A NEW student flats complex could be built above shops near the University of York.

Plans have been drawn up to convert the first floor of a 1960s-style building in Hull Road into student accommodation, as well as adding two new floors to provide more rooms.

If the scheme at Matmer House is approved by City of York Council, 46 one-bedroom flats would be housed over the three floors of the building, which has shops and food outlets on its ground floor.

The proposals have been submitted by Bradford-based firm Nazman.

It would also be the second major student accommodation development in the area after planners gave the go-ahead last year for 323 flats on the site of the former Co-op dairy on Lawrence Street. Construction work on the scheme, put forward by Leeds company UniLiving Ltd, is currently taking place.

The issue of student housing has caused concern in the Hull Road, Osbaldwick and Badger Hill areas in recent years, with residents claiming too many family homes are being lost due to planning applications for houses in multiple occupation and leading to calls for more student accommodation to be provided on the University of York’s campus.

A decision on the Matmer House proposals is expected to be made by the council in September.

The plans would include front and rear extensions to the shops on the ground floor of the building, with 16 flats on the existing first floor and 30 spread across the two new storeys. There would also be a lettings and management office and storage space for bikes, bins and furniture.

Matmer House was the scene of protests in 2008 when the controversial Church of Scientology - whose followers include Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and John Travolta – set up its Mission of York at the building, making it one of 14 across the UK at the time. A group of campaigners staged a picket at the site as part of a worldwide protest against Scientology.