Hythe housing and Essex University student accommodation in Colchester

A planning application has been submitted to Colchester Council which, if successful, would see the development of 42 new units on Hawkins Road.

The 42 housing units include 22 one-bedroom flats and 20 two-bedroom flats, on the site which was formerly warehouses.

It will also see ten more parking spaces introduced taking the number up to 22 spaces for the site.

The planning document also identified the need for retail units.

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The document stated: “Due to recently approved applications for residential development, it is apparent that the need for retail development is high, the proposal would introduce retail shops into the ground floor of the development to provide residents with convenient retail opportunities.”

The planning document also identified the need to create more job opportunities in the area, suggesting this would be factored into the development.

The document reads: “Due to the fact that Hawkins Road currently accounts for almost a third of all firms and employees working within the East Colchester area, it is important the regeneration of the area seeks to ensure that the current level of employment within the area is maintained and ideally increased.

“It is, however, recognised the nature of the sectors providing that employment will shift towards the service sector and towards commercial accommodation which is office based rather than industrial.

 “Therefore, the proposal would introduce both commercial and retail opportunities whilst providing over 50 new apartments for residents of Colchester.

In August 2022, Colchester Council approved plans for the development of 270 student flats to be built near the Hawkins Road site, on the banks of the River Colne.

Developers Beyond the Box had initially proposed for 300 student apartments to be built, but reduced the scheme following backlash.

Not all residents were pleased with the approval of the development at the time, with the landlord of the neighbouring Spinnaker Inn pub, Rob Isbister, branding the scheme an ‘oversized monstrosity’.

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