Student Portfolio Up for Sale
15th Jan 2021
Canterbury City Council are looking to convert 193 student bedsits, along with townhouses and flats, into new council homes.
The council has revealed details of the £23 million investment, which will see it convert student accommodation into flats and houses.
Under the deal, the council has bought the freehold of 44 properties off Sturry Road, which includes 193 bedsits, five three-storey town houses, and a three-storey block of flats.
Combined, they will provide 63 self-contained flats and houses.
Commenting on the deal, council leader Simon Cook said: "This deal has been a long time coming and is the result of a great deal of hard work by officers behind the scenes."
"We have not been able to talk about this earlier for fear of being gazumped by those with deeper pockets than our own."
"These properties, which are close to the city centre, will provide a massive boost in the number of socially rented homes across the district."
The 193 bedsits included in the deal are in Parham Close, Riverdale House, Albert Mews, Stour Promenade and Glenside Avenue. These will be transformed into 52 self-contained flats and houses, with a total of 132 bedrooms.
Contracts for the properties were exchanged last in early June, with completion expected to take place in August once the academic year has finished.
The council says the investment is part of a programme designed to increase the number of council flats and houses, which originally began in 2015.
