More than 1,000 student flats planned for Cardiff sites

More than 1,000 student flats could be built across two sites in Cardiff if separate planning applications submitted to Cardiff City Council are given the green light.Select Property Group, via DPP Planning, has lodged plans for the demolition and redevelopment the of Bradley Court office building in central Cardiff.It is proposing to construct a new building of up to 18 storeys featuring 366 studio apartments together with a hub including a gym, games rooms, cinema room, private dining rooms, study areas and laundry.The grade II-listed 11 Park Place on the site will be retained and converted with studio apartments on the upper floors. The building was constructed in 1880 and refurbished in the 1980s when Bradley Court was built.A restaurant will also be developed on the ground floor which will be open to the general public as well as residents. A planning statement submitted as part of the application said the scheme will “bring back into beneficial use a key gateway site” and “meet an unmet demand for very high quality student accommodation in Cardiff”.It is hoped the scheme will “enhance Cardiff’s reputation with students” and benefit the city’s universities and wider economy.An application has also been submitted by JEDS Investments, supported by KDP Architects and The Planning Consultancy, to redevelop the former Volvo Car dealership on East Bay Close.The proposals for this site cover the demolition of the existing buildings and construction of a ten-storey property comprising 711 student flats.The rooms will be a mix of studios and cluster flats with communal facilities, including a gym, cinema room, meeting room and external sports facilities, also provided.A design and access statement submitted with the plans said the development would be a “positive addition to the local area and community” and represented “a suitable use” for a prominent location.