WORKS are set to begin on a major new 462-room student accommodation building in Coventry.
Construction will start in September with the demolition of the former Buildbase building supplies centre close to being completed.
Gilltown Ltd, the developer behind the new block on Gulson Road, said the site will help meet the need for additional accommodation in the city.
It is predicted there will be a 7,000 student admission increase at Coventry University alone in the next five years.
The new facility is expected to be ready for autumn 2020.
The development will also feature green space with the design of the building developed around four landscaped courtyards.
Paul Gillespie, of Gilltown, said: “We could see huge potential in this site when it was introduced to us as there is a definite demand for more student accommodation in Coventry.
“This is a great location for Coventry University students and creating high-quality student property is exactly what we do.”
Peter Holt, director of Holt Commercial, the company which earmarked the site, said: “The growth in student accommodation in Coventry over recent years has been rapid and there is still a strong market due to the growth of Coventry University itself and the number of students it attracts.
“Student property requirements have evolved over the years and this development will offer students exactly the kind of accommodation they are looking for with a host of amenities as well as individual rooms.
“I am delighted we could attract more investment into Coventry in this way.”
There is a long-standing debate about ‘studentification’ in Coventry with many residents saying communities have been eroded by developments catering for the city’s booming student population.
But council leaders say the increase in student blocks across the city will mean greater inward investment and that more traditional homes will become available for rent to local families.
Similar student blocks are being constructed on London Road and on Fairfax Street, both in the city centre.
