Project Summary
- The site benefited from an existing planning permission for student residential accommodation.
- A more commercially attractive student residential scheme was required with an alternative design and increased quantum of development, on site amenity space, improved student related facilities and no on site car parking.
- A three stage planning process included securing the original permission; an EIA Request for Screening for demolition; a pre app process; and submission of a suite of full planning and listed building applications.
The Planning Process
Extant planning permission was secured through a Discharge of Conditions application for all pre commencement of development conditions alongside the CIL payment and subsequent material start on site. In conjunction with this an EIA Request for a Screening Opinion for the demolition of the buildings was undertaken. This was followed by a pre application process supported by stakeholder consultation. Once this was completed a suite of full planning and listed building applications were submitted.
The proposals were accompanied by a significant level of information detailing the site layout, access arrangements, design, landscape and biodiversity enhancements, travel plans and off site highways works, land contamination, public art, environmental quality, SUDs and sustainability. The work of Jo Lathwood formed part of the external design. The cipher design took inspiration from the site’s history as a shoe factory print and its destruction during the 2nd World War.
The Council agreed that the principle of student residential development was acceptable, but revisions were required to reduce the overall quantum of development, increase the amount of commercial floorspace and further refine elements of the design aesthetic to create a hierarchy of elevations to respond to the various street scenes.
Atlas Hive has subsequently won the Insider South-West Residential Property Award for Student Accommodation Development of the Year 2020 for this scheme.