Portsmouth student accommodation plans approved

The property developers said the site would be ready for the 2016/17 academic year

Plans for a new £43m Portsmouth University student housing site have been approved.

Councillors approved a 830-bed building in Greetham Street in the city centre comprising of studio and shared flats.

Developer Unite Students bought the site from Portsmouth City Council and said the site would be ready for the 2016/17 academic year.

A university spokesman said the site would "significantly contribute" to the amount of student housing available.

The university provides about 2,800 purpose-built student homes and had 18,300 undergraduates in 2013.

The £43m site will provide 830 more purpose-built student homes in the area

Unite Students' managing director of property, Richard Simpson, said he was "very pleased".

He added: "This year we have seen university applications continue to outstrip available places and there is a growing need for safe, secure purpose built student accommodation."

The firm already provides half of the university's purpose-built student homes across three properties.