DEVELOPERS behind a £73 million project to transform a former York convent into a 600-bed student village have released the first images of how the completed scheme will look.

Plans to convert St Joseph's Convent in Lawrence Street were given the go-ahead in February this year after being submitted by Select Property Group in December 2014.

The convent was home to a closed order of Poor Clare Colettines for 140 years, until its closure was announced in October last year when numbers had dwindled to just eight nuns.

The student scheme, due to be delivered by Vita Student, part of the Select Property Group, will see the transformation of the entire site, which includes Grade II listed Victorian era chapels and convent buildings, and gardens and orchards in the 6.3 acre site.

The convent will be completely refurbished and converted and an additional 14 three and four storey buildings will be constructed with extensive landscaped grounds included in the scheme.

Ahead of work getting underway on-site in September, Vita has released the first images of how the site will look.

Describing the "strategic purchase" of the site as a "major milestone" for the business, Mark Stott, chief executive of Select Property Group, said: "This prime site in York presents a unique opportunity to deliver distinctive, high quality accommodation in this popular student city.

"Its proximity to both the city centre and University of York has made it an optimum location we’ve been keen to secure for some time.

"Our revolutionary end-to-end service means that we develop, let and manage our properties, ensuring the best possible service for customers.

"This is an ideal addition to our existing portfolio of more than 1000 student beds across leading university towns and cities throughout the UK."

The St Joseph's Convent site will add to the 648 bed Student Castle development on the former Press site on Walmgate, and 220 student studio flats on the old Reg Vardy garage site in Lawrence Street; as well as the established Boulevard student development in Hull Road, and the York St John University housing on Navigation Road.

Work has also recently got underway on two four-storey blocks providing 326 en-suite student on a site in Hallfield Road, off Layerthorpe.