Planning win for Bolton student flats

A five-storey student apartment scheme designed by David Cox Architects has been approved by Bolton Council. 

The project, on land bounded by Fletcher Street, Pilkington Street and Basil Street, will feature 87 studio apartments. 

Each apartment will come with an en-suite shower room and kitchenette, alongside communal areas including a group study room and lounge area.  

The land is owned by Makan Investments, the applicant for the scheme, and is occupied by the Ash Marques used-car dealership. The single-storey building on the site will be demolished. 

The approval comes amid an increase in student numbers at the town’s university, which have reached 6,000. The latest consent comes a decade after plans for 103 student flats were approved for the same site. 

Steven Gallagher, associate at David Cox Architects said: “The design devices we’ve used on this development are shared with the industrial mills in the neighbourhood that remain today.

“The rich industrial heritage has been captured in our new scheme design which ensures that the character and historic fabric of the town remains appropriate.”