The University of the West of England’s (UWE) Frenchay Campus has been given the go-ahead for a 421-bedroom purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme.
The new buildings will replace the now-demolished Mallard House service building in the south-east corner of the campus, along with some car parking areas – a loss of 198 spaces.
South Gloucestershire Council’s strategic sites delivery committee granted planning permission for a pair of six-storey blocks at the site. A central public plaza will be created between the two blocks and an amphitheatre area is also proposed.
The two blocks comprise the second phase of a wider PBSA scheme on-site, following the completion of 900 bedrooms at the former Carroll Court site.
“On balance, it is considered that the scheme would result in a number of benefits, with the impact of providing a more sustainable form of student accommodation in the district considered to be significant.
“The benefits of the scheme are considered to outweigh any harm in the overall planning balance.”
Patrick Jackson, Strategic Sites Delivery Committee, South Gloucestershire Council
The Frenchay Campus development was driven by the university’s aim of offering on-campus accommodation to all first-year students. The ambition is to increase student numbers from the existing 33,000 to 42,000 by 2030 and 48,000 a further ten years on.
