Council urged to do U-turn on student ban in five-storey Preston apartment block

Originally Unicorn Hall was planned as a student hall of residence, but was then switched to focus on "young professionals" on short-term lets after claims the city council would not support it.

Now a planning application has been submitted to the Town Hall proposing a U-turn which would grant an extension of up to 51 weeks in a calendar year - thus allowing students to stay in the proposed three to five storey building as well as workers.

A report, on behalf of Unicorn Developments, says: "The purpose of this amendment is to allow the premises to be used by a number of groups, including students, workers requiring medium-term lets such as the NHS and BAE Systems, and other groups.

"The site lends itself to being a suitable site for student accommodation due to its close proximity and transport links to the university, being situated just outside the UCLan allocation.

"Whilst the proposed variation of condition would allow for the apartments to be utilised by students, this will also allow for use by key workers, including NHS staff, or apprentices/contract workers that need short or medium term stays within the city.

"As such, it is considered that whilst there is an apparent need for student accommodation, the property would not only meet this need, but it would also meet the need of other people who need central accommodation whilst they work in Preston."

The developers of Unicorn Hall originally planned a four-storey building for students behind the Grade II Listed Unicorn pub which stopped pulling pints in 2017 after almost two centuries. The former inn was also earmarked for conversion to student flats.

But with other major student blocks popping up around the city the plans were switched to target private lets. Preston Council agreed to the scheme, but imposed a condition that the short-term lets were only for a maximum of 90 days in a 12 month period, effectively ruling out students altogether.

Now the owners want to extend that maximum period to 51 weeks a year, thus opening up the building once more to the city's booming student population.

They say that originally, when they planned to build a student block, they were advised that the council would not support it because it wasn't felt there was a need for more student units. The scheme therefore targeted young professionals and visiting key workers.

Now they say they "no longer believe that there is sufficient demand to support a scheme for serviced apartments in this location limited to 90-day occupancy." So they were applying for an amendment of the occupancy of the scheme, "to allow the development to be occupied by a range of groups, including students and other groups, including key workers, contract workers, apprentices, and those in the city on business.

"It is proposed that occupancy of the apartments be restricted to a maximum of 51 weeks (standard student lease period). For the avoidance of doubt, it is not intended that the properties would function as the occupiers’ permanent or principal dwellings, but would continue as commercial let property."