under new plans submitted to Wandsworth council.

Developer Specialist Real Estate Limited put forward the plans as it is set to purchase the empty campus, which includes 18th century Grade I listed Mount Clare House, 20th century block Picasso House and further student accommodation.

The campus grounds, in Minstead Gardens, were originally landscaped by famous landscape architect Capability Brown in the 1770s.

The developer is proposing to reuse the student accommodation blocks and Picasso House as temporary housing for up to five years while it draws up permanent plans for the site. Mount Clare House would be used to provide administrative services for the temporary accommodation.

A report submitted with the plans said the developer wants to return the buildings to ‘meaningful full-time use, to provide security, generate some income to assist with the future phases of development, and to ensure that the buildings, particularly the listed buildings, do not fall into further disrepair’. The report added the council has an ‘acute need for this specialist form of housing’.

The council had 3,717 households in temporary housing in November, according to a report by council officers, while the overall supply of accommodation becoming available for letting was 252 properties behind forecast. A total of 11,860 households were on the council’s housing waiting list in March last year.

The proposed development would provide about 212 units for temporary accommodation across the site. Most of the rooms would have ensuites and kitchenettes, while clusters in Picasso House would have shared kitchens and bathrooms. The plans would not involve any physical works to Mount Clare House.

The report added: “The funds generated through the temporary housing use will allow for the wider site, including these other buildings which are not affected by the proposals, to be actively managed, kept secure, heated in the case of Mount Clare House, and to avoid degradation, until more permanent and appropriate uses can be found for the site.”

Wandsworth council will make a decision on the plans in due course.