172-room student accommodation block proposed for Ardwick site

Proposals to build a new 172-room purpose-built student accommodation block in Ardwick have been submitted to Manchester City Council.

London-based Tiger Developments has proposed the plans on behalf of its sister company, Host Student Housing, focused on the Carmoor Road site.

Host manages student accommodation in university cities across the UK.

The proposals would see the Carmoor Road Garage and Ciara’s Tots building redeveloped into modern and secure accommodation for students.

If approved, the scheme would adjoin the existing student development, Brook Hall, off Upper Trinity Street.

The proposals address the urgent need for more student accommodation in Manchester, with many new students resorting to live in nearby cities to attend university classes this year.

The scheme comprises two connecting modern apartment blocks, which offer spacious communal areas, a fitness centre, outdoor landscaped space and 68 cycle storage spaces.

Its student accommodation would be situated near Upper Brook Street, which operates a popular bus route connecting Didsbury, the universities and the city centre. The accommodation would also be in easy walking distance of university campuses, with the University of Manchester’s Oxford Road Campus just a 10-minute walk away.

The planning submission follows an extensive consultation process with the local community. Previous proposals included land currently occupied by the West Indian Community Centre, but this land has now been excluded from the plans submitted to Manchester City Council.

Speaking about the planning submission, Host Student’s managing director, John Nesbitt, said: “We are pleased that our plans to provide students with much needed accommodation are one step closer to being realised.

“The shortage of student accommodation in Manchester has caused disappointment to many new students starting their places at university in recent months. Our proposals are just a stone’s throw away from university campuses and would help to meet the growing need for dedicated student accommodation in Manchester.”

He added: “We have listened carefully to the local community and will not be including the West Indian Community Centre as part of the redevelopment.

“It is clear that the community centre is much loved by those who use it and we will, instead, look to build a smaller scheme that enables the community centre to continue to operate.”