Major Student Development Proposed for Stoke

Plans have been put forward that could see up to 800 student beds being built on a key gateway site in Stoke-on-Trent as part of a £500 million masterplan.

However, student accommodation isn't the only option for developers with four options for the redevelopment for Swift House begin drawn up and unveiled to potential investors.

The four options include a 140-bed hotel, 200 apartments, state-of-the-art offices or a student residential complex.

Council chiefs are hoping to attract £500m of private and public-sector investment in the Stoke Station Masterplan, which was launched at Mipim UK last year.

Consultants Faithful and Gould and architects Studio KMA were given the task to come up with options for the redevelopment of Swift House.

The council believe the location of the site near Stoke town centre and Staffordshire University, will make Swift House attractive to investors. While, the Government recently announced that Stoke would be served by at least one high speed train to London every hour.

Commenting on the proposed development, council leader Dave Conway, said: "We are delighted to be launching this key development that has the potential to play a big part in regenerating the Station Gateway to our fantastic city."

"This comes on the back of continued positive news about the local economy and confirmation that Stoke-on-Trent will be a HS2 connected city."

"The Swift House site is a short walk to the train station, Staffordshire University and the Spode creative village, with the city centre little more than a mile away."

The council has been looking to develop the site for the past decade and had been placed on a list of surplus sites earmarked for disposal.