UA92 advances plans for student accommodation

In a departure from previous office-to-residential proposals, an updated planning application has been submitted for Warwick House featuring 201 student flats under the UA92 Student Living brand, while plans for Charlton House are set to go before Trafford Council’s executive next week.

The 39,200 sq ft Warwick House office, bounded by Talbot Road and Warwick Road, was previously planned for an office-to-residential conversion by Beech Holdings, which had submitted proposals to convert Warwick House into 80 apartments.

However, a fresh planning application has now been put forward to extend the five-storey building by three storeys to house 201 student apartments to provide accommodation to the nearby UA92 University, which will open in the former Kelloggs office opposite Old Trafford Cricket Ground.

This application has been submitted in support of UA92 by T-Space Developments LLP, backed by Michael Dwan of investor Equity Solutions, and Timothy Edghill, formerly a director with JLL Corporate Finance.

The proposals by architect Blue Sky also include a ground-floor student lounge, bar or café over 5,500 sq ft, and communal facilities.

Warwick House is the second student accommodation block to be set aside for UA92, after Charlton House, which Trafford Council said would be converted into student flats earlier this year.

Proposals for the site include converting the existing building in 140 student units, with a neighbouring plot bordering Warwick Road, set aside for a possible new-build project.

The council announced its intention to buy the vacant block on Chester Road in February this year, and appointed JLL to help negotiate a price for the building with its private owners.

Charlton House

Charlton House is likely to be subject to a compulsory purchase order

However, a compulsory purchase order for the site now looks likely, and is understood to be under discussion when the council’s executive meets next week.

Blue Sky Architects is also working on proposals for Charlton House, and both proposals are expected to be ready for the 2019/20 academic year, when UA92 is set to open.

Since being announced last year, the plans for UA92, a sports and media university backed by Bruntwood, Trafford Council, and former footballers including Gary Neville, have moved at pace.

A planning application was submitted last month to convert the Kellogg’s building into 106,000 sq ft of educational space.

UA92 is expected to open its doors in September 2019 in time for the 2019/2020 academic intake, but will take up space in the building on a phased basis; it will initially take part of the basement, and the ground and first floors, totalling circa 50,000 sq ft.

There is also an option for the university to take the upper two floors, again totalling around 50,000 sq ft, in subsequent academic years.

The Kellogg’s building is the first proposal brought forward to house UA92, following an outline masterplan which was presented in September last year.

As well as teaching space focussed at the former office, there are also proposals for a leisure centre, an 184-bed hotel, and around 154 apartments. Trafford Council bought the land for £12m, and the plans to open a university at the site have also been backed by Trafford College.

UA92 will operate as a branch of Lancaster University.

Your Comments

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Hi what is the reason that Ua92 is operating under Lancaster university? Many thanks Kelly.

By Kelly Taylor

Just as a point of clarification, the planning application for UA92 has yet to be determined and it is a bit premature to assume that it will automatically get permission. Also the proposals for the leisure centre, hotel and flats were pulled back by the council in favour of a full consultation with the public on a Masterplan for the site.

By John westbrook

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