Council set to green light 310-bed student scheme

Birmingham City Council looks set to approve a block of purpose-built student accommodation near Aston University in Birmingham.

Lavender Property Group is spearheading the demolition of a two-storey building on Cliveland Street in Newtown and planning to build 317 student beds.

Fronting both Cecil St and Cliveland St, the scheme would consist of 192 studios (1 bedspace per unit) and 125 bedspaces in clusters of five, nine and 12 bedrooms.

In a report for Birmingham City Council’s planning committee, figures show that the supply of PBSA in the city centre is exceeding demand by 940 bedspaces based on current supply and demand. However, there’s a 507 bedspace shortfall in existing and committed supply based on future demand.

Figures for the city centre do show an increasing surplus based on whether all recent approvals and current proposals are approved and delivered, but there is a shortfall outside of the centre.

Internal shared facilities planned include a communal space/games room, laundry, gym, entrance hall/reception/post room, and bin store all on the ground floor.

96 residents’ cycle parking spaces would also be provided alongside 20 visitor cycle spaces off Cecil St.

Birmingham City Council’s planning committee will discuss the scheme on September 5.