Plans to change city centre office space into student apartments have been submitted to the council.

Applicant 47-51 North Road Limited – which is listed online as having student property developer Anas Mister as its director – wants to convert and change the use of the first, second and third floors of 3-12 Gage Street into 12 student studios and four four-bed cluster apartments.

A previous application for the property to be turned into 30 studios was submitted last year.

A report by Zub Architecture on behalf of the developers says the development would be accredited under the Lancaster University (LU) Homes scheme, ensuring it adheres to the university's rigorous standards for quality, safety, and professional management, “thereby enhancing its attractiveness to students and supporting sustained, long-term occupancy in a competitive market”.

The exisiting view of the Gage Street properties.

placeholder image — The exisiting view of the Gage Street properties.

The statement is prepared to accompany a pre-application advice submission for the conversion of the upper floors from offices to ‘cluster flats’ student accommodation.

The proposal also includes enhancement and remodelling of the elevations.

The plans address the recent decline in international student enrolments and the current oversupply of premium studio accommodation, the report says.

The cluster apartment approach is particularly well-suited to domestic UK students, delivering high quality, sustainable shared living at a more affordable price point compared to individual studios.

A previously released image of how the new student flats could look.

The proposed site's location aligns with Lancaster City Council's promotion of sustainable student housing in city centres, where students benefit from public transport, local amenities like cafes, shops and cultural hubs – delivering economic, social and environmental advantages.

The existing upper floors are currently a mix of open plan and individual office spaces.

Considering the decreasing demand for city centre offices, conversion into student accommodation is considered a more suitable and commercially sustainable use.

In conclusion, the report says proposed redevelopment at Gage Street “represents a timely and responsive solution to evolving student housing needs in Lancaster, effectively addressing the decline in international enrolments and the oversupply of premium studios by introducing affordable, high quality cluster apartments tailored to domestic UK students.”

The plans will be discussed at a future Lancaster City Council planning committee meeting.