42 ‘car-free’ flats plan for former print works
BID TO BULLDOZE BUILDING FOR FIVE-STOREY BLOCK
AN industrial building in Leicester’s Queens Road could be flattened and a five-storey block of flats built in its place.
Developer DAL Ltd is eyeing up disused print works next to the Brice Memorial Hall as its next project, a plan submitted to Leicester City Council reveals.
The five-storey block would house 42 apartments made up of 19 twobeds and 23 one-beds if the scheme is approved.
These would be aimed at “young professionals”, the application states, allowing future occupants to transition “from student life into working life whilst being able to remain within this exciting, convenient location”.
The developer said it was not possible to retain and convert the building that takes up the site on the corner of Queens Road and Avenue Road Extension.
The uneven floor levels would provide poor accommodation, there could be unforeseen contamination, and some of the external doors are too small, DAL added.
Instead, a new building would be constructed, stepped back slightly from Queens Road to allow for tree planting and benches for public use.
This would provide a more attrac
The developer said it was not possible to retain and convert the building on the corner of Queens Road
tive frontage while removing the issue of cars parking in front of the building, according to the application. There would only be four car parking spaces under the scheme, which would be to the rear of the building and accessed off Avenue Road Extension. These would be accessible electric charging point spaces.
The living spaces would be marketed as “car-free”, the developer added, which it feels is suitable as young professionals are “more likely not to own a car at this stage in their careers”.
The garage at the rear could be used as a cycle storage area with 42 spaces. Easy access to shops, services and public transport, along with “safe and attractive walking and cycling routes into the city centre” make the site a sustainable location to develop, DAL added.
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