PLANS for three new student housing blocks in Bournemouth town centre have been submitted.

Summix RGB Developments Ltd and Sheet Anchor wants to build the blocks – the tallest of which would be 18 storeys – around the Richmond Gardens car park at the top of Richmond Hill.

Together they would accommodate 681 bedrooms, with two new commercial units.

The scheme, the early stages of which were revealed in May, is the latest of several major student accommodation projects proposed or under way in the borough.

The applicants say that due to concerns raised about "the over-proliferation of student accommodation within Bournemouth" they have commissioned a study by Knight Frank to assess supply and demand.

Their planning statement says the town has "a significant under-supply" of student flats.

"Taking into account existing provision, as well as the ‘pipeline’ supply identified above, there would remain an under-supply of approximately 11,105 bed spaces (not taking into account the expectations of growth within the universities)," it says.

"This equates to approximately 60 per cent of full time students, which would remain reliant upon the private rental/HMO sector.

"The provision of this scheme will significantly meet six per cent of this identified supply."

The statement says the lack of suitable accommodation for students "erodes traditional family housing stock through conversion to HMOs on the private rental market".

"As such, the proposed development of 681 student beds will go some way to address this shortfall and provide much needed student accommodation in a managed and secure environment."

Current student housing projects in the works include 550 flats in St Paul's Place, just under 900 in Oxford Road, 430 in Holdenhurst Road, 240 in Madeira Road, 213 in Christchurch Road and 102 in Hinton Road.

In 2010, permission was granted for three blocks of around eight storeys containing a hotel, offices and flats. A time extension was granted in 2013 but the plan was never enacted.

When the draft plan for Richmond Gardens was shown to the planning board in May, chairman Councillor David Kelsey called the scheme "boring, square and dull".

In response, the developers say they have "reviewed the architectural detailing and use of materials in close consultation with council officers".