Block of student flats in Northampton town centre given green-light to turn into hotel

A block of student flats in Northampton town centre have been given the go-ahead to change to a temporary hotel in a bid to help the property's owners weather the damaging effects of the Covid crisis.

The owners of the 92-bed Compton House in Abington Street, next to BBC Radio Northampton, said in planning documents that the university students it accommodates were encouraged to vacate their halls of residence at the start of the pandemic last March with their education being moved to online learning, subsequently leaving the property at less than full capacity.

The architects working on behalf of the Compton House owners, MWK Architects Ltd based in Ecton, outlined the reasons why the change to a temporary hotel was needed.

The document reads: "Our client's [Compton House Developments Ltd] concern at that time back in March, when we made a pre-planning application, was the uncertainty as to the date when student life would return to some sort of normality and, more importantly, the number of students that would return to the university.

"If those numbers are low and remain so for the foreseeable future, then the concern is that occupancy rates in Compton House will be severely affected and this will jeopardise the long-term viability of the building.

"Our clients are not looking for a permanent change of use or major alterations to the building, they would hope to revert the building back to being solely for student use when the threat from Covid-19 and the present uncertainty subsides."

The architects went on to explain why a change to a temporary hotel would be a good move.

The document reads: "The proposal is that Compton House could offer facilities much like a hotel but with rooms that provided more space, convenience and privacy. The Compton student flats have private cooking facilities, a kitchenette with a dishwasher and washing machine, living and sleeping areas that are larger than most standard hotel rooms.

"Companies frequently use hotels and serviced apartments to host professionals who may be on a local or international work assignment. However, long term stays in the major hotels are expensive propositions over the medium to long term and companies and their employees often look for alternatives."

Northampton Borough Council explained their reasoning behind giving the plan the green light.

An NBC spokesman said: "The proposed development would contribute to expanded activities within Northampton town centre on a relatively small scale, and would serve to assist in the temporary adaptation of the use of the building during the Covid-19 pandemic."

The property will be allowed to remain a temporary hotel until February 17 2023.