UK: Fusion Students wants to change the top four floors of its Nova building in Nottingham city centre to serviced apartments.
Fusion Students has experienced a lack of demand for student accommodation at the Talbot Street building and wants to convert 165 rooms into serviced accommocation until August 2018 to boost occupancy in its first year of operation.
In a letter to Nottingham City Council, Alder King Planning Consultants said: “Whilst bookings are currently strong, a temporary change of use is sought to ensure that the building is fully occupied during its first year of operation. A degree of uncertainty exists about student uptake in the first year as the building is not due to be handed over from construction until one month before the start of term. This creates challenges in terms of marketing the development to prospective residents as many parts of the building cannot be viewed. Therefore Fusion Students are seeking to take a ‘belt and braces’ approach to occupation during the first year.”
Alder King said a similar approach has been used by Fusion at developments in Bristol and Newcastle.</p
