Calthorpe Estate student accommodation scheme green-lighted

CALTHORPE Estates has moved a step closer to delivering a student accommodation development close to Five Ways train station near Birmingham city centre, with Birmingham City Council awarding planning consent for the 50-bed scheme.

The mixed-use six-storey building in George Road will comprise 20 studios alongside 30 one-bedroom en-suite apartments.

Calthorpe Estates is expected to commence a 15-month build programme on site early next year, with completion scheduled in time for the start of academic year in September 2017.

Ralph Minott, director of development at Calthorpe Estates, said: “The vision for 54 George Road is to breathe new life into a prominent city centre site which has lain vacant for some 15 years, while also helping to meet the growing demand for high specification accommodation among Birmingham’s growing student population – the largest in the UK outside London.

“The number of full time students across the UK has increased by almost 15% over the last six years, however the supply of new purpose-built accommodation has simply not kept pace with this surge in student numbers. 

“With almost 60,000 full time students studying at the city’s universities in the 2013/14 academic year, record numbers expected to enrol in September, and the expanding BCU Edgbaston Campus plans, there is a real and pressing need for the private sector to deliver quality, well-managed accommodation, with high speed broadband and WiFi throughout to help attract and retain the very best applicants.”

Calthorpe Estates worked closely with Glancy Nicholls Architects to create the scheme at 54 George Road.