Allied Carpets building to be turned into student flats

The former Allied Carpets store in Coventry could be the latest city centre building to be turned into student flats.



A planning application has been submitted to convert the huge three-floor building into a 96-bedroom student accommodation complex.

The building has been empty for more than five years, except for a brief period when Coventry City Council used the upper floors as office space.

A council planning report says the site has now become an eyesore in what is considered a prime location.

Plans for the building, which sits between Corporation Street and Smithford Way, opposite the former Coventry Telegraph offices, include covering the higher floors in orange, grey and white cladding.

The ground floor would be fully glazed according to the planning application.

Other planned alterations include demolishing part of the ground floor to create an improved walkway from the city centre to Belgrade Plaza.

Plans also include building a management office at the northern end of the site which will house 64 self-contained student flats.

No car parking is proposed as part of the plans, but a total of 54 cycle parking spaces, together with general storage space, would be provided in the basement of the building.

Eight letters objecting to the plans have been received from the residents of the neighbouring Hillman House tower block.

They cited concerns over the area becoming dominated by student accommodation, loss of light and privacy and overlooking from a proposed roof top extension, and a potential increase in anti-social behaviour.

However, officers have recommended that councillors approve the plans, but have said development must start within three years of permission being granted.

Council officers are keen for progress to be made at the site after a series of successful planning applications failed to come to fruition.

Plans approved, but never delivered, include dividing the unit into smaller shops and restaurants, and transforming part of the first floor into a gymnasium and health club.

In recent months the former AXA building in Corporation Street has been transformed into student flats, while similar plans are in the pipeline for the former Royal Mail sorting office in Bishop Street.

The council’s planning committee is set to approve the Allied Carpets plans, submitted by Ho Yin Li with architects Michael Ramus, during a public meeting at the Council House on Thursday, September 3.

It's been empty for a long time, at least this puts it to some use.

I really do think though that the council ought be doing more than they seem to be to draw retail business into the city. I keep hearing that students are good for the city, but I've seen precious little by way of proof.

It should take pressure off housing in the City for normal i.e. non-Student folk to occupy.

I also believe that more people living right in the centre will make it a much more safe and pleasant place to be in the evening & will attract new Businesses to Town eventually if business rents and rates are reasonable. I suspect they're too high at the moment.

First look at student flats planned for old Allied Carpets building



This is the first look at the latest block of students flats planned for Coventry city centre.

The former Allied Carpets store in Corporation Street is to be converted into a modern 94-bedroom accommodation complex complete with a new walkway.

The plans which were approved on Thursday will see the exterior given a new lease of life and covered in orange, grey and white cladding.

Student accommodation specialists Apps Living Ltd are behind the scheme which has been developed with Michael Ramus Architects.

A spokesman for the Kenilworth based architects said: ''We are pleased to be part of this prestigious conversion and regeneration scheme for APPS Living that will continue to enhance the Belgrade Plaza.''

Lucky us!

It's putting a building that has been empty for a long while to use, but I'm not keen on that colour scheme.

Developers ordered to build new pedestrian link into Coventry city centre

Developers have been refused permission to drastically change their own approved plans for the old Allied Carpets shop in Coventry city centre.

Their new application sought to block off an approved pedestrian link through the building from Corporation Street into Smithford Way, as well as switch agreed proposals for restaurants and shops to a student gym.

The original application to create a 95-bedroom student apartment complex with retail units and new walkway was approved by Coventry City Council in September last year.

The revised application was submitted to the council earlier this year.

It sought to remove the new pedestrian link from Corporation Street to Smithford Way, which was a condition of the original application.

Further proposed alterations to the approved plans included “the removal of retail units fronting Corporation Street and replacement with a student gym” and “changes to the basement to provide storage for three of the ground floor retail units”.

According to a report submitted to members of the planning committee ahead of the meeting, the council’s urban designer and conservation officer raised concerns that replacing shops with a gym, and removing the approved walkway, would mean Belgrade Square would lose its “active frontage and vibrancy”.

Five letters of objection were received before the meeting condemning the colour cladding, design and loss of the walkway.

Work has already started on the building which stood empty for five years, except for the short period when the council occupied office space in the upper floor.

During last year’s meeting over original plan, residents of the neighbouring Hillman House tower block cited concerns over the possible loss of privacy and light, cooking smells, noise and a potential increase in anti-social behaviour.

Despite planners recommending that the alterations should be approved, the committee refused the application.

Former Allied Carpets building to be named after China district and marketed at Chinese students



A new student block in Coventry is marketing itself as a home from home for Chinese students whose rent would be up to £10,000 a year.

The old Allied Carpets building in Corporation Street is being transformed into Shunde Place – a name taken from a district in the city of Foshan in China.

Chinese writing can be seen on the covering of the huge three-storey complex and its management company, Apps Living, said about 70 per cent of its clients were from the country.

Its MD Jeffy Li said: “Shunde is a district in China where my ancestors came from, it’s in the southern part of China and that’s where the name came from.”

The firm, which has been managing student accommodation blocks, flats, and house in multiple occupancies in Coventry since 2008, describes Shunde Place as having a five-star rating.

The 91 flats, which feature mezzanine flooring, are due to take in their first students around March or April.

Their costs range from £7,000 to £10,000 per academic year, including fuel bills.

The building has been empty for more than five years, except for a brief period when Coventry City Council used the upper floors as office space.

A council planning report said the site had become an eyesore in what is considered a prime location.

Mr Li said the finished development will make an impact on the city’s architecture.

“I think it’s going to be a focal point in Coventry,” he said.

“A lot of buildings are very grey and old in Coventry.

“It will be a landmark maybe.”

Eight letters objecting to the plans were sent by residents of the neighbouring Hillman House tower block.

They cited concerns over the area becoming dominated by student accommodation, loss of light and privacy and a potential increase in anti-social behaviour.

Elsewhere in the city centre building work has begun on the multi-million pound Bishop Gate student and shops developents.

The site of the former Royal Mail building in Bishop Street will see tower blocks housing 700 students by August 2018.