Croydon approves Amro’s Botanical BTR

Amro Partners and Flemyn have secured planning for a £220m build-to-rent scheme in Croydon, south London. The 447-home scheme, Botanical House, will be built on the site of the former Croydon Park Hotel. A fifth of the homes will be affordable, while shared facilities will include greenhouse atrium, roof terrace, a gym and wellness centre, communal lounges, co-working, a media room and pet spa. HTA Design’s plans for Botanical House comprise two adjacent structures connected by a central communal entrance. Although at different heights, the tower and mansion block will share an aesthetic and materials, predominantly terracotta tiles. The scheme will target BREEAM Outstanding, making it Croydon’s most sustainable residential building. It will also be built to Fitwel three-star certification and WiredScore Platinum. A 51% biodiversity net gain will be achieved through the creation of a communal garden, 50% soft landscaping and the planting of 45 trees and green street frontages, retaining existing street trees. Construction is expected to start in 2024, with the development opening in 2027, after which it will be managed by Amro Living. Raj Kotecha, chair and chief executive at Amro Partners, said: “With planning permission secured, we look forward to starting work delivering this exemplar BTR project in the beating heart of Croydon. We are already working closely with the local community to deliver an exceptional new building which not only sets a new bar in terms of sustainability but makes a significant contribution to meeting high demand for quality rental homes in the borough.” To send feedback, e-mail piers.wehner@eg.co.uk or tweet @PiersWehner or @EGPropertyNews Image © HTA Design