Scheme drawn up by Henley Halebrown

An £80m mixed-use scheme in east London set to be built by McAleer & Rushe has been approved.

Designed by 2018 Stirling prize-shortlisted practice Henley Halebrown, the scheme on Stour Road, in the Fish Island area of Bow, will feature two new buildings for student housing and commercial space.

Henley Halebrown's Stour Road proposals for Fish Island in Bow

Henley Halebrown’s Stour Road proposals for Fish Island in Bow

The taller of the two blocks will include 330 student bedrooms in a part-six, part-seven-storey building with “incubator” space for small businesses at ground-floor level. A separate five-storey block will be dedicated to commercial space.

London Legacy Development Corporation planning officers said the proposals, known as The Vogue, for housing specialist Future Generation “promises to be a highly successful addition to Fish Island”.

They added that Henley Halebrown’s proposals echoed “historic details” from the neighbouring Algha Works building and other nearby historic buildings – including upper-floor arched window lintels, setback openings, Juliet balconies and thin-framed metal window casements.

During the Second World War, the Algha Works glasses factory made Aviator frames for the British armed forces and the glass for gasmasks. Later it was awarded the contract to make NHS spectacles. Celebrities including John Lennon and Denzel Washington have worn Algha glasses.