Student flats to become HMO with more young people living at home
The block will be turned in a 63 bed house of multiple occupation
A plan to turn a block of student flats into a 63-bedroom house of multiple occupation (HMO) has been approved.
JG Student Lets applied to convert Student Court at 85 Jeffery Street, Gillingham, into an HMO due to a drop in the number of students choosing private accommodation.
Medway Council has approved the application with the condition that it cannot be occupied by any more than 63 people.
The Faversham-based lettings provider said it had been struggling to fill the block with students as many are choosing to stay at home while completing their studies.
In its submission, it said only 40% of students at the University of Kent do not commute into lectures or seminars, and the university’s own accommodation has been left with many vacant rooms.
The application was approved by officers, rather than requiring sign-off from the authority’s planning committee, who said the change to an HMO would not be significantly different in terms of the effect on the area.
They said there would be a similar level of footfall coming in and out of the property and could result in a benefit as those living there would be likely to stay longer than students and therefore be more invested in the neighbourhood.
Officers also accepted the logic of the need for the conversion, accepting that there had been a drop-off of students seeking this kind of housing.
The proposals will see no changes to the fabric of the building, internally or externally, and would only mean a change of use.
The building consists of four floors, the ground floor has 13 bedrooms, including four which are wheelchair accessible rooms, two common rooms, a cycle store, and a bin store.
The first, second, and third floor each comprise 16 bedrooms, two common rooms, and a studio, and all rooms are single-occupier and have en suites.
There were no car parking spaces when student accommodation and none are added as part of the application, though there are 56 cycle spaces.
The property is also less than five minutes walk from Gillingham Railway Station and about a mile from the Towns’ hospital.
Council officers approved the plans on April 27.