New student accommodation plans revealed for Chichester

New student accommodation could be built next to where a major housing development is taking shape.
The empty UMA House in Shopwyke Road which could be turned into student accomodationThe empty UMA House in Shopwyke Road which could be turned into student accomodation
The empty UMA House in Shopwyke Road which could be turned into student accomodation

There are plans to convert the former Portfield Depot and UMA House site, next to the 500-home Shopwyke Lakes development, into housing for university students.

Construction company Osborne owns the site in Shopwyke Road and is working with the Student Housing Company on the project.

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Ahead a planning application being submitted, a public exhibition is being held next week.

Mark Swindall of Osborne and Ruth Appleby from The Student Housing Company said: “We look forward to welcoming the local community to our public exhibition on Wednesday, April 13, between 2pm and 8pm at the Chichester Park Hotel to view proposals to redevelop the former Portfield plant yard and UMA House as student accommodation.

“We believe this brownfield site is an ideal location for student dwellings, being located just one mile from the University of Chichester campus and a short walk from the heart of Chichester and offering an excellent opportunity to reduce the pressure on Chichester family housing.”

A planning application has gone in by another developer to build a three to five storey block offering 153 student beds close to Tesco on Fishbourne Road.

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The University of Chichester said it was aware of both plans.

A spokesman said: “We are aware of the developments at the Shopwyke site and an approach by construction company, Osborne, was made prior to the public consultation.

“Our response was and remains that we support the development of well managed, well designed and affordable student accommodation.

“This development will be owned and managed by third parties and will be designed for our returning students only, our second, third and post-graduates.

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“Our first year students will remain housed on our Chichester and Bognor campuses.”

He added that the university was aware of the Tesco plans but could not add anything at such an early stage of development.

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