University towns and cities, such as Coventry have seen a large amount of purpose-built student accommodation buildings appearing on their landscapes over the past decade or two.
These buildings are vital in housing the bright minds of tomorrow.
What options do you have around change of use of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) to other uses?
Temporary Change of Use
During the pandemic, when student numbers dropped. Several PBSA owners found themselves opting to apply for a temporary change of use on the blocks.
To ensure continued occupation of the buildings, owners submitted planning applications for a 2-year change of use.
As PBSA are classed as sui generis. A planning application would always be a requirement if you were pursuing a temporary change of use on a PBSA.
Change of Use
A change of use of purpose built student accommodation from Sui Generis to another classification of building would require a bespoke and well-constructed planning application.
The route forward would depend very much on the intended future use of the property.
Some situations may be able to make use of a Section 73 application to make the necessary amendments to the planning application. Please get in touch for more information about this.
Seek Advice
The circumstances around your need for a change of use of PBSA are likely to be fairly unique and for such a matter I’d recommend a consultation with an expert planning advisor such as ourselves.
Knowledge of the local authority and decision-making process can make a huge difference in these types of planning scenarios.
With extensive knowledge of –
- Coventry
- Solihull
- Warwickshire
- Stratford-upon-Avon
Simple Planning Solutions can assist with PBSA planning situations.
Check out our testimonials for more from our happy clients ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Michelle Hill MRTPI
As a leading planning consultant I can help with the topics covered in this post. Contact me and I can find you a solution to your planning problem.
