Debenhams student flats plan set for approval

22 hours ago

Paul MoseleyNorfolk political reporter

The former Debenhams in Norwich city centre has been looking increasingly rundown since it closed five years ago

Paul Moseley/BBC A boarded-up entrance to Debenhams in Norwich. Two people are walking past the graffiti-covered boarding. — The former Debenhams in Norwich city centre has been looking increasingly rundown since it closed five years ago

A plan to demolish most of a former Debenhams store and build hundreds of student rooms in its place is set to be approved.

Since the retailer collapsed in 2021, the six-storey building in Norwich city centre has sat empty.

City councillors have been advised to approve proposals for 377 rooms, along with space for shops on the ground floor.

Heritage groups have objected though, raising concerns about the loss of a historical building and the impact of the design on the area.

Plans to redevelop the former department store were first put forward in 2023

Paul Moseley/BBC The exterior of the Debenhams building in Norwich on a grey day. It is a multi-storey building, constructed in the 1950s. Shoppers are walking past it. — Plans to redevelop the former department store were first put forward in 2023

Plans from Orford House Developments Limited (OHDL) would see most of the building knocked down and rebuilt to be eight storeys high.

The proposals were scaled down from the original design, which involved 407 rooms and the development's height reaching 10 storeys.

There has been some debate over what should happen to the site, with local Green councillors calling for it to be transformed into lower-cost accommodation for non-students.

There have also been concerns about the significant increase in student accommodation blocks in Norwich in recent years.

One of the objectors to the proposals has been the University of East Anglia, which warned the market was facing "potential oversaturation".

The Norwich Society said it welcomed some changes made to earlier plans, but warned that increasing the building's height would still cause "material harm".

An artist's impression of how the building would look after being redeveloped

Lanpro A computer-aided-design image of the building on how it would look after being redeveloped. It is now eight storeys tall, primarily brown with parts of the building cream/off-white. — An artist's impression of how the building would look after being redeveloped

However, OHDL's agents previously told the BBC they wanted to turn "a dilapidated, outdated and obsolete building into a thriving student accommodation hub with vibrant retail units at ground floor level".

A report for councillors said officers had worked to minimise harm by "negotiating improvements to the scale, massing and appearance".

It also said there would be economic benefits, and that other accommodation could be freed up for general housing.

Councillors have been advised to give the plans the go-ahead when they meet on Thursday.

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