Fresh flats plans for factory site
Developers have resubmitted plans to turn a former shoe factory into 255 student flats.
The project to convert the grade II-listed Fiveways House building in Tudor Road, Leicester, was first proposed eight years ago.
The developer Key Homes Fund has now put in another planning application and says if it receives permission from the council it could have the work completed by August next year.
Company spokesman Andrew Wallace said: "The scheme was put on hold due to the economic climate plus the process of negotiating with Leicester City Council. Having to carefully consider the detail of the project played a part, too."
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The development, believed to cost about £16 million, includes studio flats, a landscaped courtyard, gym, games room and small pool.
Mr Wallace said the development would have to adhere to planning restrictions and would keep original features from the factory.
He said: "The building is grade II-listed and, as such, all structural elements of the building have to be respected.
"The external elevations need to be retained, as well as the overall volume and height."
MIA Development was given permission for the development on the site, the former Threads shoe factory, in 2004, but did not start the work.
The company submitted altered plans in 2008, but after concerns from residents regarding parking and noise, a city council planning committee refused the application.
In 2010, the company won an appeal against that decision, but the project still did not go ahead because of a lack of funding.
The latest application is from the same company, now under a different name.
Civic Society chairman Stuart Bailey said: "It's been quite a hoo-ha over the years with nothing much really happening to the building.
"I believe that you need to find a use for unused buildings like Fiveways House, but you also need to retain the industrial heritage.
"The council dismissed the plans once and lost when the developer appealed, but it shouldn't be afraid to deny the application again if it feels the designs are not up to standard – it has a responsibility to retain the factory's heritage."
Alina Kharel, 21, who lives in Tudor Road, directly opposite the site, said: "I think it's good that they're doing something with it, it's been like that for too long."
Husband Ravi, 24, said: "It is good that something is happening, but parking is going to be really bad with all those extra cars.
"It's bad enough because people use Tudor Road to park and walk into town and you don't get any space left for residents."
Another male resident, 58, who asked not to be named, said: "I live just up the road and it's been untouched for a very long time.
"It's brilliant architecture and I hope whatever they do keeps some of the original look. Parking will be an issue though.
"If you've plans for 255 flats, you've got to assume there's going to be 255 cars – and it's already chocker around here."
Comments
by llamalamb
Monday, June 25 2012, 6:08PM
“The students are very good for local economy, it's an expanding market in a recession. Don't bite the hand that feeds our local economy.”
by watsorj
Monday, June 25 2012, 5:01PM
“Remember this Artical
The Leicester Civic Society has said both projects should be turned down when they are considered by the city council's planning committee.
There is a freeze on any plans for student flats being approved in the city while the council looks to adopt a new policy on private university accommodation.
The freeze, started in November, is expected to be lifted after the council's cabinet approves its student accommodation supplementary planning document (SPD) in May.
The draft SPD – a blueprint for where student development should be permitted in the future – said it should be within 10 minutes' walk or 800 metres from the De Montfort or University of Leicester campuses. That is to reduce the need for people living there to have to travel too far.
Civic society chairman Stuart Bailey said: "When the moratorium is lifted I would expect these two developments to be thrown out because they are not close enough to the campuses.
"The purpose of the document is to stop student developments going up willy-nilly."”
by NikoLE3
Monday, June 25 2012, 2:00PM
“I was initially happy to see that work was happening there (as it's a lovely building) after the last notice saying they wanted to make it into a storage place but 255 student flats... that planning was declined previously. I live right next to it & the area cant deal with any more traffic, the parking is bad enough as it is!! I hope the planners have thought of ways to deal with this I suppose we have to wait & see! Maybe have parking as an integral part of the building & turn the surrounding streets in to resident permit areas.
There are a lot of families with young children who play in the streets too so that's going to be interesting (maybe that's the wrong word when people are more likely to get run over) with lots of students bombing it around.
(hope the local residents can use the gym & pool for the disruption it's going to cause!!)”
by Carmedic
Monday, June 25 2012, 12:57PM
“They could make the whole ground floor into a car park - I'm sure you could get quite a few vehicles in that space.”
by musical_becki
Monday, June 25 2012, 11:32AM
“I agree that we don't need more student flats. Why not turn them into flats for young families/single workers who need to be close to the city?
The argument about cars though - most students don't have cars - the ones that do aren't allowed to bring them, as student flats don't allow residential parking. So no, that won't be an issue.”
by Graham_LE8
Monday, June 25 2012, 10:41AM
“Isn't there supposed to be a moritorium on further student flat development at present?...”
by Stefan1950
Monday, June 25 2012, 10:31AM
“What! More student flats. You've got to be joking.
We have too many student flats in the city already and we can't fill them.
How do they propose filling this site?
By the sounds of the scheme it's not going to be cheap to live there. Gym, games room, small pool.”
by horsejockey
Monday, June 25 2012, 10:13AM
“Get ready for "retrospective planning permission" granted.”