Stratford College student flats look set for demolition
TWO student accommodation blocks at Stratford College could be demolished within the next few weeks.
The 80,000sq ft site on Alcester Road includes 50 flats which were purpose-built in 2006 to accommodate both UK and overseas students, but now the accommodation is no longer used and the college is looking to off-load the buildings.
A planning application for the demolition was considered by Stratford Town Council’s planning consultative committee on Tuesday 3rd May and, while councillors accepted the request was in some regards a formality, there was still a sense of sadness about the decline in use of the student accommodation blocks and a feeling some other options for future use could be explored.
Cllr Jenny Fradgley, ward member for Guildhall, in which the college is located, told the Herald: “Instead of demolition – which seems a formality – should there have been more time to try to sell the accommodation perhaps for change of use or to re-purpose it?
“The building has a huge carbon footprint and we would want to make sure any valuable materials are recycled where possible. Because of the size of the buildings the demolition would be a major mechanical task and the remains crushed down which would produce lots of rubbish, so where would that go?”
Originally, the college had been looking for offers for the flats, which are known as Oak House and Willows House, with a bid deadline set for 12 noon on Friday 6th May. But a formal request for demolition has also been started which could allow the flats to be demolished from Monday, 23rd May, onwards according to a planning application submitted to Stratford District Council.
“There’s sadness that it got like this. I would have liked to have seen it re-purposed as happens with other buildings and I’m anxious about the carbon footprint. Of course, it might turn out to be something nice and new for the town but there’s anxiety over the future of the project,” said Cllr Fradgley.
“The college has moved away from its business model and it would have been nice if the college spoke to the town like it used to and it would been nice to have been included.”
A spokesperson for the college previously told the Herald: “No set price has been set for the blocks as the college is waiting to see what is offered, but in terms of demolition, the college says it is still exploring all options as for the best direction for the future of the buildings.”
The agents handling the
sale of the buildings/land described them as suitable for ‘residential, hotel, or commercial use subject to planning’.
