Plans to convert an empty 18th century building and offices into a 25-bed student accommodation block will go ahead.
City of York Council planners have approved Mason Residences UK Ltd’s plans to convert the buildings, in Main Street, Heslington, into student accommodation.
Janet O’Neill, who spoke on the developer’s behalf, told councillors the convoluted layout of the 300-year-old building made it unfit for other uses, with works needed to stop further deterioration.
But Heslington parish councillor David Blacketer said he feared the worst if the plans went ahead amid local concerns about noise, parking, antisocial behaviour and threat to the village’s character.
Thursday’s decision by the planning committee comes after the application was put on hold in March to get more information on accommodation at the University of York and the marketing of the building.
A council report on the plans since March’s meeting stated there was currently no unmet demand for housing that the university needed to address, according to the latest 2023-4 survey.
The university sold the Grade II-listed building and the 1960s office block known as The Hive in 2023 and it was on the market for seven months before its sale.
They are set to be converted to house four clusters of 17 bedrooms and eight studio apartments, three of which will be accessible.
Two disabled parking spaces are planned along with one bay for staff.
Speaking ahead of the decision, Mason Residences Property Manager Emma Morgan said the buildings had already suffered vandal damage and water leaks.
She added the accommodation would be managed by an on-site team during weekdays and said the development was needed ahead of a forecast shortfall in student housing in York.
But 19 objections have been lodged against the plans which have also faced opposition from local parish council and the Heslington Village Trust.
Ms O’Neill told councillors on Thursday the situation with the demand for student housing was more complicated than the university’s 2023/4 survey suggested.
She added finding any other uses for the buildings would be a challenge.
The applicant’s agent said: “We’ve got a 300-year-old building that would have been designed originally as a gentleman’s home, it’s got a convoluted layout so it’s not fit for people to work in.
“It would cost a lot to bring these buildings back in use, student housing is appropriate for them.”
But parish councillor Mr Blacketer said the plans went against Heslington’s efforts to avoid being subsumed by the growth of the University of York.
The parish councillor said: “This proposal threatens the historic character of the village.
“The impact of a 24/7, 25-bed building is significant, during the day Heslington is busy but in the evening it’s a quiet, rural village, I fear the worst.”
