Its back - plans for 30 storey tower atop Capitol Centre

http://www.propertyweek.com/in-depth/ma ... 29.article

Plans for a 30-storey tower hosting residential, student residential and a hotel apparently. I'm not sure I'd wanna live in the same block, or stay in the same block as a bunch of rowdy students, so maybe that should be "or" at this stage.

Apparently the new owners only paid £22 million for the capitol centre. Its lose Jaeger and Ausin Reed now too which was unknown to me. Clearly the tower development would bring some money in, but I wonder what the plan is with the rest of the centre? Let it become a hub for cheaper more convenient outlets?

That's interesting. New River certainly have deep enough pockets to bring forward a scheme like that.

Personally I'd try and move the centre itself away from retail and towards more A3 and leisure uses. There's already a cinema and gym and talk of a food court. Maybe bowling, inline skating and the like are the way to go. The Crazy Golf in SD2 seem to be doing well so there's obviously a demand for city centre leisure ativities.

Yet another potential tower then! It's also 5 storeys taller than the previously scrapped tower (and hopefully more attractive).

It makes sense really. Putting a development like this next to the Capitol centre could provide a new lease of life. It all depends on which direction they want to take the centre.

I still think it' a reasonable long term bet. Very convenient location by Queen St and the SD2 fad will wear off.

I think this is excellent news! I think a good quality 30-storey tower is really needed in that part and it will snuggle in nicely between Watkins Jones's 24-storey tower, Admiral's HQ and Brunel House.

I hope the plans include doing something with the hotch potch exterior of the centre, the original faux Victorian facade and the ultra modern newer entrances are an eyesore.

If I see another article where the words 30 storeys and student accommodation are in the same sentence I will jump off said block.
We will all look back on this student accommodation fade in 10-20 years with horror and wonder why there are abandoned second rate tower blocks littering UK cities.
I know some will say "it different this time" we really need student accommodation as university will grow by 500% over the next 5 years, but building for the future has never been an exact science, 1960's streets in the sky!

If I see another article where the words 30 storeys and student accommodation are in the same sentence I will jump off said block.
We will all look back on this student accommodation fade in 10-20 years with horror and wonder why there are abandoned second rate tower blocks littering UK cities.
I know some will say "it different this time" we really need student accommodation as university will grow by 500% over the next 5 years, but building for the future has never been an exact science, 1960's streets in the sky!

It is getting a little concerning, especially since Rightacres still haven't announced their plans for the tower in Central Square. Perhaps with the office developments doing so well (and Watkin Jones proposing two massive student towers) they have gone back to the drawing board. Hopefully we'll see an office tower instead. HMRC do need somewhere big after all.

I wouldn't worry too much about this development yet as it just seems like they're throwing ideas around at the moment. We are in need of high quality hotels so hopefully they go down that route, which would definitely help revitalise the Capitol centre in general.

It was always going to be something like this on that site, though no need for student accommodation. A hotel & apartments would be great. Would be nice to incorporate a bar/restaurant at the top as well.

In terms of structural engineering, there's very little difference in designing a concrete tower for student accomodation and designing a concrete tower for private residential/flats. Assuming, that is, that the architectural layout of the student accomodation isn't so awkward that the engineer has to put columns and walls in places which would compromise a change in layout. Other than that, there may be some differences in penetrations for services.

The main factor, which everyone outside notices, is the cladding. Student accomodation usually have cheeper, lighter, low-quality cladding which doesn't last as well. It is possible to change the cladding and reconfigure the internal layout for private residential. Cladding can be changed, although more expensive glass and stone/recon stone is a lot heavier than typical rain-screen cladding and the slabs need to take it. Changes to hotels are more problemtic, unless the original designs to allow for higher loads.

The use of buildings changes all the time throughout their lifetime and I'm sure that will happen again. Also, many of these schemes are built by a developer and then sold on to a second business which then leases them, typically for about 25 years.

So I wouldn't be too worried.