Elkstone has been given planning approval for a 895-bedroom purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme at 39 Corporation Street in Belfast. Elected representatives from the Belfast City Council Planning Committee unanimously agreed on Tuesday 17 June to allow the construction of the PBSA scheme across nine to 20-storey blocks.
The building will be situated between Corporation and Tomb Street. The land currently comprises a vacant office development constructed in 1990. Dublin-based Elkstone’s plans include internal and external communal amenity space, including landscaped courtyard, roof terraces and ancillary accommodation.
Letters of support made reference to the new building potentially increasing city centre footfall, creating investment opportunities and promoting sustainable economic growth.
There will also be outside term-time use as short-term let accommodation at no more than 50% of the rooms, and accommodation for use by further or higher education institutions, again at no more than 50% of the rooms.
“The applicant has agreed to provide the council with the option to deliver the public adopted public realm and a commuted sum of £245,000 was agreed. Should the council not wish to take forward the public realm, the applicant shall deliver it prior to occupation.”
Planning Report, Belfast City Council
Both Queens University Belfast and Ulster University have recently stated that they will require an extra 5,000 places for Northern Ireland undergraduates by 2030, due to the projected rise in the number of 18 and 19-year-olds.
“There [is] a growing demand for purpose-built managed student accommodation over private rental sector accommodation and insufficient rooms either in the planning process or being constructed to address the shortfall.
“In reality, in light of the emerging trend of purpose built managed student accommodation being increasingly favoured over traditional house shares, the increase in the number of international students choosing to study in Belfast and the projected increase in NI school leavers seeking university places by 2030, the scale of need for student beds is likely to continue to grow beyond the previously projected 6,000 beds.”
Planning Report, Belfast City Council
