A 303-bed student accommodation block on the edge of York city centre has been approved by councillors.
York-based property and development company, S Harrison, gained approval for the building on the site of the former Alton Cars site on James Street.
The company resubmitted their plans and made changes after a planning committee rejected initial plans in February.
Back then, councillors expressed concerns about over-development – Cllr Martin Rowley (Conservative) said almost 3,000 student rooms had been approved within a 400 metre radius of the site over the last eight years.
And Cllr Janet Looker (Labour) said she had “very significant concerns about the amount of student accommodation there is in what is a very small area”.
The revised scheme has fewer flats and a pocket park.
Gavin Douglas, from S Harrison, said: “We’re all aware of York’s ongoing demand and undersupply of student housing.
“We need to house York’s students in appropriate, sustainably located and well managed properties.”
Cllr Andy D’Agorne (Green) said: “It’s a significant improvement on the previous scheme – more open space, more amenity for residents.”
Cllr Stephen Fenton (Lib Dem) said the scheme was “an improvement” and that the pocket park was “welcome.”
‘Huge regret’
Cllr Nigel Ayre (Lib Dem) said the council had been able to use national delays in planning appeals to its advantage because the initial scheme would have been approved on appeal, but for speed the developers compromised to avoid facing the lengthy process.
Cllr Paul Doughty (Conservative) said: “I do think it was overdevelopment last time and I’m not entirely convinced it’s not overdevelopment, but I do recognise that there’s been improvement.”
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Cllr Janet Looker said she would back the plans with “huge regret”.
She said: “I am concerned that it’s becoming a very student dominated residential area.
“I love students, I have grandchildren who are students, I was a student – they’re marvellous people, but I do regret that another city centre site is now no longer available for homes for residents.”
Cllr Looker repeated her call for the council to create a coherent plan for the city centre.
“We look at one application after another and we don’t put it in context,” she added.
“And I perhaps look to my colleagues in a future administration to try to get to grips with sorting this out because otherwise York is going to become a wholly anonymous place of three and four storey buildings, which loses any sense of its character.”
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Mr Douglas added after the meeting: “Schemes like this not only regenerate and deliver a viable new future for a redundant site, but they bring added value to the local community by investing in the local infrastructure.
“Students provide a massive boost to the economy of this city, supporting jobs and creating a vibrant community.
“Specifically designed for the booming student sector in York, these new, modern, energy efficient spaces are within close proximity of the universities and an ideal home for students wanting to live in this popular part of the city.”