Lights, camera, action as Screen and Film School Brighton student residence gets go ahead

Following a thorough consultation process, Brighton and Hove local authority has granted Alumno planning permission to construct purpose-built student accommodation on Brighton’s Lewes Road.

The development will primarily house the city’s Screen and Film School students, and Alumno will work closely with the college to create a movie theme for the building that will appeal to its attendees. The residence will also be available to students of other local education establishments.

Up to 60 students will be accommodated in the new development’s studio flats, which will be built over three and four storeys, and feature several internal and external communal areas for relaxation and study. These will include a lower ground recreational area and study space, and a ‘green’ rooftop winter garden, offering views over Brighton while encouraging biodiversity and improving air quality. A gym, cinema room, laundry room and cycle parking are also planned, with a café and retail space occupying the ground floor and basement of the building. 

Several sustainability measures will be incorporated into the new student residence. These will include renewable energy via discrete on-site solar panels, low-energy lighting and high-efficiency heating. Construction is scheduled to start in Spring 2021, with completion planned for Late Summer 2022.

“We are also delighted to partner with Screen and Film School, Brighton to tailor this project for the specific needs and ideas of the establishment,” said Alumno Managing Director David Campbell. “This project, which has been beautifully designed by Greenaway Architects, went through a thorough and lengthy consultation process with Brighton and Hove council in terms of the overall design, streetscape elevation treatment, layouts and amenities for the students.”

“Lewes Road is known as Brighton’s Academic Corridor due to its strategic location near to a number of higher education establishments, including Brighton and Sussex Universities, making it the ideal site for a student residence. As with all of our projects, we will work closely with the local authority and residents to deliver maximum benefit to the adjacent community.”

Commenting on the development, Screen and Film School, Brighton Principal Iztiar Leighton said: “We are particularly pleased to be working with Alumno in offering our students such exceptional accommodation in such a unique and bespoke building. Our students will certainly be inspired by their surroundings, and can be sure of experiencing top quality facilities in a central Brighton location.”