'Alarm bells' over student flats

FEARS THAT BLOCK WOULD SOON BE TURNED INTO GENERAL HMO

- By CHRIS BINDING Local democracy reporter

The proposed student flats development by Create Architecture

MAJOR plans for a student flats development in South Shields town centre have been rejected by councillors.

South Tyneside Council's planning committee unanimously voted to refuse an application for a large building on Ocean Road, at the corner with Anderson Street, during a meeting last week.

The site includes the existing ground floor Workwear and Schoolwear Company unit, the former Roxanne's nightclub in the basement, and a bar/nightclub space across the upper floors.

Plans submitted in January proposed retaining the ground floor shop unit and redeveloping the rest of the building, including extending it upwards, to create dozens of new residential flats.

These plans included 30 self-contained studio flats and two six-bed houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) or "cluster apartments", with the project described as "student accommodation" in the submitted plans.