A three-storey extension to a student accommodation block in Leicester has been approved despite concerns that the plans don’t ‘respect’ the Grade II listed building.

Plans had been put forward to build on top of 15 Henshaw Street, a former factory dating back to 1893 and Leicester’s first metal-framed building.

Councillors at Leicester City Council’s planning committee voted on Wednesday to approve the application to extend the block by 32 beds despite objections from the Conservation Advisory Panel, which said the application’s standard was inadequate.

In a document shown to councillors, the panel said: “There was consensus among members that the design failed to respect the character and quality of the host building.”

The large glass blocks set to front the design, the position of the solar panels and the impact of the additional loading were among their concerns.

They continued: “All of these issues led panellists to conclude that the principle of extending the building was in itself problematic. The conclusion was that the proposed extension was not good enough and questions were raised over the principle of development.”

However, developers speaking in favour of the plans disagreed with the panel’s conclusion.

They told members: “This application is about making the most out of previously developed land. The development has been carefully designed to respond to the existing building.

“Importantly, the historic significance of the existing listed building remains clearly legible.

“The extensions respond to the proportions and rhythm of the existing cast iron frame but does so in a contemporary and deliberately subservient manner, ensuring it does not compete with or detract from the original listed building.”

The news of the extension comes as the student housing market becomes increasingly competitive for renters.

Research submitted with the application shows there is a total full-time student population of 41,375 in Leicester, with 18,436 beds.

The scheme in Henshaw Street brings the total occupancy of the site to nearly 100 beds, but overall in the city figures still indicate an unmet demand of 29.2%.

By Caitlin James 
(Local Democracy Reporter)