Serviced apartments plan given go-ahead for ‘7-star’ student digs

Nottingham City Council has passed plans to temporarily turn some of the most expansion student accommodation in the city into serviced apartments.

Fusion Students had applied to change the four floors of its Nova building on Talbot Street – some 165 rooms – into serviced accommodation until August 2019 to make sure it is full in its first year of operation.

A letter to Nottingham City Council from Alder King Planning Consultants, read: “Whilst bookings are currently strong, a temporary change of use is sought to ensure that the building is fully occupied during its first year of operation. A degree of uncertainty exists about student uptake in the first year as the building is not due to be handed over from construction until one month before the start of term. This creates challenges in terms of marketing the development to prospective residents as many parts of the building cannot be viewed. Therefore Fusion Students are seeking to take a ‘belt and braces’ approach to occupation during the first year.”

Alder King says that a similar approach has been used by Fusion at developments in Bristol and Newcastle.

Fusion had originally marketed Nova, which it is spending £40m on, as “seven-star” accommodation, offering Nottingham’s highest quality student flats.

Prices at Nova range between £134 per week to £243 per week for a 51-week contract, including bills.