More than 600 new student flats recommended despite fears of 'overbearing' tower blocks

Summix RGB Developments Ltd and Sheet Anchor wants to build the blocks – the tallest of which would be 15 storeys – around the Richmond Gardens car park at the top of Richmond Hill. There would be 625 bedrooms as well as a coffee shop.

Council officers say the scheme meets with borough policies, including those on tall buildings, student accommodation and parking.

However the scheme received 18 objections, including a call-in by ward councillor Mike Greene, who is also cabinet member for transport.

Cllr Greene cited concerns about the "change of character of the area", "loss of outlook" of neighbouring properties, and suggested the planned blocks would be "overbearing".

However council planning officer Tom Hubbard says in a report to the planning board: "The development would undoubtedly alter the character of Richmond Gardens due to the amount and scale of development, but it is argued in the relevant sections of the report that it would not itself be harmful overall and would make good use of an under-utilised site."

Mr Hubbard also notes that the tallest building proposed has been reduced in height by three storeys as part of the application process.

The letters of objection from residents cite similar concerns as well as fears the lack of parking provision will cause problems in neighbouring roads.

According to the report, borough policy "does not require student accommodation to provide parking for students".

"It is expected that they will not bring cars to the site, which is dealt with through a student management plan and student tenancy agreements."

Six parking spaces are proposed, chiefly for staff use, with two lay-bys for picking up and dropping off.

The scheme however proposes 246 covered cycle spaces.

When the application was submitted at the end of the summer last year, the developer said that, due to concerns raised about “the over-proliferation of student accommodation within Bournemouth”, it had commissioned a study by Knight Frank to assess supply and demand, and determined that town had “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),” the application 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.”

Current student housing projects in the works in Bournemouth 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.

The scheme will be considered by the board on Monday, March 18.