UK: The conversion of Coverdale House, a Leeds city centre office building, into student accommodation, has been approved by planners.
Developer Malik Group Holdings Ltd (MGHL) submitted an application to Leeds City Council earlier this year for the change of use of the property on East Parade.
The 1980s building primarily consists of vacant office space. It is not listed but is within the City Centre Conservation Area and adjacent to the grade II-listed East Parade Chambers.
The plans cover the conversion of the building to create a total of 103 student units, each with an en-suite shower room, study area and kitchenette.
The plans also include a gym, study spaces, recreational room, laundry, private dining and postal room. Two external communal courtyards would be provided, together with 30 cycle storage spaces.
The council has now granted approval for the change of use, subject to conditions, under delegated powers.
A planning officer’s report accompanying the decision said: “The proposals will redevelop a building within a brownfield location which is highly sustainable in terms of the use proposed. Residential amenity impacts have either been addressed by condition, reconfiguration or can be mitigated by the provision of more generous shared amenity spaces in the building than the emerging guidance suggests as acceptable. The proposals would bring a predominantly vacant building within the conservation area back into viable use and the external visual impacts are noted as being predominantly neutral where the setting of adjacent listed buildings is concerned and acceptable overall in terms of the character and appearance of the conservation area.”
