Two Salford high rise blocks from the 1960s will be demolished to make way for new student flats.
Eddie Colman Court and John Lester Court, based off the A6, were built to create more housing during a period of large-scale regeneration work in Salford, and were the first high rise developments in this part of the city at the time.
They were later converted into student accommodation and are currently managed by Campus Living Villages (CLV), with a total of 744 rooms across the 15-storey blocks.
Plans by CLV to demolish the existing buildings and redevelop the land were approved by Salford City Council’s planning committee today (November 7), in a move which will create two new blocks up to 28-storeys tall with a total of 1,500 rooms.
The company shared a report which revealed the current buildings are no longer up to modern standards of student living, and are ‘not full every year because they provide only basic accommodation’ without facilities such as en-suite bathrooms.
Details of the design will be brought back to the council’s planning committee at a later date for approval.
The site, close to the University of Salford’s Frederick Road campus, will offer future students close access to the shops at Salford Precinct, as well as transport options on the A6 and at Salford Crescent train station.
Salford University’s campus is also undergoing major changes, including creating new active travel networks and plans in the pipeline for a new ‘student village’ based around Peel Park.
Joanne Hawley, commercial director at CLV, said the accommodation is in need of a “full refurbishment” due to rooms being too small for modern standards, and the need for more rooms to house the growing numbers of students in Salford.
She added: “The new development will provide modern, cutting-edge accommodation, designed to meet customers’ expectations, and is located directly across the road from the university’s main campus.”
Ms Hawley confirmed that CLV would be “very happy” to maintain the current names of the buildings, named after former Manchester United footballer Eddie Colman who was born in Ordsall and died in the Munich air disaster, and ex-Salford mayor John Lester.
The total number of car parking spaces will be reduced from the current number of 113 spaces down to 59 spots, in a bid to encourage more use of public transport and active travel such as walking and cycling.
Speaking at Salford council’s planning panel on November 7, councillors supported the plans and the benefits it would bring to the city.
Coun Philip Cusack, chair of the planning committee, said there is a growing need for more student homes in the city.
He added: “This will reduce pressure in Salford for further HMOs, we have a desperate need for student accommodation, much of the HMO conversion is because of that demand, this will reduce some of that pressure.”
