Work on new student flats is well underway

CITY HAS 'HIGHEST DEMAND IN THE UK'

- By WILLIAM TELFORD [e-mail] wtelfordherald

WORK is well under way on a £7m block of student flats close to the University of Plymouth. The six-story building, overlooking the North Hill reservoir, will be the fourth new block to welcome students in the past two years as research says the city has the highest demand for student accommodation in the entire UK.

Construction teams began work in August 2022 at North Hill, on the site of the former Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB) club, creating a 66-bed building. Construction services firm Pure Projects Ltd is managing the build and has been using city firms including GR Westform Ltd. A huge crane is currently on site.

In 2017 Plymouth City Council gave persimmon for the existing RAOB building to be altered and extended to create 41 studio apartments above ground floor commercial space suitable for shops or restaurants, and a new RAOB bar. In 2022 the council allowed changes to the internal layout, converting two-bed units into single bed studios, and creating one three-bed unit.

In November 2022, after work had begun, the council agreed to further changes including removing some windows to improve privacy for neighbouring properties. It also allowed alterations to to remove low frequency noise from ventilation units and remove some glass balustrades,and glazed Juliet balconies.