The proposal will see Morgan House, a former office building standing empty on Great Eastern Road, bulldozed to make way for a 27 storey block providing nearly student 650 bedrooms.

The landmark development connected to the Stratford Shopping Centre will also include a supermarket and smaller shops at ground level. The complex is expected to create 250 jobs.

Planners say the development will extend and strengthened the choice of shops at the shopping centre while students moving into the new block will help breathe new life into the site and provide a boost to the local economy.

There are also plans to improve the public space along Great Eastern Road.

Paul Davies, head of UK Development at Catalyst Capital behind the development, said: “Stratford remains very much in the public eye and people are keen to see how the area is continuing to change after the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“This is a high quality, landmark design that will dramatically improve the appearance and feel of the town centre. But this is also very much a proposition that will benefit local people. It will secure existing jobs, create new employment and improve access to convenient and good value services.”

The current development has 859 car parking spaces while the new scheme will have 735 car parking spaces and 306 cycling spaces compared to 198 spaces.