Plans for a 540-bed purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) in Birmingham City Centre by Vita Group in partnership with have been approved.  

Birmingham City Council (BCC) Planning Committee, members approved the plans for the new Vita Student building on Gough Street/ Suffolk Street.

Famous for its ‘all in’ living experience which includes bills, events, breakfast and outstanding amenities, Vita Student Gough Street will feature 540 studio apartments along with private dining rooms, state-of-the-art gym, a vibrant hub space and outdoor terrace.

The planning committee report that members considered acknowledged the updated design and ongoing engagement with the neighbours and wider community, following the application’s deferral at the end of last year. 

Graham Mitchell, Development Director at MRP said: “The granting of planning for Gough Street is a very significant milestone in the delivery of this exciting new project which will provide safe, stylish student living in a prominent location in the city centre. The scheme directly meets the rising demand of student housing in the city and will help to alleviate the pressure on the city’s private housing market, by providing fully managed and purpose designed accommodation. We are thrilled to be working in partnership with VITA Group and are confident their signature design and best-in-class service offering will provide Birmingham’s growing population of students with the ideal environment in which to study, relax and thrive.”

MRP specialise in the creation of landmark sustainable developments across the UK and Ireland. This project builds upon MRP’s relationship with Vita Group which includes the recently opened Vita Student Cannon Park in Warwick and Vita Student Bruce Street in Belfast which is due to open in Summer 2023. 

Following the completion of the new building, Vita Group will own, operate, and manage the building as Vita Student. A well-established student accommodation provider with sites across the UK and Europe, Vita Student already operates a site in Birmingham, the former BBC Pebble Mill site that opened in 2019.  

Max Bielby, Chief Operating Officer for Vita Group said: “We’re delighted to achieve planning consent for this exciting new development in Birmingham with MRP. Demand for high-quality PBSA within the city continues to outstrip supply, this in turn is creating wider pressures on the city’s housing infrastructure. Vita Student’s established reputation within the city for providing the best student living experience means there’s plenty of opportunity to deliver something special which helps to satisfy that need. We look forward to work getting underway over the coming months.” 

The building is designed to be highly sustainable, meeting BREAAM ‘Very Good’ and car-free travel will be championed with Vita Student’s free resident bike hire and the site’s proximity to excellent rail, bus, and tram links. 

Following today’s planning approval, construction is anticipated to begin in Summer 2023, with completion due for Summer 2026 to coincide with the start of the academic year.