A vacant office building in central Weston-super-Mare has been sold for conversion into student accommodation. The development will be Weston’s largest student accommodation scheme to date and will support both the regeneration of the Grove Village area and the growth ambitions of Weston College, providing accommodation for students attending courses at University Centre Weston.
Parkside House on Grove Road has been acquired by the DPL Partnership and West End Investments off a guide price of £2.5 million. The vendor was a private investor represented by Alder King.
DPL Partnership secured planning permission for its scheme earlier this year. It now plans to refurbish and remodel the former HMRC office with external alterations and an additional floor extension to create a total of 109 student bed spaces. The scheme will include five studios, 15 twodios and cluster accommodation, with a residential warden and associated student facilities such as laundry and study rooms, a gym and dance studio.
The scheme is scheduled to be ready for occupation by the start of the next academic year in September 2020.
Parkside House is in a highly sustainable and accessible location, close to Weston College, the retail centre and public transport links. The redevelopment has been endorsed by the College which has seen a year on year increase in the University Centre Weston student population following the expansion of its higher education provision.
Tom Dugay of Alder King says the redevelopment of this property will regenerate this central part of Weston.
“This office property has lain vacant for over six years. This scheme will finally bring it back into use and will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the Grove Park area as well as the town centre.”
DPL Partnership focuses on the acquisition and repositioning of commercial, residential and retail assets and has particular expertise in purpose-built off campus student accommodation. Completed developments include The Platform and St Stephens House in Bristol. Parkside House will be its first scheme in Weston.
