Student accommodation plans in Coventry snubbed with Covid-19 uncertainty cited

The coronavirus and "uncertainty around student number growth" have been cited among reasons for snubbing two bids for student accommodation in Coventry city centre.

The council is to approve the long lease of land at Parkside, Paradise Street, next week for 494 private residential apartments.

But a report ahead of the meeting revealed two separate bids for student accommodation on the land have been snubbed, partly due to Covid-19.

The prime city-centre spot is adjacent to Coventry University’s campus and attracted a ‘pure student housing led scheme’ and a ‘mix of student and private housing’, but both bids are recommended to be turned down despite generating more income to the council.

However the city's regeneration chief said plans for more residential, rather than student housing, had always been on the cards.

Azim Walimia, the council’s Principal Development Surveyor, said: “Although the net new income is lower than the residential schemes which included student housing, it was considered that the social and economic benefits to the residents of the city through the additional private housing outweighed the financial benefit.

“In light of the current virus pandemic, the considerable number of student schemes still under construction coupled with uncertainty around student number growth in the next few years it was also considered that there was greater certainty around the need for further residential accommodation.”

She added: “Potential impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic have begun to play out on local, national and international economies.

“Given the likely impact on the level of students attending Coventry University in the short to medium term, especially from overseas, this reinforces the recommendation to select the development proposing a 100% private rented residential accommodation.”

However, cabinet member for jobs and regeneration Cllr Jim O’Boyle said the virus was “not really” the main reason for opting against student accommodation as the council had already been keen to secure more residential homes prior to the outbreak.

“We have been keen on trying to find housing other than student accommodation,” he said.

“We did the Co-Op [new flats] and recently did a deal with EDG [the same developer] for flats at the top of The Burges.

“The reason why I think this one is great is it will be 25 per cent social housing in the city centre which is what it needs.

“That will be a big feather in the cap in terms of sorting out some of our housing issues.”

Eight businesses in the neighbouring Newgate Court Industrial Estate, which forms part of the development, will be relocated within the scheme.

“We will continue to receive the rent from business too so it is a win-win for the council and the taxpayer,” Cllr O’Boyle added.

Subject to approval, the development could be completed by November 2024.