More than 700 student and 'co-living' homes planned for eyesore site

London-based Bricks Group wants to redevelop the former Eastern Electricity Board site at Duke's Wharf in Norwich, vacant since 1999.

Plans have been lodged for a complex of more than 700 student and co-living homes in Norwich's Duke's Wharf. (Image: The Bricks Group)

The application lodged with Norwich City Council is for 717 homes - a mix of 376 student suites, 104 student apartments and 237 'co-living' units, which involve private apartments and communal living areas.

Most of the current buildings on the site, between Duke Street and Westwick Street, would be demolished and new blocks built.

The former Eastern Electricity Board site at Duke's Wharf in Norwich. (Image: Archant)

The new riverside block would be up to eight storeys tall, reducing to five near Anchor Quay.

An early indication of how the new development at Duke's Wharf could look. (Image: The Bricks Group)

The middle block would be five to six storeys and one to the west would be seven storeys.

The Boardman Buildings, designed by architect Edward Boardman would be kept and turned into co-living units, which would be managed by an offshoot of the Bricks group called Thrive.

The site would also include a riverside cafe, a gym, meeting, working and leisure spaces.

It would be largely car free and would feature a new riverside walk.

true student accommodation in Glasgow. (Image: The Bricks Group)

The student housing would be managed by True Student, which also provides accommodation in Newcastle, Glasgow, Liverpool and Birmingham.

Ben Morley, managing director of true student. (Image: true student)

Ben Morley, managing director of True Student, said the development would address an imbalance of housing, with 66pc of students not able to access purpose built student accommodation.

He said: "We’ll be working with the local community to deliver not just the highest quality accommodation, services and our market leading experience programme, but to actively support and encourage an environment focused on wellbeing, personal development and opportunity.”

The former Eastern Electricity Board site has been vacant, except for use as a car park, since 1999. (Image: Archant)

Bricks Group has not revealed how much the redevelopment would cost but if permission is granted it would look to open the accommodation for the September 2024 academic year.

Demolition would start in June and construction in December.

Jamie Osborn, Green city councillor for Mancroft ward, previously questioned whether Norwich needs so many student flats.

History of the area

The development site is close to where the 16th century Duke of Norfolk's palace once stood - hence its name.

It probably occupied the land where St Andrews Car Park now stands, but in 2015 archaeologists said it could "not be discounted" that remains associated with the palace complex could lie beneath the electricity board site.

The Anchor Brewery, founded by Richard Bullard in 1837, occupied part of the development site, which was also home to an iron works.

At the turn of the 20th century, the Electric Light Company power station was built, to the designs of architect Edward Boardman, who was also responsible for the old Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

The site also includes a warehouse building with all the words of Sir Thomas More's 'Utopia' on it, created in 2006 as part of an art project.

The building at the site off Duke Street which the words from Sir Thomas More's novel, Utopia, written on it. (Image: Archant)

That building, which dates to the 1980s, would be demolished if permission is granted.