HUNDREDS of student flats are proposed for the site of a car dealership on the edge of the centre of York.

London-based purpose-built student flats developer Danehurst Development Ltd is looking to build a 4-5 storey block building containing 234 flats on the site of the former Turnbull’s Mazda dealership at 17-27 Layerthorpe, which is presently used by Burrows Mazda.

The developer is currently in pre-application talks with City of York Council and is seeking advice as to whether it needs to include an Environmental Impact Assessment in any future planning application.

Current plans are for 116 cluster flats and 118 studios, including 12 accessible studios. There would also be amenity space comprising a gym, cinema, common room, communal kitchen, dining area, study room, gaming room and laundrette. There would be parking for 4 cars and 142 bikes.

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A letter from London-based planning agents ROK Planning said: “The site in its current form is an under-utilised brownfield site in much need of redevelopment.”

It also said: “Overall, the site is in an area of mixed character which his undergoing considerable change.”

The letter noted that next door a Travelodge Hotel and homes are being built nearby, with a further hotel being built on the former Carpetwright site.

North of the site towards Monkgate are listed buildings which have been converted to guest houses.

South of the site is a range of government offices.

The letter said all this showed the site was in a ‘highly sustainable location’ adding it was a short walk to supermarkets including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Lidl, plus several gyms.

York St John University was an 8-minute walk from the site, and the University of York 14-minutes away by bus, from Asda, a minute’s walk away.

“In accessibility terms, the site is in a strong and sustainable location for PBSA,” it said.

The site was not in a conservation area and the nearest listed building, Foss Islands Chimney, was 0.2 miles away, which was also outside the conservation area.

The letter also noted similar student flat scheme have been approved by City of York Council in recent years. They include 275 flats at the Mecca Bingo site, 303 flats at Alton Cars in James Street, 83 flats at Plumbase in Fawcett Street, plus others at Aubrey House and Enterprise Rent-a-Car on Foss Islands Road.

“In view of the above it is considered that, whilst some impact is likely, it is unlikely that the characteristics of the proposals will cause a significant adverse environmental impact,” it argued.

The scheme, if approved, would not harm the setting of the nearby conservation area and would integrate with the existing townscape.

There would be no “unusually complex or potentially hazardous effects on the environment.”

Therefore, it concluded no environment impact assessment was needed.

City of York Council has yet to determine this.