Approval received for 242 student rooms

Plans have been approved for a sixstorey, 242-bedroom student residence on the former site of De Stihl’s nightclub.

On Monday, members of the council planning committee gave the green light for the development on South Ward Road, near the city centre.

Edinburgh-based KR Developments, who submitted the plans, say work will begin next year. Completion is estimated for 2025.

The site has been empty since 2014, after a former mill that housed a succession of nightclubs, including De Stihl’s which was popular in the ’80s and ’90s, was demolished.

The plans include 128 cycle spaces.

No car parking is included as it is thought there are enough spaces in the city centre area.

The site is just around the corner from Robertson’s Furniture Store which was destroyed in a huge blaze at the weekend.

Robertson’s was previously the subject of plans to build student flats.

A number of objections had been raised regarding the building’s height but it is felt by town planners the scale of the student flats will be in keeping with offices and hotels neighbouring the site.

The property will be owned and operated by Chicago-based CA Ventures and managed by the company’s property management platform, Novel Student.

South Ward Road plan.