Plans for a new student accommodation development in Sunderland city centre have been submitted to council development chiefs.

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has received an application for 4-9 Olive Street in the Park Lane area.

The retail units were last used as a children’s clothing store at 4-5 Olive Street and as a bed store at 6-9 Olive Street but according to planning documents, both units have been vacant for years.

New plans propose works to “reconfigure” the ground floor to create three smaller commercial units and to bring forward a major accommodation scheme across the rest of the site.

This includes converting parts of the buildings into student accommodation and building another two floors above the former bed store, with a two-storey extension to the existing flat roof.

A planning statement submitted to council officials confirms the whole development would deliver a total of 46 studio apartments, each with a study space, kitchenette with laundry facility and an ensuite bedroom.

Floor plans show six studio apartments on the ground floor, 19 studio apartments on the first floor, 15 studio apartments at a new second-floor level, with the majority featuring a balcony area, and a further six studio apartments in the top floor’s roof space.

A secure cycle store is also proposed on the ground floor,  along with a ‘student entrance’ to the accommodation using the existing entrance to the former bed store.

Plans for commercial units at the site include a three-storey unit at 4 Olive Street with upper floors utilised for storage, along with single-storey commercial units at 5-7 Olive Street and 8-9 Olive Street.

A planning statement submitted to council officials states the accommodation would be classed as “purpose-built student accommodation” (PBSA) and that the second-floor building extension would be “set back from the principal elevation”.

It was argued that the development would “contribute towards the diversification of the residential offer in the urban core, creating a sustainable community in a highly sustainable location”.

Those behind the scheme said the plans would also “contribute towards meeting [an] identified shortfall of student accommodation” and would help to “reduce reliance on the HMO (house in multiple occupation) sector”.

The planning statement adds: “It has been demonstrated that the proposals will deliver high quality, modern PBSA through the conversion of an existing building occupying a highly accessible location relative to both the city centre and the university. 

“The scheme will provide modern, comfortable and practical bed spaces for future residents. 

“The quality of the accommodation provided coupled with the highly accessible location of the site will clearly contribute to the student experience and quality of life of occupants during the course of their time at university, as residents will be living in modern, quality accommodation lying within extremely close proximity of the range of educational, leisure, retail, entertainment, health and community facilities that they will need to access during the course of their stay.

“The applicant is therefore firmly of the opinion that the site represents an entirely acceptable location for such a form of development providing residential accommodation that will clearly support the overarching strategic objectives of the University of Sunderland by contributing to the provision of high quality, modern and accessible residential accommodation options that meet the current and future aspirations of the student population and providing a greater range and choice of student accommodation within the city.

“There is an identified quantitative and qualitative need for further student bed spaces in the city to support the identified growth of the University of Sunderland and the application proposals clearly accord with the Sunderland Core Strategy Development [Plan] in this regard”.

The applicant for the development is listed as Original Investments Limited.

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A decision on the planning application will be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.

Sunderland City Council’s planning department lists a decision deadline of August 27, 2024.

For more information on the planning application or to track its progress, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 24/01218/FUL