Vita Student has plans for the development which received £4.8million in taxpayer funding
The new owner of the troubled Portland Crescent development is preparing to present its plans for the site to Leeds City Council next week, and surprise surprise, it's going to become student accommodation.
The development was originally earmarked as a Hilton Hotel, providing tourist accommodation in close proximity to Leeds arena, however work stalled in March 2015 when the building contractor and its parent company went into administration despite receiving £4.8million taxpayer loan which has since been written off.
Property developers Select Property Group acquired the site in September on behalf of its brand Vita Student - who are currently working on the St Alban's Place development - and are expected to submit plans for a 16 storey halls of residence containing 312 studio flats to the council's plans panel on 23 November.
The pre-application presentation on the 23rd will determine whether the plans panel are happy for the building to be repurposed as student accommodation, if they support an additional two storeys to be added to the structure, and if the proposed living conditions are acceptable.
Meanwhile, the city still needs a lot more quality hotel accommodation within close range of its leisure attractions. Fingers crossed for the Jubilee, then...
