Plans for 196-bed student accommodation in Coventry suburb

The flats are set to replace a vacant office block



A 196-bed student accommodation block is set to replace a disused business unit in a suburb of Coventry. If approved, the six-storey block of flats will be built on an industrial estate on Burnsall Road in Earlsdon.

This would involve the demolition of an old office block formerly occupied by Rhino Interiors. The building has been "essentially vacant" for the past two years and there were no applications to occupy the site in the last 12 months.

Designs for the new flats, provisionally named Brookside House, show it to be a large red-coloured block with communal and private roof terraces on the top floor. The "car-free" development would be made up mainly of 196 self-catering studio flats, all with en-suites and study desks.

There are also plans for a private gym, cinema and communal space in the building's basement. Torsion Students, a Leeds firm which also operates the 210-bed Red Queen student flats, is set to manage the accommodation.

The Red Queen, just half a mile from the proposed flats, opened in 2020 and cost £20 million to build, the Coventry Telegraph reported at the time. Plans for the new block have not been universally supported by locals, the application admits.

Neighbours were consulted last year via leaflets, but just six people responded to the consultation, with one resident against the accommodation in principle and others expressing concern over noise and parking.

A supporting statement with the application reads: "The site will deliver a number of benefits including economic benefits through the construction phase in terms of jobs and purchase of materials and services but also once operational by attracting more students into the city and the additional spend they will make to city businesses.

"Provision of PBSA [Purpose-Built Student Accommodation] will also have the effect of meeting student demands for high quality accommodation whilst also freeing up traditional housing stock in the city, making this available for other renters and purchasers."

A decision by the council on the application is expected in mid-June. Comments on the application can be made on the council website until April 14.

It's clearly in Canley and not Earlsdon.

Coventry families 'disgusted' by plans to build 196-bed student accommodation block



Coventry residents say they will be "disgusted" and "very disappointed" if a 196-bed student accommodation is built near their quiet cul-de-sac. Plans to build a seven-storey block of flats on an old industrial unit in Canley were submitted to the council last month.

But people living on Burnsall Grove, just two minutes walk away from where the block will be built, say the new accommodation will massively impact the area. Residents are worried about noise and parking issues resulting from the 'car-free' development.

Dad-of-two Dean Allsop, who has lived in the area for 27 years, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "This is a residential area, we want to keep it residential. Why can't [they] just build houses for families?"

"There's plenty of land at the university where they could build halls," he added.

Dean has nothing against the students themselves, he stressed. But he believes the area can't handle the development - he says vehicles already block pavements on the road.

"There's going to be cars and we haven't got the infrastructure," he said. "It brings crime to the area, students always get robbed."

He worries that allowing this accommodation to go ahead will spark a domino effect. He added: "If one goes up, the rest are going to go up - some units behind us are empty.

"Before you know it, they'll be here. If I wanted a tower block in my back garden I'd go and live in Hillfields."

Another Burnsall Grove resident, who wished to only be named as Nicky, worries about the environmental impact that the development will have. She said she'd be "very, very disappointed" if it goes ahead.

A third resident, who wished not be named, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she would be "disgusted" if the block is built. Asked what her main issues were she said: "the noise, the crime, the cars."

A supporting statement with the planning application reads: "The site will deliver a number of benefits including economic benefits through the construction phase in terms of jobs and purchase of materials and services but also once operational by attracting more students into the city and the additional spend they will make to city businesses.

"Provision of PBSA [Purpose-Built Student Accommodation] will also have the effect of meeting student demands for high quality accommodation whilst also freeing up traditional housing stock in the city, making this available for other renters and purchasers."

A decision on the plans is expected in June.

Coventry residents relieved as 'inappropriate' student flats refused by council



Plans to build a 196-bed student accommodation with no parking in south Coventry have been rejected by the City Council. Councillors on the authority's Planning Committee voted by seven-to-one to refuse permission for the proposed Canley flats at a meeting yesterday evening (14 September).

Planning officers had criticised the Burnsall Road block's "inappropriate" location in an industrial area far away from the city's universities. In a report before the meeting, planning officers recommended the plans to demolish an old office block and replace it with flats should be refused.

A total of 26 local residents supported the application with five against. Councillors heard from three of them including Burnsall Grove resident Alexandra.

She told the meeting the block was "not suitable for our area," as it was "too large" and had "no designated parking". She added: "It will bring with it a stream of delivery drivers, white vans and Ubers."

She said there is a "duty of care" to protect students from isolation and pointed out the lack of facilities nearby, such as a local place of worship or pub. "There is no bus route, we lost that about 16 months ago. There's one small, expensive, corner shop," she added.

A resident named Stefano was in favour of the plans and a statement was read outlining his position. He said the block would bring "much-needed" investment to the area and would be in an "ideal location" for students, "close to woodland and local shops".

"I like that the development is no parking, this would ease traffic, especially heavy goods vehicles," he wrote. "I support this application and others on the estate feel the same way."

A discussion on the plans took place and saw councillor Ryan Simpson question whether students would need to use cars. Cllr Simpson, a former student at Warwick University, said the campus is only a 20-minute walk away and was sceptical that students would pay for parking every day to avoid this.

But council officers stressed the block's location in an industrial area was key as noises from businesses could affect the student tenants. They added that Burnsall Road has existing parking problems and it would be difficult to control whether students living in the blocks use vehicles.

Overall the plans were rejected in a vote of seven to one.

Dean Allsop, who has lived at nearby Burnsall Grove for 27 years, said he was "happy" with the decision following the meeting. The father-of-two believes the city is "losing local communities" and called for student blocks to be built on university campuses.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "I am happy for the local community that this build was rejected by the council because it is not what we need. What we do need is more affordable housing for first time buyers to get on the property ladder and not more and more student accommodation in Coventry. Should the university want to have more students they need to build within the campus and not on residential streets where we are losing local communities."

A decision on the plans is expected in June.

That was a very long June!

Developer wins appeal to build student flats



A developer has won an appeal to build a 196-bed student accommodation block to replace a disused business unit.

The six-storey building was deemed "inappropriate" by Coventry council, which rejected the plans last September.

The car-free development, provisionally named Brookside House, will now go up on an industrial estate on Burnsall Road, in Earlsdon.

City-based firm DR2H said it was "thrilled" to have won the appeal.

The plans feature self-catering studio flats, with plans for a private gym, cinema, and rooftop terrace close to the University of Warwick and Cannon Park shopping centre.

"We keep sustainability at the front and centre, providing safe cycle storage on site and contributing to a new Midlands Transport bike facility to be installed close by," said company director Rishi Malhan.

The flats will be ready for the 2025/26 admissions cycle, he added.

Coventry City Council has been approached for a comment.