Student property firm secures planning for 33-storey tower

A PROPERTY company backed by Carphone Warehouse founder Charles Dunstone has secured planning permission to build a £45m, 33 storey residential tower in Manchester.

The company, Student Castle, will build 520 studio apartments for students with communal accommodation areas at the tower on Great Marlborough Street.

Edward Cade, chief executive of Student Castle said: “We are delighted to have been awarded planning permission for this landmark scheme in Manchester. As a new, expert developer within the sector we are pleased to have this opportunity to make a positive contribution to the regional economy and higher education sector in one of the UK’s most vibrant cities.”

Student Castle is funded by Dunstone and his CEO at Carphone Warehouse, Roger Taylor. The company is run by Cade and Jacqui Hawthorn, who set up the student and key worker property division of Moorfield Group known as Domain.

“At Student Castle we are committed to changing the perception of traditional private student accommodation by meeting 21st century student aspiration, with a focus on delivering high quality, affordable homes for students,” said Cade.

The Manchester scheme is the second tower planned by Student Castle and is due for completion by 2012. The first is a 213-bed development in Newcastle which will open next year.

It has been designed by Hodder + Partners and Drivers Jonas Deloitte secured the planning. Other members of the project team include Canmoor Canmoor Projects, Shepherd Construction and regional Building Consultants Edmund Kirby, WSP and Brentwood Design Group.

“Based on our local knowledge and expertise, we have designed this building as a considered response to the scale of the street and the city itself,” said Hodder + Partners’ chairman Stephen Hodder.

“The tower will be sympathetic to the existing city skyline and its immediate surroundings we are looking forward to delivering it successfully for Student Castle.”