Smaller Swansea student tower backed after Grenfell tragedy

The student tower (green block) as originally envisaged - it will now be five storeys shorter

Scaled-down plans for a tower block housing hundreds of students in Swansea city centre have been approved.

The block, to be built on Mariner Street car park, will be no taller than 17 floors after the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London led developers to reduce the original 22-storey size.

The previous plan had been backed by councillors in 2016.

It follows concerns about the fire safety of combustible materials in buildings over 18 storeys.

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Swansea's planning committee has given the scheme unanimous approval and architect Michael Lampard said his client Fusion Students was very keen to get on site, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The expansion of the city's two universities - Swansea and Trinity St David - has fuelled demand for student accommodation, which the council hopes will help regenerate the city centre.

The £40m-plus development will require the demolition of a couple of buildings on site, plus the relocation of Network Rail's small car park.