Wembley Greenway, Wembley

London Borough of Brent

Project type New Neighbourhood

Client Arada London

Stage Planning Approval

Project type New Neighbourhood

Client Arada London

Stage Planning Approval

A new public green corridor through Wembley, anchored by student accommodation

Opening up previously inaccessible railway lands running parallel to Wembley High Road for the first time, JTP has worked with Arada London to deliver an innovative purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) directly informed and tailored by JTP’s own extensive research of student requirements.

The new student accommodation delivers 639 student rooms across two buildings of 20 and 22 storeys, connected by a shared garden podium. Rooms range from cluster arrangements suited to communal living to studios, ensuring the offer is relevant to students from a wide range of backgrounds and preferences.

A car-free design emphasises sustainability and promotes active travel

A high-quality of amenity proviso is provided with over 21,000 sqm of dedicated spaces for study, exercise and socialising – from a student library and gym to a games room, dining room and lounges. Up to 300 sqm of external amenity space also includes a podium garden and outdoor balcony to help allow spill-out from the lounge and gym facilities to create ‘chance meetings’ between students.

At ground level, a new east to west public route – the Greenway – runs through the heart of the masterplan, opening up the land adjacent to the railway for public access. The Welcome Yard, Ribbon Gardens and Colour Courtyard form this route, delivering greenery, seating and play opportunities. Natural surveillance is provided with a bookable community space that anchors the route creating a welcoming and safe space that offers a lasting asset for the wider neighbourhood.

A design rooted in JTP’s extensive student research and insights

JTP’s ‘Lifestyle Discovery’ process – engaging local people and prospective students both in person and through a bespoke project website – directly shaped the range of amenities on offer and the way spaces are arranged across the buildings. The proposals are car-free, prioritising walking and cycling as the primary means of movement.

The architecture of the scheme celebrates the vitality of Wembley and its future residents with folded metal panels of varying profile circling around the building forms creating ‘pulses of energy’ and a subtle variation in the reading of the two buildings in the changing light.