£40m student accommodation scheme given the go ahead

COUNCILLORS have given the go ahead to a £40m student accommodation scheme in Birmingham.

The scheme, submitted to the city council by accommodation provider Unite Students, involves the demolition of warehousing off Staniforth Street, close to Lancaster Circus, and its replacement with the new development providing almost 600 student beds.

The facility is needed to serve students at both Birmingham City and Aston Universities, where there is a chronic shortage of accommodation.

Both universities have said that if they are to continue to attract high level students then they must have the facilities to serve them, and currently they do not.

A report to the city’s planning committee said the development would be well located for the universities and could be accommodated without any adverse impact on the surrounding area.

“The scale, massing and architecture of the development as now proposed is considered to be of a high quality and appropriate for the location and would not have an adverse impact on the setting of adjacent sites or developments,” it said.

Unite Students acquired the site in May and it said the project was expected to achieve returns in line with its target for regional development. The scheme is anticipated to be completed in 2019.