A major Wimbledon development site is being repositioned from offices to housing after Re:Shape W Ltd submitted plans to demolish St George’s House East and replace it with a co-living-led mixed-use scheme opposite Wimbledon station.
The PLP Architecture proposals are reported to contain 532 shared-living studios, 36 social-rented family homes and 2,271 sq m of Grade A workspace, alongside ground-floor commercial uses and new public realm. Topland, which backed Re:shape’s acquisition and planning phase, previously described the wider opportunity as a £260m redevelopment.
This is not an approval or a construction start. Merton application 26/FULL/1099 remains under consideration, while the Mayor of London’s PlanApps record lists the case as awaiting mayoral comment. The proposed scale is already under scrutiny: City Hall records 16 storeys, while a response from local ward councillors refers to a building rising to 15 storeys and more than 50 metres above local ground level.
LCM assessment: St George’s House East is not a straightforward office conversion. It is a proposed demolition and new-build replacement that shifts the site from a consented office-led project to a high-density rental-housing model. The decisive questions are now whether the height can be justified, whether the co-living offer and social-rented homes are secured to an acceptable standard, and whether a second major permission on the site can progress beyond planning into funded construction.
Jump to: Project facts | What is proposed | Why the numbers differ | Old versus new scheme | The 2022–2023 consent timeline | Why the site changed direction | Height and planning risk | The co-living test | Affordable housing | Design and public realm | Funding and project team | Construction implications | What happens next | LCM verdict | FAQ
St George’s House East Project Facts
| Item | Current Position | Evidence Status | Construction Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site | St George’s House East, 1 St George’s Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4DR; opposite Wimbledon station. | Confirmed in Merton’s statutory notice and City Hall’s planning record. | A constrained, highly visible town-centre gateway beside major rail and pedestrian movements. |
| Application | 26/FULL/1099, submitted by Re:Shape W Ltd. | Applicant and reference confirmed by the statutory public notice. | The application is live and awaiting determination; it is not a consented project. |
| Residential offer | 532 shared-living studios and 36 social-rented family homes are reported. | The planning description confirms both uses but does not state the split. City Hall lists 532 homes; current trade reporting supplies the detailed figures. | The co-living studios and conventional C3 family homes are different planning products and should not be combined into one conventional “home” total. |
| Height | City Hall records 16 storeys. Ward councillors refer to a building rising to 15 storeys and 73.8m AOD. | Both figures appear in published planning-related records; the difference may reflect counting conventions or stepped massing. | Height, townscape impact and strategic views are likely to be central determination issues. |
| Commercial space | 2,271 sq m of Grade A workspace is reported, with active commercial uses at lower levels. | Reported project figure; Merton’s public description confirms Class E floorspace but does not publish the area. | The site remains mixed-use, but housing becomes the dominant development model. |
| Development value and funding | Topland described a £260m development opportunity and provided a £17m senior debt facility. | Confirmed as statements by Topland in October 2025. | The £17m facility supported acquisition and planning; it should not be mistaken for full construction finance. |
| Current status | Awaiting determination and mayoral comment. | City Hall PlanApps status checked on 3 August 2026. | No main contractor, construction start or completion date has been confirmed. |
Critical distinction: The current application is for a new building after demolition. Describing the project as an “office-to-residential conversion” would be misleading because the existing office structure is not proposed to be retained and converted.
What Re:shape Is Proposing Opposite Wimbledon Station
Merton’s statutory notice describes a redevelopment combining commercial floorspace in Use Class E, social-rented affordable housing in Use Class C3 and shared living in a sui generis use, together with enhanced public realm, amenity space, parking and servicing arrangements. The application was registered during the week ending 21 June 2026, and the public notice was issued on 25 June.
The latest published project information describes 532 private co-living studios and 36 social-rented family homes. Commercial accommodation would occupy the lower part of the building, with Grade A and flexible workspace intended for local enterprises and community organisations. References to Sustainable Merton and Love Wimbledon describe intended users or partnerships; they should not be read as confirmation of executed leases.
PLP Architecture’s design has been presented as Art Deco-inspired, using a stepped form and crown, a double-height entrance and active frontages facing the station. The proposal is intended to replace the vacant office building and activate a site that has already carried a substantial but unbuilt office permission.
Why Published Unit and Storey Numbers Do Not All Match
Public summaries of the scheme are not fully consistent. City Hall’s PlanApps entry records a 0.37ha site, 16 storeys and 532 homes. Current trade reporting describes 532 shared-living studios plus 36 social-rented homes. Re:shape’s own portfolio page uses rounded figures of 530 co-living studios and “34+” social affordable homes, while the developer’s December 2025 consultation material referred to 44 affordable homes at an earlier design stage.
These differences do not necessarily mean that one source is fabricated. They may reflect design evolution, rounding, different definitions of a storey and the way planning databases record co-living rooms. For reporting purposes, LCM treats 532 co-living studios and 36 social-rented homes as the latest detailed schedule reported for the submitted scheme, while preserving the qualification that Merton’s short-form public notice does not publish those numbers.
The same caution applies to height. City Hall records 16 storeys, but local ward councillors, citing information provided by the developer, say the building rises to 15 storeys and 73.8m above Ordnance Datum. With site levels reported at approximately 22.6m to 23.8m AOD, they calculate that the highest part would stand more than 50m above local ground. Until the relevant drawings and level schedule are read together, a single unqualified storey count can conceal how the stepped building is actually measured.
How the New Scheme Compares With the Unbuilt Office Permission
| Measure | Earlier Office Scheme: 21/P3163 | Current Application: 26/FULL/1099 |
|---|---|---|
| Development model | Office-led mixed use with retail. | Co-living-led mixed use with social-rented homes and commercial space. |
| Scale | 12 storeys plus basement and roof-level plant; 27,668 sq m gross internal floorspace. | 16 storeys in City Hall’s record; 532 co-living studios and 36 social-rented homes reported. |
| Design team lead | Aukett Swanke for M&G Real Estate, working with Bell Hammer. | PLP Architecture for Re:shape. |
| Planning position | Committee resolution in February 2022; formal permission issued in February 2023. | Submitted in 2026 and awaiting determination. |
| Delivery | Permission was not implemented. | No permission, contractor or start date confirmed. |
The 2022–2023 Consent Timeline Explained
Reports describing the previous scheme as approved in either 2022 or 2023 are referring to different stages of the same planning process. Merton’s Development and Planning Applications Committee resolved on 10 February 2022 to grant application 21/P3163, subject to conditions, completion of a Section 106 agreement and the required referral process.
Merton’s official weekly determination list later records “Grant Permission Subject to Section 106 Obligation” on 10 February 2023. The accurate formulation is therefore that the scheme received its committee resolution in 2022 and formal permission in 2023. A later non-material amendment application does not explain the original permission date.
Aukett Swanke describes the project as a 300,000 sq ft flagship office development and records full planning consent in early 2022, reflecting the committee milestone. For legal and delivery chronology, however, the formal 2023 decision date remains material. This distinction matters because a committee resolution is not always the same as an issued and implementable permission.
Why the Site Has Changed From Offices to Co-Living
No primary source reviewed by LCM gives a definitive account of why the consented office project was not built. It would therefore be unsafe to state as fact that hybrid working, finance costs, letting risk or any single market event killed the scheme. What can be established is that the permission remained unimplemented, Re:shape acquired the site in partnership with Topland in October 2025, and the new owner brought forward a residential-led proposal.
Re:shape says its revised approach better reflects demand by combining housing, flexible workspace and community uses. Topland described the strategy as transforming an underused town-centre site into a mixed-use destination. Those are developer and funding-partner explanations, not an independently tested viability assessment.
The direction is nevertheless consistent with a broader London asset split. LCM’s analysis of London’s stranded office and retrofit viability pressure found that owners increasingly face a three-way choice between deep retrofit, redevelopment and repurposing. St George’s House East takes the demolition-and-redevelopment route, retaining a smaller employment component while moving the main investment case towards managed rental housing.
Height and Townscape Impact Are the First Major Planning Test
The site occupies a recognised gateway location where Merton policy allows greater height around the station. That does not make any height automatically acceptable. The strategic heights material cited by ward councillors places parts of the site in areas where 40m or 48m could be appropriate, while the Future Wimbledon guidance illustrates a stepped form rising through six, eight and 12 storeys.
Councillors Anthony Fairclough, Samantha MacArthur and Sarah Golby argue that the latest proposal exceeds those indicative parameters and requires stronger justification. Their response raises the building’s relationship with Wimbledon station, the wider skyline, views from Wimbledon Hill, cumulative effects with other tall buildings and the transition from the historic town centre towards the commercial quarter.
These are material representations, not a planning decision. The applicant can argue that the station-facing location, housing delivery, affordable homes, public realm and architectural quality justify additional height. Merton and the Mayor must test that case against design, heritage, townscape, transport and housing policy before deciding whether the scale is acceptable.
The Co-Living Model Will Face More Than a Simple Unit-Count Test
Large-scale purpose-built shared living is a sui generis form of accommodation based on private rooms and substantial shared facilities rather than conventional self-contained flats. London Plan Policy H16 and the Mayor’s adopted guidance require schemes to demonstrate quality, suitable communal provision, effective long-term management, accessibility, integration with the surrounding neighbourhood and a location well connected to services and employment.
The site’s position beside Wimbledon station supports the connectivity argument. The harder questions concern the quality and size of private rooms, the amount and distribution of shared space, operational management, deliveries, resident turnover, fire safety, accessibility and how more than 500 occupants would interact with the town centre. Those matters cannot be judged from a headline room count.
Ward councillors also note that Merton does not have its own borough-specific large-scale shared-living policy. In practice, the application will rely heavily on London-wide guidance and on the conditions and Section 106 obligations negotiated for this particular scheme. The absence of a bespoke local policy does not prevent approval, but it increases the importance of a detailed management plan and enforceable commitments.
What the 36 Social-Rented Homes Would—and Would Not—Mean
The 36 reported affordable homes are described as social-rented family accommodation in Use Class C3. They are distinct from the 532 co-living studios and could provide a conventional family-housing element within a scheme otherwise dominated by private shared living.
Re:shape’s website labels its rounded affordable-housing figure as “35%”. That percentage should not be calculated by simply dividing 36 homes by all 568 reported rooms and homes. Co-living affordable-housing obligations are assessed through a different policy and viability framework, and the submitted tenure schedule, habitable-room calculation, valuation evidence and proposed Section 106 terms would be needed to test the claim properly.
The planning decision must establish the number, size, tenure, provider, nomination arrangements and delivery timing of the C3 homes, together with any affordable-housing contribution arising from the co-living element. Until those obligations are secured, the affordable-housing offer remains a proposal rather than a delivered outcome.
Art Deco References, Workspace and Public Realm
The architectural approach uses an Art Deco-inspired composition, a stepped crown and a double-height entrance to give the building a clearer civic presence opposite the station. Active lower-floor frontages are intended to avoid presenting a closed residential podium to St George’s Road and the adjoining pedestrian routes.
The reported 2,271 sq m employment component would provide Grade A and flexible workspace, while commercial activity at ground level is intended to add movement beyond resident access. Re:shape’s consultation material also describes a Community Investment Programme through which local groups, social enterprises and charities could use space in its developments. The value of that offer will depend on what is ultimately secured, for how long, and on what terms.
Public-realm works, planting, pedestrian conditions and servicing are particularly important because the building would sit at a busy junction directly opposite a major rail, Underground and tram interchange. A visually ambitious façade cannot by itself resolve the operational pressure created at ground level by residents, office users, visitors, deliveries, waste collection and servicing.
Funding, Project Team and Procurement Position
Topland announced its partnership with Re:shape in October 2025 and said it had provided a £17m senior debt facility to support the acquisition and planning phase. It described the site as a £260m mixed-use development opportunity. The distinction is important: acquisition and planning finance demonstrates commitment to securing the site and permission, but it is not evidence that the entire construction cost has been funded.
PLP Architecture leads the design. The reported consultant team includes Whitby Wood as structural engineer, Orion Fire as fire engineer, Applied Energy for MEP, BB7 for façade engineering and KS4 as quantity surveyor. Whitby Wood independently lists St George’s House East among its projects, describing co-living and social housing beside railway lines.
No main contractor, demolition contractor, procurement route, construction programme or completion date has been publicly confirmed in the sources reviewed. That makes the scheme a pre-construction opportunity rather than an awarded job. The earlier office consent is a reminder that planning progress and contractor workload are not the same thing. LCM’s analysis of why London permissions do not automatically become construction starts identifies funding, condition discharge, detailed design, procurement and regulation as separate delivery gates.
Sustainability, Building Safety and Construction Logistics
The project is reported to target BREEAM Excellent and to include energy-efficient building systems, biodiversity improvements, cycle parking and new public realm. These are design targets, not achieved certifications. The submitted energy, whole-life carbon, circular-economy, biodiversity and drainage evidence will determine how the demolition-and-rebuild strategy performs when compared with retention or retrofit.
At the scale published by City Hall, the residential building would fall within the higher-risk building control regime in England if planning permission is granted. Construction could not begin without Building Safety Regulator approval at Gateway 2. The project would therefore need coordinated structural and fire information, a developed design, competence arrangements and construction-control plans before mobilisation. LCM’s latest review of the Gateway 2 application pipeline shows why a planning consent should not be translated directly into an assumed start date.
Logistics could also be unusually sensitive. Demolition, excavation, deliveries, lifting operations and waste removal would occur beside Wimbledon station and established town-centre routes. Ward councillors have requested strong controls over noise, dust, working hours and construction traffic, including consideration of restrictions on noisy work at weekends and bank holidays. Those requests are not yet imposed conditions, but they identify programme and cost risks that bidders would need to price.
What Happens Next?
Merton assessment: planning officers must review the submitted documents, consultation responses and technical matters before producing a recommendation.
Mayoral review: the application is referable because of its scale, and City Hall currently records it as awaiting mayoral comment.
Affordable-housing and management obligations: the C3 social-rent offer, co-living contribution, management plan, community commitments and other mitigation would need to be defined and secured.
Planning decision: Merton may approve, refuse or seek revisions. Any resolution to approve could still depend on legal obligations, conditions and the Mayor’s position.
Pre-construction regulation: an approved high-rise residential scheme would then require detailed design development and Gateway 2 building-control approval before building work starts.
Procurement and funding: full development finance, a delivery route and contractor appointments would still have to be secured. None has been announced.
LCM Verdict: A Significant Repositioning, but Not Yet a Construction Project
The new application shows how quickly the preferred use of a London site can change. St George’s House East moved from a large speculative office proposition to a managed residential model without the earlier permission ever reaching construction. The proposed mix retains employment space but transfers the project’s centre of gravity to rental housing, social rent and resident amenities.
The strongest part of the proposition is its location: a vacant gateway site immediately beside one of south-west London’s best-connected transport hubs. The main planning vulnerability is the same prominence. A building listed by City Hall at 16 storeys must justify its effect on the skyline, station setting, long views and the transition into Wimbledon’s lower historic fabric.
The test of success should not be whether 532 rooms obtain permission. It should be whether the scheme secures good private and communal accommodation, delivers the promised social-rented family homes, manages its local impacts and reaches a credible funded construction start. Wimbledon already has evidence that an approved landmark on this site can remain unbuilt.
Final LCM assessment: the application is a serious attempt to unlock an inactive site, but every headline number remains upstream of the decisive delivery gates. Planning scrutiny, Section 106 obligations, mayoral review, Gateway 2, finance and procurement must all align before the £260m vision becomes construction workload.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the Wimbledon co-living scheme been approved?
No. Application 26/FULL/1099 is awaiting determination. City Hall’s PlanApps record lists it as awaiting mayoral comment.
No. Application 26/FULL/1099 is awaiting determination. City Hall’s PlanApps record lists it as awaiting mayoral comment.
How many homes are proposed at St George’s House East?
The latest detailed reporting identifies 532 shared-living studios and 36 social-rented family homes. These are different accommodation types. Re:shape’s portfolio page uses rounded figures of 530 and “34+”.
The latest detailed reporting identifies 532 shared-living studios and 36 social-rented family homes. These are different accommodation types. Re:shape’s portfolio page uses rounded figures of 530 and “34+”.
How tall would the proposed building be?
City Hall lists 16 storeys. Ward councillors refer to a building rising to 15 storeys and 73.8m AOD, or more than 50m above local ground at its highest point. The difference should be read against the submitted stepped massing and floor-count conventions.
City Hall lists 16 storeys. Ward councillors refer to a building rising to 15 storeys and 73.8m AOD, or more than 50m above local ground at its highest point. The difference should be read against the submitted stepped massing and floor-count conventions.
Is the vacant office building being converted?
No. The proposal is to demolish St George’s House East and construct a new mixed-use building. It is a change in development strategy, not a reuse of the existing office structure.
No. The proposal is to demolish St George’s House East and construct a new mixed-use building. It is a change in development strategy, not a reuse of the existing office structure.
Was the previous office scheme approved in 2022 or 2023?
Both dates describe different milestones. Merton’s committee resolved to grant permission on 10 February 2022, subject to the Section 106 and referral process. The council’s determination list records formal permission on 10 February 2023.
Both dates describe different milestones. Merton’s committee resolved to grant permission on 10 February 2022, subject to the Section 106 and referral process. The council’s determination list records formal permission on 10 February 2023.
Has a contractor been appointed?
No main contractor has been publicly confirmed in the sources reviewed. The project remains in planning and would also require Gateway 2 approval before construction could begin.
No main contractor has been publicly confirmed in the sources reviewed. The project remains in planning and would also require Gateway 2 approval before construction could begin.
Sources and methodology: This article was prepared from information checked on 3 August 2026. The application reference, applicant and statutory description were verified against the London Borough of Merton public notice. Current status, site area, storey count and the planning database’s 532-home entry were checked against the Mayor of London’s PlanApps record for 26/FULL/1099. Re:shape’s rounded development figures and planning-stage status were checked against the developer’s project portfolio, while its earlier design and community proposals were reviewed through the December 2025 consultation material. Funding and development-value statements were checked against Topland’s October 2025 announcement. Height and local planning concerns were attributed to the published ward-councillor response; they are representations rather than findings by the planning authority. The earlier scheme’s February 2022 committee stage was checked against Merton’s committee record, and the formal February 2023 permission against the council’s official determination list. The earlier design was cross-checked with Aukett Swanke’s project record. Co-living policy context was checked against the Mayor’s large-scale purpose-built shared-living guidance. The higher-risk-building threshold and pre-construction approval requirement were checked against the Building Safety Regulator’s official building-control guidance. Detailed current unit, floorspace, design and consultant information reported by specialist media, including the Architects’ Journal project report, was compared with public and developer records; where primary application documents were not openly retrievable, the article identifies the figures as reported rather than presenting them as independently certified facts.
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Expert Verification & Authorship: Mihai Chelmus
Founder, London Construction Magazine | Construction Testing & Investigation Specialist |
