City centre student flats plan set for approval

The block of flats will be located opposite the Holiday Inn in Leicester City Centre

Plans to demolish three buildings to make way for a seven-storey block of student flats in Leicester city centre have been recommended for approval.

The designs, submitted by City Group Leicester Ltd, will see 108 apartments built on land in St Nicholas Circle, opposite the Holiday Inn hotel and near the Jewry Wall Museum.

Plans to build on the site have been in the works since 2017, but this is the first time designs could be approved.

The site is currently occupied by industrial and storage buildings, one of which was formerly the home of Brucciani's bakery.

According to planning documents, the buildings at 150 St Nicholas Circle would be demolished alongside 1-7 and 13 Bath lane to make way for the block.

The block of flats will house 108 apartments

The building would contain 106 studio flats as well as five four-bed and one three-bed apartments.

Each of the shared flats would feature shared kitchens and common rooms.

A report published ahead of Leicester City Council's planning committee meeting on Wednesday said the building would be in a "good location to provide accommodation, particularly for students at De Montfort University".

A planning officer said the loss of the current buildings in Bath Lane is "unfortunate", but that it was "acceptable on this occasion".

The development would contribute to housing supply numbers in the city and could also "release some of the pressure on the use of private rented housing stock by students deciding to live in this purpose-built student accommodation rather than a shared house", the report added.