Former bus depot in Magdalen Street, Colchester could be transformed into student flats

Victoria Hall Management has applied to convert the disused site on Magdalen Street, Colchester, into five blocks of flats which would include bin stores, cycle spaces, a management office, gym and communal amenity areas.

There would also be an underground car park with space for 20 vehicles.

The blocks would be split into 16 studio bed spaces and 60 cluster flats – where a number of students would have their own bedroom space but share a communal area.

Victoria Hall Management current runs student accommodation in 28 locations across the UK including two sites in Manchester, another in London and in Birmingham. They also have sites in Ireland, Spain and Germany.

Colchester Council aims to decide on the plans by April 20.

Last month Essex University submitted plans for a 634-room student accommodation block at the Knowledge Gateway.

If the plans are approved then the university will have 4,747 student bedrooms in the town and sufficient space for all first year and overseas students to have a room on the campus.

Colchester Council has yet to decide on the plans but work is expected to begin in the spring if permission is granted.

There is currently approximately 10,000 students at the Colchester campus.

The university declined to comment on the plans for the proposed student halls in Magdalen Street because they were from an independent company.