Sustainability claims in student housing are often more marketing than substance, but Urbanest Battersea backs its up with actual Passivhaus construction, an energy standard that genuinely reduces heating and cooling costs rather than just appearing on a brochure. Add a riverside position beside Battersea Power Station and Zone 1 access, and this becomes one of the more interesting new-build options in South West London.

urbanest Battersea, London

Item	Details
Address	5 Palmerston Way, Nine Elms, London SW8 4AQ
Operator	urbanest
Room types	Non-en-suite (shared bathroom), En-suite, and Studio apartments
Zone	Travel Zone 1
Distance to Royal College of Art	About 14 minutes by car
Bills	All-inclusive (utilities, heating, Wi-Fi, contents insurance)

Room options

Three room formats cover the range at Urbanest Battersea. Non-ensuite rooms, around 10 square meters, group 8 private bedrooms around a shared bathroom and kitchen, the most affordable but most communal option. En-suite rooms, around 12 square meters, add a private bathroom while keeping a shared kitchen. Studios go further still, roughly 20 square metres with a private kitchen fitted with Siemens appliances, and residents have specifically praised the exceptionally large, accessible-layout bathrooms in the higher floors of Tower C. Weekly rent starts from around £344, all-inclusive of utilities, heating, Wi-Fi, and contents insurance, with a free standard bedding pack thrown in and installment payment plans available for students with a guarantor.

Nine Elms and Battersea

Nine Elms and Battersea have been transformed by redevelopment over the past decade, and Urbanest sits right in the middle of it, overlooking the Thames with Battersea Power Station's chimneys visible from the building. A Zone 1 tube station is minutes from the door, putting Central London's universities within easy reach without a lengthy commute, and the surrounding area has filled in with restaurants, shops, and green space as the wider regeneration has matured. It's a genuinely different London experience from the older, more established student postcodes; it's newer, more polished, and still finding its final shape.

The considered view

Resident feedback on Urbanest Battersea consistently highlights the soundproofing and the Passivhaus climate control as genuine standouts, with one reviewer noting the room's blackout curtains double as an impromptu projector screen, a small but telling sign of build quality. The building's folded facade design also means natural light and views vary meaningfully by floor and tower, so Tower C's higher floors get a noticeably different experience than lower rooms elsewhere. At £344 a week and up, it's priced toward the upper end of the market, which the Zone 1 location and build quality broadly justify, but it's still worth comparing against your specific budget before committing.

Who it suits

It works well if Zone 1 access and genuine build quality matter more to you than saving money, you want a mix of room types from budget shared to private studio under one roof, and sustainability credentials are a real consideration rather than a nice-to-have.

It's less ideal if you're on a tighter budget and non-ensuite sharing with 8 flatmates isn't appealing, or you'd rather be closer to a specific campus than centrally positioned in Nine Elms.

See how it compares to student accommodation in the UK, and check how much student accommodation costs in the UK for the national picture.

FAQs

Where is urbanest Battersea?

5 Palmerston Way, Nine Elms, London SW8 4AQ, in Zone 1 beside Battersea Power Station.

What room types are available?

Non-ensuite rooms (shared bathroom among 8), ensuite rooms, and studio apartments.

What does it cost?

From around £344 a week, with utilities, heating, Wi-Fi, and contents insurance included.

What makes the building notable?

Passivhaus construction for energy efficiency, plus strong resident feedback on soundproofing and climate control.

What's on site?

A gym, free-to-use bicycles, communal study areas, and 200 Mbps broadband.

Is it good value?

It's priced toward the premium end, but the Zone 1 location and build quality broadly justify it.