Another tall student accommodation block could be built next to the Silvertown Tunnel entrance in Greenwich after planning documents were filed with the council.

More than 2,000 students could be living close to the tunnel if three separate schemes in the area are built.

Your Tribe, which recently had plans for student blocks by Deptford Creek refused, hopes to build blocks of up to 28 storeys between the tunnel portal and the site of the old East Greenwich gasholder, which was demolished in 2020.

The site is vacant after being used for the construction of the tunnel, which opened last year.

Your Tribe hopes to build up to 700 student rooms and 400 co-living homes – individual flats that also contain shared facilities like kitchens and laundries – on the plot off Millennium Way. It held a public consultation in March and has filed documents with Greenwich Council asking what should be considered in its environmental assessment.

Work could start next year with the development finished by 2033, the application says.

Developer render
Scape and Morrow plan to build on the gas holder site itself Image: Scape via consultation documents

The gas holder site itself could also house a 29-storey tower containing student accommodation according to documents filed by a rival provider, Scape, last November.

Up to 1,000 student beds, 600 co-living rooms and 120 “affordable” flats could be built there, in buildings of 17, 24 and 29 storeys.

A “crescent park” inspired by the gas holder – which was a local landmark that could be seen from miles around – would also be built, according to a consultation held last year. 

That scheme is a joint project with the developer Morro, which has sites in Walthamstow and the US city of Boston, and will soon open for business at Canada Water.

As with the Your Tribe scheme, Scape has not yet filed a full application with Greenwich Council.

Render of new development next to motorway
Fairview’s student block and a self-storage building would face the A102. Image: Fairview New Homes/Allies and Morrison

On the other side of the gas holder, Fairview already has permission for 343 student rooms and 352 homes, and a self-storage building, in blocks of up to 26 storeys on a site that was also used for tunnel works. Across Boord Street an 18-storey Travelodge is planned.

The wider masterplan for Greenwich Peninsula envisages a large number of tall towers in the area – far more than have already been built. 

In February, a planning inspector threw out plans by Your Tribe to build nearly 600 rooms on Deptford Creek, ruling that it would cause serious harm to views from Greenwich’s historic town centre. But the company already has permission for blocks at Ravensbourne Wharf in Greenwich, Sun Wharf in Deptford and at other sites in Deptford.

📩 Follow The Greenwich Wire on Bluesky, Facebook, LinkedIn  or Threads. You can also sign up for WhatsApp alerts – or subscribe to our emails through the blue box above.