A 3-5 storey block of student flats is recommended for approval, despite concerns the scheme is too high, an overdevelopment of the site, and too cramped and tight for its residents.

Developers Gregory Projects York Ltd and The Hire Group Ltd seek to build 139 individual studios at 15 Foss Islands Road, which was recently occupied by Enterprise Rent-a-Car and Just Tyres and is next to Waitrose supermarket.

Both earlier and the current revised plans have faced opposition from nearby residents and others, but planning staff at City of York Council recommend the revised plans be approved when its planning committee meets next week.

A report for the Thursday meeting says the h-shaped block with two courtyards, would be 3-5 storeys high. There would be 139 individual studio flats plus social space on the ground floor and communal study space on the first floor.

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If approved, they would add to a recently approved scheme for 303 student flats on the site of Alton Cars in James Street and 210 flats at Peppermill Court.

The council report said the existing 19th century buildings are now empty and would be demolished. The replacement, would be three storeys facing the city walls, rising to five storeys to the east facing Elvington Terrace. The two north-south running wins would be in red brick and the connecting section running east-west would be in buff brick to better match the surrounding area.

Planning staff note concerns the building is “too big for the plot” routes that are ‘pinched’ a single lift serving over 100 flats, corridors without daylight, etc, all pointing to “the building being too squeezed.”

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Likewise, the Guildhall Planning Panel said the proposed building was ‘too high’ and ‘overdevelopment.’

York Civic Trust said the scheme would harm the nearby city walls and offer “cramped and isolated living conditions.”

Some 16 letters of objection raised similar concerns, adding the scheme would change the character of the area, block views of the Minster and harm the privacy of nearby residents. They also noted the site was allocated for employment in the draft local plan.

However, planners noted the existing buildings were in a poor state of repair and would unlikely attract future leaseholders.

Officers accepted the scheme had ‘weaknesses’ such as appearing “particularly monotonous and bland”.

Read more: Student flats approved on former Alton Motors site in York

However, students only live in a space for a short time, so will use it more intensely, so the rooms were considered an adequate size. There would also be a general communal area.

The planners concluded the car-free scheme was in a sustainable location, close to amenities and the University of York and York St John University.

Recommending approval, subject to conditions, they added there was “evident demand” for purpose-built student accommodation. Government policy also requires planning decisions give “substantial weight” to using suitable brownfield land within settlements for housing (which includes student accommodation).