Amazing plans for town site
PLANS FOR 500 student homes in Loughborough, including a 14 storey tower building and an apartment block with a rooftop football pitch have been made public.
The ambitious development is planned for the town centre site, bordered by Leicester Road, Pinfold Gate, Aumberry Gap and Barrow Street.
The plans have been submitted to Charnwood Borough Council by student accommodation specialist Future Generation.
The applicants say that the design of the scheme has developed from the concept of a fort with the tower located on the key corner location providing a gateway feature leading into the town.
“Townhouses have been provided on Pinfold Gate on a domestic scale responding to the sensitivity of the Grade II listed terraced houses opposite.”
A planning statement states that the proposed development comprises of two buildings saying: “The proposed development seeks to deliver high quality, well managed student accommodation in the heart of Loughborough, with a focus on providing not only high quality student bedrooms and accommodation, but also spacious, well equipped and high quality amenity space as well as community space at ground floor.
“The first is a perimeter block that is made up of three storey townhouses along Pinfold Gate stepping up to flatted development along Aumberry Gap, turning the corner onto Barrow Street, gradually stepping up to eight storeys in height.
“On the corner of Barrow Street and Leicester Road is a 14 storey tower providing a landmark feature.
“The second building is located in the centre of the site within the perimeter block building.
“This building is six storeys in height with a 5-a-side football pitch located on the roof (equivalent to 6th floor level.
“Access to the football pitch is gained from the central courtyard, this will be open to be used by residents and members of the public.
“The football pitch will be contained by net meshing and security lights are also provided at roof level for security purposes (but not to allow night time use after dark).”
There will also be a communal area to be used by public and residents.
At the moment part of the site is occupied by commercial and retail properties including a restaurant and vehicle maintenance /repair garage which occupy a very small proportion of this large and flat site.
Those buildings would be demolished.
The Phantom pub is right next door, but doesn’t form part of the development site and will remain untouched.
Frances Turner, associate director of Future Generation told the Echo: “This is in summary a very exciting proposal which goes right to the heart of a shared space for the existing local community and the next generation of students and workers and residents of Loughborough.
“This will go some way to provide much needed student accommodation in Loughborough and therefore seeks to reduce impact on the local private housing supply which is already stretched by student take up, whilst providing much needed community accommodation.”