Student Accommodation Project Approved at Former Leicester Factory

A proposal to develop 47 student residences at a former hosiery manufacturing facility in Leicester has received approval. Previously, the developer Jade Ltd was unsuccessful in obtaining planning permission to convert the NS Waite building, located on Henshaw Street in the city centre, into residential units. The company subsequently presented a revised plan to Leicester City Council in November 2022, stating that it addressed “heritage issues.” Planning officers issued conditional approval for the proposal on Tuesday. The prior scheme, which envisioned 37 studio apartments and seven two-bedroom apartments, was turned down due to concerns regarding insufficient living space for students. Furthermore, planning officials indicated that the height of the earlier proposed development would negatively impact the adjacent Grade II listed Luke Turner building, an erstwhile elastic fabrics factory with a significant historical presence in Leicester. According to the revised and approved proposal, the NS Waite building is slated to be transformed into 46 one-bedroom flats and one two-bedroom flat for students, incorporating a three-storey upward extension to the existing structure. This former factory is situated across from another block of student accommodation. Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.