Plans for a new five-storey student block in Nottingham have been approved.
The former Willbond bathroom showroom, in Ilkeston Road, Lenton, will now be knocked down to make way for a new building with 109 bed spaces.
It will feature a gym and communal space on the ground floor.
The plans were approved by Nottingham City Council’s planning committee on Wednesday (April 22). All but one councillor, Cllr Kevin Clarke (Ind), voted for the plans.
Cllr Clarke had raised his concerns over the lengthy passage of time since a consultation with residents had been done, as well as a rising vacancy rate for purpose-built student accommodation.
According to a student accommodation report, published by the council in March 2026, the sector is now “experiencing a third consecutive year of softened demand”.
The 2025/26 occupancy survey reported an overall vacancy rate of 12.7 percent, up from 11.2 percent in 2024/25 – and significantly higher than pre-2023 levels, which were typically below one percent.
Studios have been affected the most, with vacancy rates rising to 16.1 percent, compared with 11.6 percent in cluster flats, reflecting reduced demand from international postgraduates, and students looking for cheaper shared flats.
Cllr Clarke said after the meeting: “It is a really tight location, and we have a 12 percent vacancy rate.
“There are going to be big issues with parking around there. There is only one entrance with no rear access at all, just all squashed in.”
Councillors were informed the consultation took place on June 16, 2023.
Cllr Shuguftah Quddoos (Green) added: “Cllr Clarke makes a valid point.
“It is opposite a row of residential properties. The people that live there may not have lived there two years ago, or three years ago.
“We may not need to do it in terms of process, but it might be good practice to do a consultation given that student accommodation is already a hot topic. I would suggest at least we do a consultation in real-time with residents who are going to live opposite this development, and all of this disruption.”
Paul Seddon, the director of planning, said the scheme has met the council’s consultation requirements, and added no concerns had been raised during the earlier consultation period by any of the residents around that area.
The existing two-storey building is on the corner of Ilkeston Road and Bright Street, and the Nottingham Civic Society had raised concerns about the dwindling number of Victorian shop buildings.
Cllr Samina Riaz, who represents Lenton and Wollaton East for Labour, also raised concerns over traffic on the road during the construction period, but added: “I welcome this development, I think it is really good.
“I think there is a need for student accommodation so we can reoccupy those properies in Lenton and Wollaton, so families can go back into them.”
A council officer said discussions were ongoing to talk about falling demand and converting student blocks into co-living spaces or office space in the future.
According to Nottingham City Council, the site forms part of an area which has undergone significant change in more recent times, and is now recognised for its concentration of student accommodation.
One of the more recent developments is the 720-bed Deakins Place, built in 2022.
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