By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
More than 1,000 students could be housed at Nottingham’s new Island Quarter after plans for a second block of flats were submitted.
The development site, which sits beside the Nottingham and Beeston Canal and stretches between London Road and Manvers Street, was purchased by investment and property developer Conygar in 2016.
Phase one was completed in autumn 2022 and features the canal-side Binks Yard and Cleaver and Wake restaurant.
A 228-room hotel, hundreds of residential apartments, office space, events and social forums and purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) are also planned.
The 693-bed Winfield Court student block, based on City Link near the BBC Island, is already set to open in September 2024.
Another scheme, designed by DAY Architectural and submitted on February 16, will deliver another 383 spaces.
It will be built on the Manvers Street side of the 36-acre site.
Christopher Ware, property director at Conygar, said: “The demand for student housing has never been greater, and PBSA plays a vital role in ensuring that students have access to high-quality accommodation without the need to restrict housing supply that is better suited for Nottingham residents.”
Nottingham’s director of planning, Paul Seddon, has previously said he is confident the city will avoid a student housing crisis as seen in other areas such as Durham.
The need for more purpose-built student accommodation came about in 2015, after the Government lifted a cap allowing universities to increase the numbers of students admitted each year.
Nottingham City Council has a planned development pipeline of around 10,000 beds, the largest outside London, as to avoid a crisis and keep students out of family homes and in purpose-built blocks.
The new block, if approved, will include cluster rooms, studios and premium options, along with student community amenity facilities such as a gym, laundry room, lounges and informal breakout areas.
Conygar was also given permission by the council to build a new pedestrian and cycle path from the Canal Turn plaza area, across the existing Premier Inn car park and towards City Link to provide better access to the site.
Mr Ware added: “Intergenerational living has been a core principle for our plans for The Island Quarter, and a healthy population of students is a crucial part of this mix.
“In a competitive marketplace, these well-designed plans put student experience at their heart, and we’re looking forward to seeing this phase move forward.
“This latest proposal is one of a series of planning submissions that are currently in the pipeline, building on the success of the first phases of the development at 1 The Island Quarter and Winfield Court.”
