Student flats work to start on two former De Montfort University buildings
Work to turn two former university buildings into flats for about 250 students should start in a few weeks.
Developer Launch Padz has been given planning permission to start the revamp in Newarke Street and Oxford Street, near De Montfort University, Leicester, and builders should be on site by the end of October.
The Crown and Elfed Thomas buildings, used for many years by business and law students, will be transformed and extra seven-storey and five-storey apartment blocks built on the site.
The developer wants to get the halls open in time for the start of the academic year in September 2011.
Meanwhile, a neighbouring site in Oxford Street has been given conditional approval for more than 56 flats, along with shops and offices, following a separate planning application.
It is not known when construction on the two blocks of flats might begin.
Leicester firm Staniforth Architects is designing the revamp of the university buildings after working with the same developer on another multi-million-pound scheme for student halls in Brookland Road, near Clarendon Park Road, Leicester.
Managing director Lee Staniforth said the new scheme would be "mostly a refurbishment", but there would be new buildings, including a red, copper structure next to the Jain Centre, in Oxford Street.
He said: "We're excited about the development.
"We're pleased there were no objections to the application.
"We have put the contract out to tender to construction firms and we are hoping work could start in six weeks' time.
"We're keen to keep the nicer elements of the old buildings."
In recent years, student halls have moved on from the days of digs with up to 10 bedrooms and shared toilets.
The new development will have smaller flats which include flat-screen TVs and en suite bedrooms.
Mr Staniforth said: "Students expect a higher standard of accommodation these days.
"Parents also want to know their children are going off to university and staying in safe, secure and well-constructed accommodation."
A spokeswoman for De Montfort University said: "Over the past few years there have been more second and third-year students wanting to stay in halls.
"Students have increasing expectations when it comes to student halls.
"There is a definite move away from the traditional view of the dingy and dirty student bed sit."
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by alan5547, leics
Friday, September 10 2010, 9:18AM
“I agree Julie !
Students do need to gain what is fondly called 'life skills'
how to integrate into society, be compassionate, appreciate others' limitations, abilities ,disabilities, points of view in a mixed age.mixed race community..
These skills wont be learned in a narrow group of like-minded individuals with similar levels of intelligence..”
by B, Leicester
Friday, September 10 2010, 12:13AM
“Well said Julie - and how many more graduates would choose to settle permanently in the city if they mixed with other residents rather than being stuck in campus bubbles?”
by Julie, Leicester
Thursday, September 09 2010, 7:04PM
“It used to be that University was a chance to learn about life, as well as your chosen subject. From sharing houses -yes, those shared bathrooms included- you learned to get on with people, to compromise. You learned to split gas and electric and telephone bills and make sure they got paid on time. You budgeted for food, and bills. You lived in a real house in the real world, with real neighbours -many of them not students- who you learned to get along with.
In short you learned life skills that were just as valuable, if not more so, than the piece of paper and handshake you got at the end of your course.
So sad that all this has been traded in for ensuite flats or halls of residence for three years, with mollycoddled young adults cared for like overaged children at boarding school.
It is their loss, in the long run, because a flat screen tv included in the rent your parents pay is no fair trade for earning your place in the real world.”
by B, Leicester
Thursday, September 09 2010, 3:26PM
“It would be nice to see DMU recognise that they have a responsibility to the community that goes beyond their own planning applications. They cannot wash their hands of the systematic studentification of a large tract of the city just because they are not the ones making the planning applications. It would only take a drop in student numbers to leave the city with swathes of unused and unsuitable accommodation which would either kill-off the areas in question or worse, turn them into slums.”
by Nick Di Perna, Western Road
Thursday, September 09 2010, 3:23PM
“DMU has direct influence over 1000s of private flats through incentives and nomination agreements. The only time they have opposed planning applications is when they thought their own properties risked becoming empty.
Recent documents exemplify planning officers support for DMU's policy of ¿encouraging a further progressive increase in the proportion of DMU students living in good quality purpose built accommodation within easy walking distance of the campus¿ (see DMU Statement of Common Ground March 2010 and Statement by Geoff Wright on Behalf of De Montfort University in Support of Proposed Common Ground Amendments-Policy CS6).
For more info see letter:
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/letters/Planning-rethink-needed/article-2610166-detail/article.html”