The application to build 440 student flats on land off Aumberry Gap, in Loughborough, was passed after a long debate and dramatic last twist.
Whether Loughborough actually needs more students flats was high on the agenda for councillors and objectors, when discussing the proposal at a meeting of Charnwood Borough Council’s planning committee.
But councillors were advised that regardless of whether or not there was a need for more flats, it was not a strict planning issue and defending a refusal on that basis would be very tricky.
A previous bid by student accommodation specialist, Future Generation Ltd, for more than 600 student flats, with a tower block up to 15 storeys-high, including a six/seven storey block, with a rooftop football pitch, was refused by Charnwood Borough councillors last July.
At the time of refusal, a planning officer’s report said the proposed development, due to the height, scale, and bulk of the buildings failed to respect the context of this town centre site.
The company has since submitted the new application.
The planned 15-storey tower on the corner of Barrow Street and Leicester Road has been slashed to just seven storeys-high.
The plans for the rooftop football pitch have also been scrapped.
The total number of flats has been reduced from the 612 figure to 440.
Speaking at the meeting, objector Lyn Sutton said that there was no need for the flats and that the developer’s data supporting a need was wrong.
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She also added that there was an over supply of bed spaces for students in the town.
Speaking for the developers Frances Turner said that the company had carefully considered feedback since the original refusal and had reduced the height of the buildings and the number of flats and had also removed the football pitch.
Coun Bill Bebbington said that it wasn’t the committee’s problem to determine whether the students flats were necessary: “That’s not a planning consideration.”
He added that he thought the complex would add value to the entrance to the town.
During the debate, Coun Joan Tassell, quoting from a report for the borough council on the number of student flats in the town, said it wasn’t nice reading, as at least two complexes were only 80-odd per cent full: “Do we really need more student accommodation at this point in time?”
Coun Mark Lowe said he couldn’t support the application as he thought the development was too big for the area: “We are putting 400 students right in the middle of Loughborough and then, for two thirds of the year, there’s going to be nobody there.”
Coun Brenda Seaton, referring to whether there was a need for more student flats said that the developers were not going to build the complex for “the hell of it”. They were building it to fill it.
Coun Bill Bebbington proposed the plans be passed, seconded by Coun Hilary Fryer.
A vote was taken with three councillors raising their hands in favour of the plan.
But just as the committee chair Sandie Forrest asked the members to vote on who was against the proposal, the proceedings were brought to a halt.
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Coun Iain Bentley, who was not one of the original three voting in favour, interjected saying: “I can’t support this, but I can’t think of a single reason to turn it down either.”
Coun Forrest asked for a resumption of the vote and for the number of councillors who were against the proposal, but again this was brought to a halt.
There was request for an adjournment, but Coun Bebbington said the discussion had been going on long enough for all points to be heard.
At that point Coun Iain Bentley then asked that his vote now to be added to those who wanted to accept the application.
The vote was restarted and this time there were five councillors in favour, with three against.
