UK: The proposed conversion of a 1970s West Yorkshire office block into student accommodation looks set to get the green light next week.
Abode Manchester 2 Ltd submitted a full planning application to Kirklees Council last year for the redevelopment of Crown House on Southgate in Huddersfield.
The building was previously occupied by the Department for Work and Pensions. A Jobcentre Plus centre operated on the ground floor until four years ago.
Planning permission is sought to convert the building to create 198 student bedrooms.
Student accommodation would be hosted on the first to ninth floors, with each unit including a bathroom, cooking and working facilities.
Communal facilities for tenants would be provided on the ground floor, including lounge, gym, study area, and recreation areas. The ninth floor’s roof would also be become a communal space for residents.
The application will go before the council’s strategic planning committee on 11 May and is recommended for approval, subject to conditions and the signing of a Section 106 agreement, in a planning officer’s report prepared for the meeting.
The report said: “The proposal would bring a long vacant building back into a beneficial use in both an effective and efficient way. Therefore, the principle of development is acceptable. The re-cladding of the building would enhance its appearance and improve the quality of design in the wider area. The proposed development is not deemed harmful to the amenity of local residents, nor would it harm the safe and effective operation of the highway, subject to the recommended conditions.”
Crown House is located adjacent to the site of University of Huddersfield’s new Health Innovation Campus.
The project team on the Crown House application includes Paul Butler Associates, NC Architecture, PDA Acoustic Consultants, Cameron Rose Associates and BB7.
