Plans for city student flats given green light

The block of flats will be located opposite the Holiday Inn in Leicester city centre

Plans to build a block of student flats in Leicester have been given the green light.

Leicester City Council's planning committee approved a scheme for 108 apartments on land between St Nicholas Circle and Bath Lane, opposite the Holiday Inn hotel, at a meeting on Wednesday.

The decision means three buildings, including the former home of Brucciani's bakery, will be demolished to make way for the block of flats.

Concerns about the scale and design of the building, which will be seven storeys high at its tallest point, were raised during the meeting, but councillors voted in favour of the scheme by eight votes to two.

Committee member Patrick Kitterick described the block as "just so depressing" and said it lacked architectural ambition.

He said the area was the "jewel of Leicester heritage" because of its proximity to the Roman Jewry Wall remains and the associated museum, as well as other features like St Mary de Castro church.

The former Brucciani's bakery building will be demolished

Other councillors, however, said they liked the proposed design and that the scheme would help regenerate the area, by the River Soar, which already has a large number of tall student accommodation blocks.

Councillor Kulwinder Singh Johal said the area was going through a transition from its industrial past.

He added: "That transformation has to continue.

"Do we want to improve the city?

"I would welcome that project every day of the week."

Councillors were told there could be "high-value" archaeology under the site.

Officers said a condition would be imposed on the planning permission requiring the applicant to carry out a survey and record any finds before construction begins.

Nobody representing the applicant, City Group Leicester Ltd, spoke at the meeting.