Plans to convert a Loughborough church into student accommodation have been given the go-ahead by officials.
A bid to redevelop the Schofield Centre on the corner between Ashby Road and Greenclose Lane was lodged with Charnwood Borough Council (CBC) by SHM Lettings Ltd.
The proposals would see the former church, which has also housed offices, a community kitchen, and a nursery, turned into 28 beds for students.
The Northern section of the site, a former factory college dating back to 1918, has already been made into Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). This scheme will transform the Southern section, a 1938 extension.
There will be a mix of cluster flats and studios with communal facilities in the basement.
According to planning documents, the building has recently “fallen out of useful life” and this project will “secure” its immediate future.
The news comes soon after CBC recently introduced new guidance which will help officers tackle the oversaturation of HMOs and PSBAs in the town.
The council’s policy says that with a growing number of students in the town, off-campus accommodation plans will be supported where it will not harm the local community’s character or lead to increased traffic.
To ensure “balanced” communities, proposals will now be rejected if more than 10 per cent of the surrounding area is already made up of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO).
However, planning officers said this scheme complies with all these policies and argued it will bring “viability and vitality” to the town centre.
Approval has been granted on the condition that development begins within three years and that traffic, noise and biodiversity commitments are maintained.
The developer will also make financial contributions to healthcare services and local parks under a Section 106 agreement.
By Caitlin James, Local Democracy Reporter
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